Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a staple in Indian cooking. Browse through this selection of the best Vegetarian Indian Chickpea Recipes.
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Chickpeas are also known as chana or chole and can be found in many recipes in Indian cuisine. They have the ability to soak up the wonderful Indian flavors.
Different types of Chickpeas
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a legume that comes in various types and varieties. They are a staple in many cuisines around the world and can be used in a wide range of dishes. Here are some different types of chickpeas:
- Kabuli Chickpeas (Cicer arietinum): These white chickpeas are the most common type and are larger in size with a beige color. Kabuli chickpeas are often used in dishes like salads and curries. They have a mild, nutty flavor and a creamy texture.
- Green Chickpeas: Also known as "chana" or "choliya," green chickpeas are harvested while still young and have a bright green color. They have a slightly different flavor and texture compared to mature chickpeas, and they are often used in salads, snacks, and various Indian dishes.
- Black Chickpeas (Kala Chana or Desi Chana): These chickpeas are dark brown to black in color and are commonly used in Indian cuisine. They have a dense texture and a nuttier flavor compared to other chickpea varieties.
For these Indian food recipes, you can use canned chickpeas or dried chickpeas that require soaking then cooking. Checkout this Ultimate Guide to Instant Pot Chickpeas to get perfectly cooked chickpeas ready to use in your favourite Indian recipes.
All recipes in this collection are vegetarian and many are suitable for vegan diets. Love curries? Why not try our Indian Vegetarian Curry Recipes.
Some are main dishes and others would be great as a side dish.
Given at the bottom of the post are suggestions for you to build a complete meal.
Indian Garbanzo Beans Recipes
Stuffed Wholewheat Buns with Chickpeas
Fresh Chickpea and Green Garlic Fritters (lila chana and lilu lasan vada)
Other ingredients you will likely need:
To make these Indian chickpea recipes, you will need:
Indian spices: red chili powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin, coriander powder and garam masala. Alternatively use your own spice blend such as a curry powder which includes coriander seeds.
Cayenne pepper can be used instead of red chili powder. A small pinch of black pepper can enhance the taste of certain dishes.
Whole spices such as cumin seeds, cinnamon, clove, cardamom and bay leaf
Tomatoes: fresh, tomato paste, tomato puree or tomato sauce
Onion, garlic, fresh ginger, green chili
Olive oil, or other such as coconut oil
Regular salt or sea salt
Garnishes: fresh cilantro
Kitchen gadgets like food processor and large pot are very useful for Indian or South Asia cooking.
For a complete meal, serve one of these Indian chickpea recipe as a main course with:
Gujarati rotli or Multigrain flour roti
Jeera rice, plain basmati rice or brown rice
Indian Onion Salad - made with white or red onion, lemon juice and warm spices
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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Indian Chickpea Recipes
Equipment
- 1 large pot or pan
- 1 Instant pot
- 1 Food processor
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 1 authentic chana masala
- 1 chana saag
- 1 coconut chickpea curry recipe
- 1 indian chickpea salad
- 1 chana pulao
- 1 chickpea tikka masala recipe
Instructions
- Choose a dish from the Indian chickpea recipes post, and follow the instructions.
- Most of the Indian chickpea recipes are prepared with aromatic spices.
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PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Moop Brown says
Chickpea is probably my favorite kind of bean and all of the recipes shown here look incredibly tasty and versatile.
Jenny says
We love Indian dishes in our home. These lovely Indian chickpea dishes have lots of flavor. Can’t wait to make one. Thank you!
LaKita says
I have been enjoying chickpea a lot recently and I was so excited to come across this delicious list of recipes. So many great options 🙂
Lauren Michael Harris says
I love chickpeas - I literally just eat them straight out of the can - and these recipes all look so good to me. I definitely need to expand the way I eat chickpeas!
Dennis says
Wow, so many delicious ways to make chickpeas! I can't wait to get started making them!
Austin says
Love this collection, so many great chickpea ideas! I am making the Chana Pulao tonight and can't wait to make the others too
Ramona says
I adore chickpea dishes and recipes and the variety that is included here is amazing! All of these look delicious and I can't wait to try them out, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Tristin says
We eat a lot of chickpeas, I just can't get enough of them! Going to be trying the Tandoori Cauliflower and Chickpea Tacos and quite excited about it!
Enriqueta says
First of all, what a great selection. I want to try ALL of your recipes! second, thank you for such a comprehensive guide on garbanzo beans. I didn't know about the black chickpeas. I'll try to find them on Amazon, and if not, I'll find an Indian store to get them. I'm super curious!
Gloria says
I always have chickpeas in the house. They are such a great addition to so many recipes, just like you have listed here. Now, which one will I try first?