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Chickpea Breadcrumbs {Video}

September 26, 2019 by PetraScott 22 Comments

chickpea breadcrumbsChickpea breadcrumbs are a single ingredient gluten-free and grain-free breadcrumb alternative. You can use chickpea crumbs in place of classic breadcrumbs in any recipe to add flavor, protein, and fiber while keeping the same crunchy breadcrumb texture.

I am a huge fan of all things chickpeas - hummus, falafel, socca bread, chickpea croutons, and now chickpea breadcrumbs. I am not sure if I should call them chickpea breadcrumbs or chickpea crumbs?

Anyway, lately, I have seen quite a few recipes calling for chickpea crumbs by Watusee. I think it's the only company that currently sells chickpea breadcrumbs. To be honest, I have never tried their chickpea crumbs because when I looked at the ingredient list - "chickpeas" - I figured I could make the "breadcrumbs" at home at a much lower price. For the price of one package (which is $10!), you can buy enough chickpeas to make five times that amount.

As you might suspect, chickpea crumbs do have a slight chickpea flavor, but the flavor is not overpowering. If you add these breadcrumbs to a recipe with stronger flavors, you can't taste them at all. The texture is very similar to panko breadcrumbs. It has the course little pieces of the crumbs and the 'crispy' texture due to its flaky nature.

chickpea crumbs

Tips for Making Chickpea Breadcrumbs (Chickpea Crumbs)

Ingredients

This recipe calls for only one basic ingredient:

  • Chickpeas: you can use either dried or canned chickpeas. The advantage of using canned chickpeas is that other than rinsing, there's no prep involved. However, dried chickpeas excel in flavor. Dried, soaked chickpeas have a more subtle flavor with nutty undertones. Canned chickpeas have a more of a metallic, bean-y taste. 
  • Seasoning (optional): you can keep the chickpea crumbs plain or add seasoning. Adding a little bit of parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, and salt, can transform the chickpea crumbs into those savory breadcrumbs you can get in the store.

chickpea breadcrumbs ingredients

How to Make Chickpea Breadcrumbs

My method for how to make chickpea breadcrumbs is really simple. Here’s how it goes:

  1. Soak. Add the dried chickpeas into a bowl, cover them with water, and let them soak for ~ 24 hours. This step is really important because if the chickpeas aren't sufficiently softened, they will not break down easily. Once soaked, drain the chickpeas and rinse them thoroughly. Note: if you decide to cook the chickpeas, a shorter soaking time is perfectly fine.
  2. Process. Add the soaked chickpeas into a food processor and pulse them until chopped. If you're using cooked chickpeas, be careful not to purée the chickpeas. The chickpeas should retain some of their texture. 
  3. Bake. Spread the processed chickpeas into a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake them at 350°F/176°C until dry, for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the chickpeas aren't too crowded otherwise they won't dry out properly. Use two baking sheets if needed. 
  4. Process. Transfer the baked chickpeas into the food processor once again (the chickpeas will be somewhat clumped together at this point) and process them until you get a breadcrumb-like texture. The texture will depend on what you're using the chickpea crumbs for.  If the purpose is coating or binding, do a finer pulse (I usually use my Vitamix to do the final pulse). If the purpose is topping, you can do a coarser pulse.

how to make chickpea breadcrumbs

How to Use Chickpea Breadcrumbs

By now, you're probably wondering how these crumbs perform in different recipes.

Chickpea breadcrumbs are drier than regular breadcrumbs. This can be a good thing because they don't really get soggy. The downside is that they stay quite dry. So, if you're using the chickpea crumbs for coating, bread very lightly.

Chickpeas are a very good binder. So, you if you need grain-free breadcrumbs for binding, chickpea crumbs are a great option. 

