Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans are a highly nutritious, tan-colored, round-shaped legume.

Where to buy good chickpeas/garbanzo beans

We absolutely LOVE these chickpeas/garbanzo beans from Azure Standard. I’ve tried many brands of chickpeas, and I’ve never had any as absolutely smooth, amazingly buttery, and wonderfully delicious as these.

If you’re looking for canned chickpeas, I recommend Jovial brand chickpeas. And (ironically) Walmart’s organic chickpeas are quite good too.

Are chickpeas/garbanzo beans a healthy food?

Absolutely!

Plant-Based Protein

For every 1/2 cup of chickpeas, you get 19 grams of protein

Slimming

Chickpeas make a great weight loss food. They’re very filling, yet low in calories. And they’re loaded with slimming fiber and other nutrients that have been shown to help with weight loss.

Good for the Brain

What more, they’re a great source of choline – a nutrient that is important for brain health.

Blood Sugar

Chickpeas are also very high in fiber and have been shown to be very helpful for controlling blood sugar levels.

Different varieties of chickpeas/garbanzo beans

Chickpeas can be purchased dried or canned, and there is a HUGE difference between the two.

Dried Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans

Dried chickpeas must be cooked before eating them. However, home-cooked chickpeas (if cooked correctly) are tender, creamy, rich, smooth, and buttery.

Canned Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans

Canned chickpeas are already cooked.

However, many brands of canned chickpeas are cooked at low temperatures and for insufficient time. The results? While under cooking the chickpeas keeps them firm, for many people, canned chickpeas don’t digest well. (The worst offenders are Trader Joe’s and Eden Organics brands of chickpeas.)

In addition, canned chickpeas often have color-preserving additives or firming agents added to them.

Chickpeas in a Pouch

Another option is to purchase chickpeas in a pouch. We like the chickpeas in a pouch from Thrive Market. These chickpeas are organic, don’t have any additives, and they are thoroughly cooked! Yay!

The convenience of canned chickpeas with the quality of home-cooked

Canned chickpeas are very convenient. Open the can and they are ready to go. But, many brands of chickpeas are way under-cooked! And this can cause all sorts of digestive issues.

No problem! If you cook chickpeas in a crock-pot or an Instant Pot, home-cooked chickpeas don’t take more than 5 to 10 minutes of hands-on time. You just have to plan ahead a little.

That’s where your freezer can help. Cook up a batch of chickpeas ahead of time, divide them into several smaller containers, place them in the freezer, and you have delicious and tender cooked chickpeas anytime you need them.

Note: Whether you drain them before freezing them depends on what you are going to use them for.

Recipes that use Chickpeas/Garbanzos

How to store chickpeas/garbanzo beans

Dry legumes, such as garbanzos, should be stored in a cool, dry place. They stay good for about 10 months.

Where to buy good chickpeas/garbanzo beans

Our very favorite source for chickpeas/garbanzo beans is Azure Standard. I’ve tried many brands of chickpeas, and these are the BEST! I’ve never had any as absolutely smooth, amazingly buttery, and wonderfully delicious as these.