7+ Chickpea Flour Alternatives

Chickpea flour is a gluten-free baking staple that is gaining popularity. This flour, prepared from ground garbanzo beans or chickpeas, is high in protein while meeting nutritional requirements.

The health food business did not develop chickpea flour. It has been a staple on the Indian subcontinent for years, where it is used to produce snacks, flatbreads, and other dishes. Cooks throughout the Mediterranean use a variety of chickpea flour to produce famous street meals such as fritters and pancakes.

Chickpea flour is popular among chefs and bakers because of its flexibility and high nutritional value. Outside of niche retailers, it may still be difficult to locate. If you can’t find chickpea flour, try these substitutes.

1. Quinoa Flour

Quinoa flour is your best chance for a gluten-free chickpea flour alternative that is also high in nutrients.

Quinoa flour is abundant in calcium, fiber, and protein and is made from quinoa, a nutritious seed popular in the Andes. It also has a similar texture to chickpea flour, thus it works well as a substitute. Quinoa flour, for example, may be used to replace chickpea flour as a binding agent in fritters.

Nevertheless, quinoa flour may not work well in baked items on its own, so you may need to combine it with another gluten-free flour. It also has a stronger flavor than chickpea flour, which some people dislike.

2. Oat Flour

Oat flour, like chickpea flour, is gluten-free. It is high in fiber and low in carbs, making it suitable for keto and celiac patients. Oat flour is more readily available than chickpea flour since it can be made at home by grinding oats in a food processor.

Oat flour, like chickpea flour, is a good binder, although it is particularly thick in baking. To substitute chickpea flour in a baking recipe, combine it with another gluten-free flour.

Because of the facilities in which it is manufactured, some oat flour is not gluten-free, so examine the labels carefully.

3. Millet Flour

East Asia and Africa are big fans of millet flour. Because of its rich calcium and fiber content, it has recently garnered worldwide reputation as a superfood (although it has slightly less protein than chickpea flour).

Millet flour is somewhat sweeter than other gluten-free flours, thus it works best in dessert dishes to replace chickpea flour.

Since millet flour does not bond as well as chickpea flour, it must be combined with another flour and the water levels adjusted.

If you have thyroid problems, avoid millet flour since it lowers iodine levels.

4. Wheat Flour

Sometimes the simplest replacements are the most effective. Wheat flour is a worldwide staple for a reason: it is flexible and rises beautifully, imparting a light, airy texture to baked foods. You will not need to do difficult calculations to establish the proper baking ratios.

Wheat flour, on the other hand, is less nutritious than chickpea flour and includes gluten (unless you specifically buy the gluten-free kind). Thus, if you’re looking for a healthier alternative to chickpea flour, this isn’t the greatest option.

5. Cassava Flour

Cassava flour, derived from ground cassava root, is a South American staple. It is gluten-free and high in protein, similar to chickpea flour, making it a favorite ingredient among health-conscious bakers. Moreover, cassava flour has a smooth texture that results in light, tasty foods when used in baking.

If you want to use cassava flour instead of chickpea flour in a bread recipe, combine it with another gluten-free flour. Cassava flour is so soft that it has difficulty rising, and you don’t want a thick loaf.

6. Almond Flour

If you can’t locate chickpea flour in your grocery store, almond flour is one of your best alternatives as a substitute.

Almond flour is one of the most widely used gluten-free flours. You can create it at home by pulverizing almonds in a food processor.

For preparing cakes or patties, almond flour works best as a binding agent. It’s also a great addition to baked products. Nonetheless, it has a nuttier, sweeter taste than chickpea flour, which may alter the ultimate finish of your recipe.

7. Buckwheat Flour

Buckwheat flour is a wonderful replacement for wheat flour for making savory pastries, flatbreads, or noodles. Buckwheat flour is a prominent East Asian staple that is utilized in traditional cuisines like soba noodles.

It is healthier than wheat flour, just like chickpea flour. It is lower in calories and higher in nutrients. Buckwheat flour is also gluten-free since buckwheat is a seed rather than wheat.

Buckwheat flour is more bitter than chickpea flour, so modify the amounts accordingly if you don’t want it to overshadow your meal.