For a chickpea filling or purée to use in your Candlemas crêpes on the day, choose chickpeas that are already cooked, either tinned or in a jar. Dried chickpeas are a good option if you can allow time for soaking and cooking, as E.Leclerc recommends. Whichever you choose, check the usable quantity, ingredients, allergen information and date on the packaging.
If you’re making your crêpes or filling at the last minute, already-cooked chickpeas save you the soaking and lengthy cooking required for dried chickpeas. Manger Bouger features recipes that use tinned chickpeas, but do check which form your recipe calls for.
Dried chickpeas are a good choice if you want to cook them yourself and decide how much to make. For the dried chickpeas featured on its website, E.Leclerc recommends soaking overnight, followed by around 1 h 30 of cooking in a saucepan.
Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings for each product. Depending on the product, Auchan and Monoprix listings mention possible traces of cereals containing gluten, soya, peanuts, sesame or nuts.
Choose these: when preparing your dish on the day and you need chickpeas that are ready to use once drained.
Bear in mind: the total pack weight and the drained net weight are not the same quantity.
Choose these: if you’re preparing the chickpeas in advance and want to control how they’re cooked.
Bear in mind: for the dried chickpeas featured on its website, E.Leclerc recommends soaking overnight and cooking in a saucepan for around 1 h 30.
For a Candlemas dish, start by checking which form your recipe calls for, then compare the details on the product you plan to buy.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Quick preparation | Look for a statement that the chickpeas are already cooked, and read the instructions for use. | I’m cooking on the day and can’t wait for soaking followed by lengthy cooking; around 36% of consumers would make speed their top priority. |
| Planned cooking | Compare the dried weight and the packet’s soaking and cooking instructions. | By preparing chickpeas in advance, I want to decide how much to cook and what texture they have; around 29% of consumers would prioritise this control. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list and allergen information, including any ‘may contain’ warnings, for the product you choose. | If someone at the table needs to avoid an ingredient or allergen, I check the label on the specific product; nearly 21% of consumers would make this their main consideration. |
| Organic and origin | Check whether organic status and origin are stated; the origin may vary depending on supply. | I want to choose first by production method or stated origin, then compare formats; around 14% of consumers would prioritise this. |
The quantity shown on a tin does not necessarily match the amount of chickpeas once drained. The weight on a bag of dried chickpeas is given before preparation.
To work out how much you need for your recipe, check the drained net weight on a tin or jar and the dry weight on a bag. Carrefour, for example, lists a drained net weight for its Classic’ tin.
The dried chickpeas featured by E.Leclerc need to be soaked overnight, then cooked in a saucepan for around 1 h 30.
If you’re making your dish on the day and haven’t allowed time for this, choose chickpeas labelled as already cooked and follow the instructions for use.
A list containing only chickpeas, water and salt doesn’t rule out ‘may contain’ warnings. In particular, the warnings on Auchan products vary between tinned and dried chickpeas.
If you have an allergy or need to avoid an ingredient strictly, read the information on the specific product and packaging you’ve chosen.
The Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control distinguishes between a minimum durability date (DDM) and a use-by date (DLC). A best-before date that has passed does not mean the same thing as a use-by date that has passed, particularly when the packaging is intact.
Check the exact wording on the product and follow its storage instructions. Don’t assume that damaged packaging means the product can be stored in the same way.
Carrefour offers Classic’ tinned chickpeas, including a 265 g tin with a drained net weight of 265 g.
E.Leclerc offers Notre Jardin tinned chickpeas in 530 g and 3 × 130 g formats, among others.
Auchan lists both tinned and dried chickpeas in its product listings.
Monoprix offers ready-to-use chickpeas in 265 g and 530 g formats.
Aldi France lists 265 g tins of All Seasons chickpeas in its tinned vegetable range.
These products cover two ways to prepare chickpeas for Candlemas: consider GÜNES VADIS chickpeas if you’re cooking on the day, or Valle Del Sole dried chickpeas if you can plan ahead. Check which form your recipe calls for before choosing.
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Worth considering if you’re preparing your dish on the day. The stated pack size is 820 gr; check the drained net weight to work out how much you’ll need for your recipe, and read the allergen information on the label.
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Worth considering if you want to skip soaking before cooking. The stated pack size is 540 gr; check the drained weight and allergen labelling, including the information about sulphites, on the product you receive.
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This 900g bag of dried chickpeas is a good choice if you can plan time for soaking and cooking before making your recipe. Check the packet instructions and any ‘may contain’ allergen warnings, especially if you need to avoid gluten.
Choose chickpeas labelled as already cooked if you haven’t planned time for soaking. E.Leclerc says that one dried product featured on its website needs to be soaked overnight and then cooked in a saucepan for around 1 h 30. Also check that the form you choose is right for your batter or filling recipe.
Read the information for the exact product you’re buying, including any ‘may contain’ warnings. Depending on the product, Auchan and Monoprix listings mention possible traces of cereals containing gluten, soya, peanuts, sesame or nuts. The warnings may differ between pack sizes.
First, check whether it’s a use-by date (DLC) or a minimum durability date (DDM). According to the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control, a use-by date must not be exceeded, whereas a best-before date may have passed if the packaging is intact, although the product may have lost some of its flavour. Always follow the storage instructions on the product, too.
No. If organic production matters to you, also check the form of the chickpeas, the usable quantity, ingredients and allergen information. Organic products listed by Carrefour and E.Leclerc don’t make these other details interchangeable.