Chickpeas

Also indexed as: Garbanzo Beans

Preparation, uses, and tips

Cooked chickpeas are the main ingredient, along with sesame paste, in hummous, the popular Middle Eastern spread. Hummous is superb on pita bread, biscuits, or vegetable sticks. Before cooking, soak chickpeas for 12 hours, then pressure-cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or boil them for 2 1/2 hours. Chickpeas nearly triple in size after soaking and cooking. They have a unique, pungent flavour when cooked, blending well with garlic and onions. Chickpeas can be roasted as a snack or ground into flour. Tinned chickpeas are practical to keep on hand for a last-minute addition to salads, vegetable soups, and stews. As with all tinned beans, these should be drained and rinsed well before using.

Buying and storing tips

The black variety looks like small rocks, so inspect carefully for stones before cooking. Choose pale tan chickpeas with uniform colour. Store dried chickpeas in an airtight container.

Varieties

Although chickpeas can be reddish or black, the buff-colored variety is the one most widely used.

Nutrition Highlights

Chickpeas (garbanzo beans, tinned), 1 cup (240g)
Calories: 286
Protein: 11.8g
Carbohydrate: 54.3g
Total Fat: 2.7g
Fiber: 10.5g
*Excellent source of: Folate (160mcg), Vitamin B6 (1.13mg), Vitamin C (9mg), and Zinc (2.54mg)

*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value, based upon United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. Foods that are a “good source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the USDA Recommended Daily Value. Nutritional information and daily nutritional guidelines may vary in different countries. Please consult the appropriate organization in your country for specific nutritional values and the recommended daily guidelines.

Learn more about Healthnotes, the company.

Learn more about the authors of Healthnotes.

The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or chemist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires August 2007.