Standby Veg: Canned Chickpeas

Standby Vegetables

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Chickpeas, also known as ‘ceci’ and ‘garbanzo’ beans, are amongst the earliest cultivated legumes dating back at least 9,500 years in the Middle East. Chickpeas can be used in salads, soups and stews and are a key ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, where they are used to make hummus and falafel, as well as in Indian cuisine. High in protein, chickpeas are a nutrient-dense food, rich in fibre, folate, iron and phosphorus. They are also a source of thiamine, vitamin B6, magnesium, and zinc.

chickpeasChickpeas can be purchased dried and in cans, and are available in Australia in family size cans around 420gm and in single-serve 125gm cans, upon which the following recipes are based. If single-serve cans aren’t available in your area, you can use ½ cup of chickpeas from a larger can.

The following recipes can be made entirely from Standby Vegetables and Pantry Essentials including some Crisper Essentials.

Several recipes in the entry Standby Veg: Canned Four-Bean-Mix can also be made with chickpeas.

Chickpeas are also included in the Cooking in Bulk recipe, Chickpea and Vegetable Stew.

Chickpeas feature in many recipes on this website, so just enter ‘chickpeas’ in ‘Search’ to find them all.

 

Recipes:

Chickpea Dip

Chickpea Salad

Chickpea and Mayo Salad

Chickpea and Potato Patties

Pasta e Ceci

Chickpea and Tomato Stew with Couscous

Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

Chickpea Soup with Rice

Pasta with Chickpeas and Spinach

Chickpea Korma

Curried Chickpeas and Rice

 

Chickpea Dip

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Garlic and mild curry powder

 

  1. Place chickpeas with 1 tbsp. of the can water in the small cup of a bullet blender
  2. Add the rest of the ingredients and liquidise thoroughly

 

Chickpea Salad

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ½ Lebanese cucumber (or ¼ Granny Smith apple), sliced
  • 1 tbsp. carrot, grated
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Dried onion, oregano and garlic

 

  1. Combine chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber and carrot
  2. Whisk lemon juice, dried onion, oregano and garlic into olive oil
  3. Drizzle over salad and toss

 

Chickpea and Mayo Salad

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • ¼ Granny Smith apple
  • ¼ cup carrot, grated
  • 1–2 tbsp. mayonnaise or natural yoghurt
  • 1 tsp. lemon or lime juice
  • Mild curry powder, dried onion and garlic granules
  • 3–4 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
  • 1–2 lettuce leaves (optional)

 

  1. Mash chickpeas roughly with a potato masher or food processor
  2. Whisk lemon juice, dried onion, garlic and mild curry powder into mayonnaise
  3. Peel and grate the apple
  4. Stir apple and grated carrot into the mashed chickpeas
  5. Stir in mayonnaise
  6. Serve with cherry tomatoes and/or lettuce (optional)

 

Chickpea and Potato Patties

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
  • ½ tbsp. skim milk powder (optional)
  • Mild curry powder, garlic granules, dried onion and coriander
  • Oil spray

 

  1. Mash chickpeas roughly with a potato masher or food processor
  2. Place instant mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl with skim milk powder (optional)
  3. Add just enough boiling water to reconstitute
  4. Stir in mashed chickpeas with spices and mix thoroughly
  5. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spray with oil
  6. Form mixture into 3–4 patties and place on tray
  7. Bake in a pre-heated hot (200°C) toaster oven for 20 minutes, turning at least once

Variations:

  • substitute 1 small potato, boiled and mashed, for the instant mashed potatoes
  • add a thawed and drained portion of frozen spinach at Step 4

Tip: If mixture is too soft to form patties, stir in 1–2 tbsp. breadcrumbs at Step 4. (To make breadcrumbs, break a toasted slice of wholemeal bread into small pieces, then process in a bullet blender to break the pieces down into crumbs.)

