If you’re making a yeasted wheat loaf
You’d like to add chickpea flour to the dough without guessing how much to use. Your recipe needs to account for the possible changes to the dough and crumb.
Which option is right for you?
If you cook with cupboard staples
You’re making a purée, filling or savoury loaf from time to time. Ready-cooked chickpeas save you soaking and cooking dried ones, but their moisture content still matters in the recipe.
If you’re mindful of gluten and allergens
Check the exact product and its packaging rather than assuming it’s suitable based on the words ‘chickpeas’ alone. Some Monoprix product listings warn that certain products may contain traces of cereals containing gluten and soya.
What should you look for?
Chickpea flour
Choose this if: you want to add chickpeas directly to the dough.
Bear in mind: you’ll need a suitable recipe. Published results for sprouted chickpea flour in wheat bread don’t establish a ratio that works for every flour and recipe.
Dried chickpeas
Choose these if: you can prepare them in advance for a recipe that calls for cooked chickpeas.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to soak and cook them before puréeing or adding them, as directed by the recipe.
Tinned or jarred chickpeas
Choose these if: you want to make a purée or add whole chickpeas without cooking them from dried.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to drain them and use a recipe designed for this moist ingredient, which may also contain salt.
| Factor | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Dough structure | To add chickpeas to yeasted dough, check which type of flour and what proportion the recipe calls for. Research published in Plants and IOP Conference Series looks at specific bread-making conditions; it doesn’t support replacing wheat flour across the board. | When I’m making a yeasted loaf, I want to understand the role of chickpea flour before changing my recipe; around 44% of consumers would prioritise dough structure. |
| Preparation time | For dried chickpeas, allow time for soaking and cooking. E.Leclerc recommends soaking them overnight before cooking. For tinned chickpeas, compare the drained weight and the storage instructions after opening. | If I’m making a purée for a savoury loaf without having soaked chickpeas in advance, I’d choose a ready-cooked product; saving time would be the main priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Gluten and allergens | Read the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging of the product you buy. Some Monoprix product listings warn of traces of cereals containing gluten and soya. | When I’m cooking for someone who needs to avoid an allergen, checking that the exact product is suitable matters more than its format; nearly 23% of consumers would make this their top priority. |
What to avoid before you buy
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Swapping flour directly for tinned chickpeas
Cooked chickpeas add moisture to the dough, so their weight isn’t equivalent to the same amount of flour in a bread recipe.
To add them to dough, follow a recipe designed for cooked chickpeas. If it gives a weight for drained chickpeas, drain them before weighing.
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Assuming every size from a brand has the same country of origin
For Notre Jardin, E.Leclerc lists France as the country of origin for the 3 × 130 g product, while the 530 g product listing gives several possible origins depending on supply.
Check the country of origin for the specific product and packaging you’re buying.
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Assuming all chickpea products are suitable for a gluten-free diet
Allergen information varies by product. Monoprix warns of traces of cereals containing gluten on some chickpea product listings.
Before cooking for someone with an allergy or intolerance, check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging you receive.
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Confusing the dates shown on the packaging
The French Ministry of Agriculture distinguishes between a use-by date (DLC) and a best-before date (DDM), which may appear on tinned products.
Read the exact wording: ‘use by’ indicates a use-by date, while ‘best before’ indicates a best-before date.
Chickpea brands to know
Carrefour Classic'
Carrefour offers tinned chickpeas in several sizes under its Classic' range.
- Carrefour listings include a tin with 265 g net drained weight and a 410 g jar.
- Check the specific product and size when you buy; a Carrefour jar listing we viewed showed the product as unavailable.
Notre Jardin / Marque Repère
E.Leclerc’s tinned range includes a pack of 3 × 130 g and a 530 g tin.
- The listing for the 3 × 130 g pack gives the ingredients as chickpeas, water and salt, and states that the chickpeas in this product are from France.
- The listing for the 530 g size gives different possible origins, so don’t assume the information for one size applies to another.
Auchan
Auchan offers cooked chickpeas in tins, including 265 g and 530 g sizes, for recipes that call for cooked chickpeas.
- The listing for the 265 g product says to drain and rinse before using cold.
- Auchan notes that ingredient and allergen information can vary by delivery service and date, so check the packaging you receive.
ALDI
ALDI France offers tinned chickpeas under its ALL SEASONS® range.
- ALDI’s product range page lists a 265 g size.
- The size alone doesn’t determine how to use the chickpeas in dough. Choose a recipe designed for cooked chickpeas and check the product label.
Monoprix
Monoprix offers cooked chickpeas in 265 g and 530 g sizes, as well as a 265 g organic option.
- The listings for the standard products give the ingredients as chickpeas, water and salt.
- Listings for some 265 g products warn of traces of cereals containing gluten and soya; the 530 g product listing mentions sulphites. Check the exact product.
Joybuy products for these recipes
This selection includes chickpea flour to use in a suitable bread recipe, plus two sizes of cooked chickpeas for recipes that call for a purée or whole chickpeas. Tinned chickpeas aren’t a direct substitute for flour in the dough.
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MOLINO CHIAVAZZA Chickpea flour, 500 g
A size to consider if you’d like to add chickpeas to dough using a suitable recipe. The proportion used for a different flour or recipe can’t be inferred from trials published on sprouted chickpea flour.
If you need to avoid gluten, check the allergen warnings on the packaging of the product you buy.
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GÜNES VADIS Chickpeas, 820 gr
For recipes that call for cooked chickpeas, including purées or whole chickpeas. Take their moisture into account: they aren’t a direct substitute for flour.
Lupin is listed in the information for this product. Check the label on the packaging if this allergen is relevant to you.
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GÜNES VADIS Chickpeas, 540 gr
For a recipe that calls for cooked chickpeas and accounts for their moisture, rather than as a direct substitute for flour.
Information about metabisulphite and allergens varies for this product. If you need to avoid sulphites, check the packaging before choosing it.
Frequently asked questions
Can you replace all the wheat flour with chickpea flour in a yeasted loaf?
Not by using a wheat bread recipe as it is: choose a recipe designed specifically for this substitution. Studies published in Plants and IOP Conference Series examine the effects of adding chickpea flour under specific conditions. Results using sprouted flour shouldn’t be taken as a general rule for all chickpea flour.
How much time should you allow for dried chickpeas?
E.Leclerc recommends soaking them overnight, then cooking them for around 1 h 30 in a saucepan in three times their volume of water, or for 40 minutes in a pressure cooker in 1.5 times their volume of water. To add them to bread afterwards, follow a recipe designed for cooked chickpeas.
How should you store an opened tin of chickpeas?
For its 265 g product, Auchan recommends putting any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eating them within two days. Check the instructions for your own product, as they may vary by product.
Are tinned chickpeas always suitable for gluten-free cooking?
No. The presence of chickpeas alone doesn’t mean the finished product is suitable. Monoprix product listings warn of traces of cereals containing gluten for some products, so check the ingredients and allergen warnings on the packaging you buy.