Finally, you can these crumbs as a topping, which is a widespread preparation in Southern Italy. The story goes that poor Italians began to grate stale bread over pasta when they couldn't afford Parmesan. Though breadcrumbs might have been poor man's cheese at one point, that's no longer the case. In fact, chickpea breadcrumbs can provide a lot of flavor and add a nice crunchy texture. The key is to sauté the breadcrumbs with a little bit of olive oil, minced garlic, freshly chopped herbs, and some lemon zest until fragrant and golden brown. 

How to Store Chickpea Breadcrumbs

  • Refrigerating: transfer the chickpea breadcrumbs into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 month. 
  • Freezing: transfer the chickpea breadcrumbs into an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months. 

chickpea breadcrumbs recipe

Recipes with Chickpea Crumbs

I use chickpea crumbs in many of my recipes including:

  • Lentil loaf
  • Chickpea loaf
  • Veggie burgers

If you try any of these recipes, please, leave a comment and rate the recipe below. It always means a lot when you do.

chickpea breadcrumbs
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Chickpea Crumbs

Chickpea breadcrumbs are a single ingredient gluten-free and grain-free breadcrumb alternative. You can use chickpea crumbs in place of classic breadcrumbs in any recipe to add flavor, protein, and fiber while keeping the same crunchy breadcrumb texture.
Prep Time1 d 10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time1 d 30 mins
Servings: 6 (⅙-cup servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas , soaked*
  • 2 tsp. Italian seasoning (optional)
  • ¼ tsp. garlic powder (optional)
  • ¼ tsp. salt (optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F/176°C.
  • Process. Add the soaked chickpeas into a food processor and pulse them until chopped. If you're using cooked chickpeas, be careful not to purée the chickpeas. The chickpeas should be coarse, not smooth/paste-y,
  • Bake. Spread the processed chickpeas into a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake until dry to the touch, for 15-20 minutes. Make sure the chickpeas aren't too crowded otherwise they won't dry out properly. Use two baking sheets if needed. 
  • Process. Transfer the baked chickpeas into the food processor once again (the chickpeas will be somewhat clumped together at this point) and process them until you get a breadcrumb-like texture. The texture will depend on what you're using the chickpea crumbs for.  If the purpose is coating or binding, do a finer pulse (I usually use my Vitamix to do the final pulse). If the purpose is topping pasta or other dishes, you can do a coarser pulse.
  • Bake (optional). If the chickpea crumbs are still moist at this point, transfer them back onto the baking sheet and bake them until completely dry, 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, you can also leave the baking sheet in the hot oven (that has been turned off) for additional 20-30 minutes.
  • Season (optional). If you'd like to season the chickpea crumbs, add the dried herbs, garlic powder, and salt and toss until combined.
  • Store. Chickpea crumbs keep well in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. For longer term storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Equipment

Vitamix food processor
food processor
square griddle
mixing bowls
mixing bowls
mesh strainers - cuisinart
mesh strainer
measuring cups
measuring cups
measuring spoons
measuring spoons

Recipe Notes

*1 cup/200 g dried chickpeas yields about 2.5 cups/410 g soaked chickpeas. You can also use 2 (15 oz./425 g) cans of chickpeas.
*Soak the chickpeas for ~ 24 hours. Drain, rinse, and use as instructed.
**Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please, feel free to make your own calculations.
Nutrition Facts
Chickpea Crumbs
Amount Per Serving (1 of 6)
Calories 121 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Carbohydrates 20g7%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 6g12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Filed Under: General, How To's

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kristi

    September 26, 2019 at 6:13 am

    5 stars
    Good morning, Petra. I'm going to make these immediately! Well, I might wait until the weekend. LOL! Looks like a fantastic idea! I think they'd even be good on salads in place of croutons, which I LOVE. Hope you and Tanner and your little ones are doing well!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      September 26, 2019 at 7:44 am

      Hi Kristi 🙂 Yes, totally! If you're using them on salads, I would recommend adding the seasoning because otherwise the crumbs are quite bland. Hope you enjoy them 🙂

      We are all doing well although I wish the summer was longer. It's a rainy season here in BC!

