The Best Substitutes for Chickpea Flour You Must Use

Chickpea is the most popular replacement for meat in vegan dishes. And it’s especially popular and delicious in hummus and falafel. But taste is not the only thing that makes chickpeas stand out! This ingredient is also incredibly beneficial for your health. This is also a must-have in your kitchen if you are considering a vegan or vegetarian diet. However, as amazing as they are, chickpeas flour is not always available. In that case, you can easily go with some chickpea flour substitution options: quinoa flour, whole wheat flour, millet flour and so many more. And we would love to share with you our favorite chickpea replacements!

Chickpeas flour made of, as you can imagine, milled chickpeas. And the great thing about this ingredient is that it’s very versatile, and you can use it in a plethora of recipes. And we didn’t even mention the fascinating taste!

And as for the health matters, chickpeas flour has some amazing effects on health. For instance it has a lot less calories than regular flour, hence why it’s a wonderful option if you’re on a diet and trying to lose weight. Moreover, it’s packed with a lot of fiber, protein and it has less effect on blood sugar than your regular flour. To add cherry on top of this cake of pros – chickpea flour is also gluten-free. Chickpea flour has several important nutritional benefits:

Uses Of Chickpea Flour in Recipes

Here are some of the best ways to use chickpea flour or a chickpea flour substitution:

• Though it is thick in texture, you can still use this flour for preparing frying batters for French fries. An easy hack is to mix some spices to club soda and you will get a blend just like tempura.
• Use the flour in preparing savory waffles.
• It can be used to make bread.
• You can mix it in gravy, sauce, or soup to thicken up the dish.

Why Do We Need a Substitute?

This flour is fairly new to the western market. So, it might not always be available at local stores. But even if you can’t find any around, you can still choose among many suitable alternatives to chickpea flour. But do keep in mind that a perfect substitute must be low in calories, vegan and gluten-free.

There are many replacements for chickpea flour, and our favorite are:

Quinoa Flour

A great alternative source of carbohydrates, Quinoa flour is a perfect chickpea flour alternative. You can also use it for making burger patties. This binder ingredient is one of our favorites. It is also an excellent pick for vegetarians and vegans.

Quinoa flour is one of the oldest grains that are gluten-free and has a plethora of health benefits. Plus, it’s pretty easy to make: all you would need is to grind quinoa to the required consistency.

Nutritional Facts

Per 100 grams:

• 393 kcal
• 5g total fat
• 64g of carbohydrates
• 0g Saturated fat
• 5g total fat
• 0 mg cholesterol
• 29 mg salt
• 14 g protein
• 36 mg calcium
• 0mg potassium

Overall

Whole Wheat Flour

As the name suggests, whole wheat flour is made up entirely of wheat. And some of the most common and available types are – white and regular.

The white whole wheat also known as the spring flour is made of winter wheat. It contains all the classic nutritional values of wheat and is pale and mild in texture.

The regular whole wheat also called the hard red flour is nutty. It is heavier and has a heartier texture. This is preferred more for regular use.

And another great thing about whole wheat is that it’s also a great gram flour substitute. Other than that, this ingredient is best for preparing bread, scones, pancakes, muffins, and biscotti.

Nutritional Facts

Per 100 grams:

• 333 kcal
• 3g total fat
• 0g saturated fat
• 73g of carbohydrates
• 0mg cholesterol
• 0mg salt
• 0mg calcium
• 0mg potassium

Overall

Millet Flour

Just like the quinoa, it is an ancient grain that has been in eastern households for ages. This grain is coarse in texture. We also love it as a garbanzo bean flour substitute with high minerals, proteins, fibers, and vitamins. Other than that, millet flour is gluten-free and can be used in making breakfast porridge, salads, muffins, and a lot of other dishes. It can also work as a replacement for potatoes and rice.

Nutritional Facts

Per 100 grams:

• 382 kcal
• 4g total fat
• 0.5g saturated fat
• 75g carbohydrates
• 0mg cholesterol
• 4mg sodium
• 11g protein
• 14 mg calcium
• 0mg Vitamin B12
• 224 mg Potassium

Overall

Cassava Flour

Cassava or yuca is a type of root vegetable in South America. It is much like a starchy vegetable similar to carrots, parsnips, or beets. This flour primarily consists of several minerals, vitamins, and carbohydrates. And one of the main reasons we love this substitute for gram flour so much is that it’s a vegan option, free of grain, gluten, and nut. However, if you have allergies it’s a better idea to choose something else.

Nutritional Facts

Per 100 grams:

• 371 kcal
• 0g fat
• 0g saturated fat
• 0mg cholesterol
• 0mg salt
• 57mg calcium
• 303mg potassium
• 89g carbohydrates
• 6g fiber
• 0g sugar

Overall

Other than these, lentil, peas and beans also make a good garbanzo bean flour substitute.

Now that you know the best replacements for chickpea flour, here is how you can make it at home:

• Rinse the dried chickpeas.
• Soak them for at least 8 hours.

• Take them out and spread them on a tray in one layer to dry.

• Fully grind dried chickpeas, to avoid mushiness.

• Sieve to remove lumps.

• Store it in an air-tight jar for up to 2 months.

Having an alternative to a cooking ingredient is just as important as having a good cookware in your kitchen. And when you happen to ran out of chickpea flour, or don’t have any available – that doesn’t mean you can’t improvise. In that case, you can easily use some chickpea flour substitutes. For example, for savory recipes you can use pick quinoa. For baking – oat flour. Another great chickpea flour replacement is seitan flour, buckwheat flour, rich in protein almond flour, rare amaranth flour, or spelt flour.

So as you see, there are plenty of options – you just have to go with what’s best for you. Thus, check out the nutritional value, keep in mind whether you have some medical conditions, like allergies, and go with a chickpea flour alternative that works for you!

So which chickpea flour substitution are you going to try? Let us know in the comments below!