What Do Chickpeas Taste Like?

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a low-cost, high-nutrient snack that is simple to prepare.

You can use them to add taste and nutrition to a wide range of recipes, or you can eat them as it is. Thus, chickpeas are versatile beans. If you are trying chickpeas for the first time, you might want to know how they taste.

Chickpeas have a strong, nutty, and coarse flavor of their own. However, they also retain the bean flavor of the legume family to which they belong. You will also find creamy and soft textures when they are mashed.

So, if you want to get into the details of chickpeas, you are at the right place. We will discuss in detail the flavor of chickpeas. Subsequently, we have mentioned a few recipes for you to try too. So, let us dive into the world of chickpeas and see what is in store for us.

What Is The Flavor Of Chickpeas?

Chickpeas, like all legumes, have a distinct bean flavor. You will find the flavors nutty and gritty too. However, chickpeas are different from other legumes in some aspects. They are creamy and slightly coarse. 

Besides that, they are mildly sticky, and the papery skin occasionally separates from the flesh, adding a new layer of texture. All in all, they are easily chewable and give a fresh flavor to your dishes. 

Are Chickpeas Good In Taste?

Chickpeas are good in taste. Their natural flavor is nutty and earthy that remains even after cooking. In addition to it, chickpeas have a bean flavor that is commonly associated with legumes.

However, chickpeas have a range of tastes dependent on how they are cooked. To know more about it, continue reading till the end.

Why Do Chickpeas Taste Like Hummus?

Chickpeas taste like hummus because they are the main ingredient for making hummus. Besides that, you need tahini sauce, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil to prepare a perfect hummus recipe.

Making hummus is super easy. So, if you are looking for a recipe, here is one for you:

1. Boil the chickpeas in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes after soaking them in cold water overnight. 
2. If you prefer using canned chickpeas, rinse and dry them using a towel. They are ready to use now.
3. Add lemon juice and tahini sauce to a food processor and whip it for one minute.
4. Add water to the paste. Slowly add garlic to the paste and whip it for a few minutes until you obtain a lighter color.
5. Peel the skin of chickpeas and add them to the paste. 
6. Start the food processor and whip it for another minute. By now, the chickpeas will be completely mashed. 
7. Finally, sprinkle some olive oil, salt, and pepper on the hummus.

How Do You Eat Chickpeas?

You cannot eat raw chickpeas as they contain toxins. However, they are safe for human consumption once they have been soaked, boiled, or cooked. There are multiple ways to eat chickpeas. Apart from hummus, a few more recipes have been discussed below for your reference:

1. Falafel

Falafel is a round-fried ball with soaked chickpeas, herbs, and spices. Making falafel is simple and easy if you have the ingredients at home. They have a mouth-watering taste and can be a perfect snack for parties. Here is how you can make it:

1. Soak the dry chickpeas in cold water overnight.
2. The next day, rinse them well and add them to a food processor.
3. Add onion powder, garlic powder, coriander, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. 
4. Grind the mixture coarsely.
5. Add chickpea flour or regular flour to the coarsely ground mix and give it a mix. 
6. Make sure that the mixture stays when you roll a ball. It means you have achieved the desired consistency.
7. Refrigerate the mix for 2 hours.
8. Take a skillet and add cooking oil. Put it on medium flame.
9. Make falafel mixture balls and add them to the skillet when it reaches 360 degrees.
10. Cook until golden-brown from both sides. 

2. Chickpea Soup

Chickpea soup is a healthy and creamy recipe when you want to have something delicious yet nutritious. Here is how you can make chickpea soup quickly:

1. Soak chickpeas overnight in cold water.
2. The next day, boil the chickpeas in a pressure cooker or pot.
3. Once boiled, set them aside for a few minutes to cool down.
4. Then, blend them into a puree by adding water at regular intervals.
5. Take a skillet and add olive oil to it.
6. Add cumin, ginger, and turmeric once the oil is hot.
7. Finally, add the chickpea puree. Add salt and pepper as per taste.
8. Finally, bring it to a boil, and your soup is ready.

What Do Chickpeas Go With?

Chickpeas go well with a few other food items. They complement each other so that you get the best taste possible. This way, you can create multiple food options from the same source and eat chickpeas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or whenever you wish. Here is a list you can look at:

1. Fruits And Vegetables

For dinner or lunch, you can make a fruit and vegetable salad with chickpeas or roast vegetables. You can add fruits and vegetables with chickpeas, including avocados, cherry, cranberry, eggplant, beetroot, carrot, orange, peach, artichoke, kale, lemon, strawberry, spinach, garlic, fennel, and pomegranate.

2. Herbs And Spices

If you do not wish to add anything else to your chickpeas, the best thing is to season them with spices, nuts, and oil. You can use basil, cardamom, coriander, chives, mint, nutmeg, parsley, peanut, sage, pine nuts, and rosemary in the herbed and roasted chickpea recipes.

3. Cheese

You might be surprised when you hear the combination of chickpeas and cheese. However, they taste delicious together.

Adding mozzarella or cheddar cheese sauce to your crispy chickpeas can taste like Mac and Cheese. You can also bake chickpeas in cheese for a quick evening snack recipe.

What Do Canned Chickpeas Taste Like?

Chickpeas in a can are pre-cooked and prepared foods, so you can toss them into any food after opening the can.

However, the brine for preservation may have left them with an overly salty taste. Thus, at times, people describe their flavor as metallic and mushy.

Therefore, we recommend rinsing and draining them before cooking. Once you do that, it loses all the salty taste. It does not have much flavor left. As a result, it tastes like how regular dried or boiled chickpeas taste. 

Do Chickpeas Taste Like Chicken?

The Internet has recipes that substitute chicken with chickpeas in salads, nuggets, and other dinner dishes. However, this does not mean that chickpeas and chicken taste the same.

These recipes are for vegan or vegetarian people to get the required amount of protein in their diet. However, recipes made with chickpeas that have the same spices and condiments as chicken seasoning might mimic the flavor of the chicken.

What Do Roasted Chickpeas Taste Like?

You can find roasted chickpeas at a reasonable price in any store near your neighborhood. They can be roasted or double roasted based on the brand. Additionally, you can roast chickpeas at home too.

Are you looking for a recipe to roast chickpeas? Because we have one for you. Follow the steps mentioned below and your roasted chickpeas are ready to eat.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Take a bowl of chickpeas and rinse it in water.
3. Then, dry them with a towel.
4. Remove the chickpea’s skin that comes off while drying.
5. On a baking tray, line an aluminum foil.
6. Spread the chickpeas without overlapping them.
7. Drizzle some olive oil on the chickpeas.
8. Add salt to the chickpeas and give it a gentle mix.
9. Add the tray to the oven for 30 minutes.
10. Shake the tray every 10-15 minutes to be evenly roasted from all sides.

Dry roasted chickpeas have a texture identical to regular dried peas. When you take a bite, the covering on the exterior will pop a little, giving you a nice crunch. Moreover, cooking them adds a smoky flavor to it.

Thus, they have a nutty, crunchy, and salty taste overall. You can eat them as a snack in the evening with tea or coffee.