30 Delicious Vegan Chickpea Recipes

30 of the BEST vegan chickpea recipes to take advantage of this low-budget, fiber and protein-dense ingredient – including soups, salads, curries, sides, and desserts!

As a blog dedicated to budget-friendly recipes, my pantry is always stocked with humble yet hearty, nutritious, and budget-friendly legumes like lentils (a complete guide to lentils), beans (59 ways to use a can of beans), and chickpeas. Whether you’re stocked up on tins or cooking garbanzo beans from dry (which works out even more cost-efficient!), chickpeas are a fantastic, low-budget source of plant protein to transform into endless easy chickpea recipes – like the 30 appetizers, sides, mains, and even desserts below.

Top Tips For Cooking With Chickpeas

• To store cooked chickpeas: In an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days or freezer for 3 months. I store them in 1.5 cups/ 250g portions (the amount in a can of chickpeas).
• Don’t discard the canned chickpea liquid: (or the cooking liquid from dried chickpeas) This liquid, ‘aquafaba’, is a great vegan egg white substitute and shouldn’t be wasted. If you have no immediate use for it, freeze it in a large ice cube tray for 3-4 months.
• If you cook dried chickpeas: I recommend cooking large batches to freeze for later meals.
• Dried to canned chickpea conversion: A 15oz (400g) can of chickpeas yields about 9oz (250g – around 1.5 cups) once drained. You’ll need 4.4oz 125g cups dried chickpeas.
• To cook dried chickpeas: Soak them overnight in plenty of water (they double in size). Drain and rinse. Transfer to a large pot covered with water and cook for 40-60 minutes, or until tender. Add garlic, bay leaves, or other aromatics to infuse them with flavor.

Easy Baked Falafels

This recipe makes the ultimate simple baked falafels using canned chickpeas – baked to perfection for minimal oil and fat. Once baked, enjoy them in wraps, salad bowls, burgers, as a mezze platter, and more!

Easy Hummus

This easy chickpea recipe consists of a base of just five ingredients, utilizing tinned chickpeas for ultimate convenience.

You can also experiment with flavor variations like roasted red pepper hummus, pistachio hummus, dill pickle hummus, sweet potato hummus, beet hummus, etc.

Air Fryer Chickpeas

I couldn’t make this list of easy chickpea recipes without including this super simple crispy chickpeas recipe – perfect as a high-protein chips alternative when you’re craving savory and crunchy. Plus, there are endless flavor variations!

Mock Crab Cakes

Combining canned chickpeas and artichoke hearts, Wallflower Kitchen shares a delicious vegan take on a popular restaurant appetizer!

Potato Chickpea Tacos

When you only have 20 minutes to spare to pull together a simple, satisfying meal, these chickpea tacos have got you covered (and all with minimal effort).

Chickpea Tuna Salad

For a plant-based take on a classic, this chickpea tuna salad may not taste exactly like tuna. However, it has just enough of the same mouth-feel and texture to make an excellent protein-packed plant-based alternative for sandwiches, wraps, lettuce cups, and more!

Vegan Garbanzo Bean Salad

This vegan garbanzo bean recipe works well to mimic tuna, but with a veggie twist, 100% oil-free, and ready in 5 minutes. A budget-friendly, non-processed, nutritious addition to your table.

Easy Lemon Orzon Chickpea Salad

This simple, flavorful orzo chickpea salad uses six ingredients – a combination of chickpeas, tomatoes, red onion, and dressing – for a versatile, refreshing, summery appetizer or side dish. It’s perfect for any potluck, BBQ, picnic, or garden party.

Vegan Lentil Chickpea Salad

With just 10 ingredients (mostly pantry staples!), this lentil and chickpea salad is ultra-hearty, can be enjoyed warm or chilled, and comes together in under 30 minutes – a great vegan recipe with chickpeas for a quick lunch at home or on the go.

Looking for a similar warm chickpea salad recipe? Try my kale garbanzo bean salad.

Texas Caviar

Looking for stress-free vegan/vegetarian chickpea recipes perfect for all your summery BBQs, cookouts, picnics, and taco Tuesdays? Texas caviar is a fresh and delicious blend of beans, corn, tomato, avocado, and red onion for a vibrant, nutritious addition to your table.

Summer Pasta Salad

This simple pasta salad uses a combination of veggies (tinned, fresh, or frozen based on what you have available!) and chickpeas for a fiber and protein-dense summery meal.

You also might enjoy my Mediterranean vegan pasta salad.

Quinoa Chickpea Salad (in a jar)

Looking for an easy vegan chickpea recipe perfect for meal-prepping to enjoy at home or on the go? This lettuce, quinoa, and chickpea salad is fresh and nutritious, and you can whip up a whole week’s worth in just 15 minutes.

