A 2019 article in The Atlantic made quite the observation: “In the Future, Everything will be Made of Chickpeas.” Three years later, not everything is made from chickpeas, but a whole lot of food products are starting to use this pulse in everything from healthy snacks to pastas to tortillas.
Chickpeas were one of the earliest cultivated legumes with a nearly 10,000 year old history that originates in the Middle East. In the United States, chickpeas are grown in Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and California.
Chickpeas are round and beige with a satisfying, nutty flavor. They are used in countless food applications, either as a whole ingredient or milled into a flour or cut. As The Atlantic article stated, there are not many applications that cannot benefit from this versatile pulse.
Tortillas
Grain-free tortillas with chickpea flour have the functionality of traditional tortillas without the gluten.
Pasta
Chickpea noodles are gaining in popularity as an ingredient that delivers a significant amount of protein and fiber.
Healthy Snacks
Roasted, puffed or mashed chickpeas make for the perfect better-for-you snack that can be seasoned with everything from seaweed to garlic ranch.