Serving suggestion: serve with natural yoghurt or mayonnaise

 

Pasta e Ceci

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas
  • ¼ cup small macaroni or elbows
  • 1 cup vegetable stock (optional)
  • Basil, parsley and pepper
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with pepper
  2. Add diced tomatoes with herbs and simmer for 3–5 minutes to reduce
  3. Add chickpeas with liquid
  4. Add stock or 1 cup water and simmer for 10–15 minutes
  5. Return to the boil and add pasta
  6. Cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally

 

Chickpea and Tomato Stew with Couscous

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • ½ cup diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • Garlic, paprika, pepper and coriander
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock
  • ½ cup spinach leaves or 1 portion frozen spinach, thawed (optional)
  • ¼ cup instant couscous
  • Olive or canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add capsicum and sauté until wilted (optional)
  3. Add chickpeas and sauté to heat through
  4. Add diced tomatoes with stock powder and simmer for 15–20 minutes, adding more water as required
  5. Stir in spinach and simmer for a further 2–3 minutes (optional)
  6. Place couscous in a bowl, pour in ¼ cup boiling water and let rest until the water is absorbed
  7. Serve stew over couscous

 

Chickpea and Vegetable Soup

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • ¼ cup diced tomatoes
  • ¼ cup frozen mixed vegetables (or chopped carrot)
  • 1 portion frozen spinach (or ½ cup spinach leaves, chopped) (optional)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 1 tsp. tomato paste
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice
  • Garlic, mild curry powder and coriander
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add diced tomatoes and sauté
  3. Add chickpeas and sauté
  4. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder, tomato paste and lemon juice
  5. Add chopped carrot (optional)
  6. Simmer for 20 minutes
  7. Allow to cool, place in large cup of bullet blender and liquidise thoroughly
  8. Return to the saucepan and bring to the boil
  9. Add spinach and allow to thaw (if frozen) and stir through (optional)

 

Chickpea Soup with Rice

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas
  • 1 tbsp. rice (or 2 tbsp. small macaroni or elbows)
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 1 tbsp. diced bacon (optional)
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • Garlic, pepper, paprika and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic, pepper and paprika
  2. Add diced bacon and sauté (optional)
  3. Add chickpeas with liquid and heat through
  4. Add 1 cup boiling water with stock powder, tomato paste and parsley
  5. Simmer for 10 minutes
  6. Stir in rice or macaroni and simmer for a further 15 minutes
  7. Stir in a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (optional)

 

Pasta with Chickpeas and Spinach

  • ½ cup pasta
  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 portions frozen spinach, thawed or (1 cup spinach leaves, chopped)
  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • Chilli or paprika, garlic, pepper and parsley
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Olive oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with spices
  2. Add chickpeas and sauté until heated through
  3. Add ¾ cup water with parsley, bring to the boil and stir in pasta
  4. Simmer for 8–10 minutes
  5. Add spinach and stir through pasta
  6. Continue to simmer, stirring often and adding more water if required until pasta is cooked (12–15 minutes in all)
  7. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

Variation: substitute ½ cup frozen broccoli florets for the spinach. Add at Step 4 and omit Step 5.

 

Chickpea Korma

  • 1 tbsp. chopped onion
  • 2 tsp. tomato paste
  • ½ cup frozen mixed vegetables
  • ¾ cup canned potatoes, halved
  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 x 165ml can light coconut milk
  • ½ tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic, mild curry powder, pepper and ginger
  • 1 tbsp. natural yoghurt (optional)
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onions with garlic and spices
  2. Add chickpeas and sauté
  3. Add mixed vegetables and sauté
  4. Add potatoes and sauté
  5. Add coconut milk with tomato paste and stock powder
  6. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water as required
  7. Remove from heat and stir in yoghurt (optional)

Variations:

  • substitute ½ cup red capsicum and carrot, chopped and ¼ cup frozen peas for the mixed vegetables
  • substitute a diced medium potato, cubed, for canned potatoes and add at Step 3
  • for a low-fat option, thoroughly blend 2 tbsp. almond meal with 2/3 cup water in a bullet blender and substitute for the coconut milk

 

Curried Chickpeas and Rice

  • 1 x 125gm can chickpeas
  • 3 tbsp. rice
  • 2 tbsp. chopped onion
  • ¼ cup red capsicum, chopped (optional)
  • 1 tsp. chicken stock powder
  • Garlic, mild curry powder, paprika and coriander
  • Chives
  • Canola oil

 

  1. In a small saucepan, sauté onion with garlic and spices
  2. Add capsicum and sauté (optional)
  3. Add chickpeas with liquid and sauté to heat through
  4. Add ¼ cup water and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes
  5. Add rice and stir through
  6. Add 2/3 cup of boiling water with stock powder
  7. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes
  8. Sprinkle with chives

Variation: substitute a small potato, peeled and cubed, for the rice and simmer for 20–30 minutes at Step 7

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