Chickpeas are a really easy way to add protein to any salad, like my easy artichoke salad, sweet potato kale salad, Mediterranean couscous salad, roasted potato salad, or kale quinoa salad.

Chickpea Sweet Potato Boats

This recipe is a super simple meal loaded with fiber, protein, and a sweet-savory flavor blend. It’s perfect for those days you want to use minimum effort for maximum satisfaction.

Healthy Stuffed Avocado

Cauliflower rice and chickpeas make a surprisingly hearty filling for antioxidant and healthy-fat-filled avocado boats. A simple, delicious side or light main loaded with nutrients.

BBQ Chickpea Wrap

Quick and delicious wraps are the perfect, simple, and satisfying lunch. They don’t require much cooking and can be eaten quickly – which makes them a fantastic option for work or school lunches or any on-the-go meals.

Quinoa Chickpea Patties

Try out this naturally protein-dense and flavor-packed burger alternative. These chickpea quinoa veggie burgers rely on several veggies and spices for a delicious blend of flavor – all in just 20 minutes from start to finish!

Vegan Bean Chili

This vegan/vegetarian recipe with chickpeas is high in plant protein using a blend of beans, including chickpeas, to make a bold and nutrient-dense vegan chili with basic pantry ingredients – on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker.

If you’re as chili-obsessed as me, you might like my black bean chili, vegan pumpkin chili, or quinoa sweet potato chili!

Curried Chickpeas

This 30-minute curried chickpeas recipe uses silken tofu for a simple meal that’s protein-packed, ultra-creamy, and loaded with comforting Indian-inspired flavors – on the stove, in a slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Vegan Tandoori Chickpeas

This recipe veganizes a popular Indian-inspired classic, replacing chicken with chickpeas – made entirely from scratch with just a few simple pantry ingredients in 30 minutes.

Vegan Chickpea Stew

This Mediterranean-inspired chickpea stew is thick and hearty, and served right out of a bread bowl.

Sweet and Sour Chickpeas

Simple sweet and sour chickpeas from My Plantiful Cooking combines chickpeas and bell pepper in homemade sweet and sour sauce for a healthy, flavorful twist on a takeout favorite.

Greek Chickpea Soup

You can enjoy this Mediterranean-inspired chickpea soup from Skinny Spatula year-round. Combining chickpeas, lemon, and several Mediterranean-inspired flavors, this soup works as a hearty summery treat or to warm you during the colder months!

Coconut Chickpea Curry Soup

The next time you crave soup, I implore you to try this coconut chickpea curry soup. It’s creamy, rich, hearty, high-protein, and satisfying… all while made almost entirely from vegetables.

Eggplant Stew with Tomato and Chickpeas

This eggplant stew can be cooked on the stove or in a crock pot, adding chickpeas for added protein and a nourishing family meal.

Vegan Chickpea Noodle Soup

Simple chicken noodle soup is given a vegan twist in this comforting vegan chickpea noodle soup – perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather, and all winter long.

Prefer your chickpea soup noodle-free? Try my tomatoey garbanzo bean soup recipe.

Easy Chickpea Lentil Curry

You can pull together this vegan chickpea recipe with just a few simple, inexpensive pantry staples for a high-protein, flavorful, creamy, comforting, satisfying, meatless meal!

Creamy Chickpea Carrot Curry

Simple ingredients combine in this comforting chickpea and carrot curry – perfect for an easy, crowd-pleasing, meat-free curry.

Vegan Stuffed Acorn Squash

This stuffed acorn squash recipe combines quinoa, chickpeas, and cranberries for a hearty, wholesome, comforting meal bursting with fall flavors.

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

These chickpea cookies use mashed chickpeas for cookies that are crispy on the outside with a soft, chewy middle and vegan chocolate chips in every bite, yet surprisingly healthy and wholesome.

Chocolate Covered Chickpeas

For a sweet treat with a high-protein twist, give this vegan dark chocolate chickpea bark a try. All you need for this easy chickpea recipe is four ingredients for a sweet and savory, smooth, and crunchy treat. Then, enjoy this vegan chocolate bark in lunchboxes, snacking, and the holidays!

More Vegan Recipe Round-Ups

Vegan Dinners

23 Cozy Vegan Soup Recipes to Warm You Up!

Vegan Dinners

14 Delicious Zucchini Recipes You Need To Try!

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16 Savory Tofu Recipes You Need To Try!

Vegan Dinners

20 Easy Vegan Pasta Recipes You Need to Try!

If you tried any of these vegan chickpea recipes or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!