      Reply
  2. Brin

    September 26, 2019 at 8:37 am

    5 stars
    Greetings Petra !! Thank you very much for such a lovely recipe with a very detailed explanation. This is indeed a very healthy replacement of breadcrumbs in cutlets/patties.

    Have a quick question here - is this allowed in keto?

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      September 27, 2019 at 1:29 am

      Hi Brin - unfortunately, no. Granted they are very nutritious, their high carb count won’t help you reach ketosis. 1/2 cup serving contains 16 g net carbs.

      Reply
  3. Jenny Poolton

    September 30, 2019 at 8:52 pm

    5 stars
    Greetings Petra. I just wanted to say kudos (mucho, mucho) for all the fantastic recipes and tips you provide. Your whole approach is incredibly professional; it simply cannot be faulted.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      September 30, 2019 at 9:46 pm

      Aw, you're so kind, Jenny! Thank you so much for the kind words! ❤️

      Reply
  4. Evgenia

    October 06, 2019 at 1:30 am

    5 stars
    I made these chickpea breadcrumbs!!!
    It was soooo simple and it was something that I needed so much and I could not believe that it can be possible to make healthy alternative for breadcrumbs!!!
    Dear Petra, I made them and the second day I baked fish balls which I put in that chickpea breadcrumbs in order to make them moist inside and crunchy outside.
    It was so tasty!!! Also I could eat these breadcrumbs on their own with a spoon))
    They have nice taste as they are like tiny crackers :)))

    How this idea have appeared to you?))
    Very useful in the kitchen!!!

    Thank you soooooo much!!!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      October 07, 2019 at 5:43 am

      That's so awesome! Yes, they are a great snack too, especially if you season them with salt and some herbs. So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Evgenia. Thank you so much for the feedback! ❤️

      Reply
  5. Janet Miller

    November 09, 2019 at 8:03 am

    I am going to with these are not the best for Keto but I will still try them. Since I am on Keto and cannot have traditional bread (I love your flaxmeal bread, btw) I will try these. I don't use a lot at a time so the carb count should not be too bad. Thanks for this idea, Petra!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      November 09, 2019 at 9:41 am

      Hi Janet - thank you for the comment. I am working on a keto breadcrumbs recipe, but haven't gotten satisfactory results yet. Hopefully this recipe works for you 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kim

    May 07, 2020 at 12:40 pm

    This is a great idea. I am looking for an alternative to bread crumbs because I need to make a large batch of Portuguese prawn cakes and gluten free bread is expensive and difficult to find a nice texture that toasts out nicely. For the recipe you need to coat the dough in the crumbs and deep fry the cakes. How well do these crumbs fry?

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      May 07, 2020 at 11:55 pm

      Hi Kim - to be honest, I have only baked with these crumbs and used them for binding (in veggie burgers, etc.), but I don't see why they wouldn't work for frying. You can always do a test batch to see how you like the flavor and texture. The breadcrumbs do stay quite dry when used for coating, so bread very lightly.

      Reply
  7. red

    June 13, 2020 at 1:00 pm

    Im still unsure, Can't be uncooked chickpeas ?

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      June 14, 2020 at 12:07 am

      I prefer dried (uncooked, soaked) chickpeas, but cooked chickpeas work too.

      Reply
  8. Kate

    August 19, 2020 at 10:14 am

    5 stars
    Made these for a whole food, plant based vegan baked mac and cheese and it was AMAZING! My family who is not vegan even said it got a 10/10 and would eat again.
    Recipe was incredibly easy to make and doubled the recipe so I would have some left over to use as "croutons" on a salad.

    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      August 20, 2020 at 8:45 am

      Your comment just made my day! So happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for the feedback and rating, Kate!❤️

      Reply
  9. Mme D. Boer

    March 31, 2021 at 4:55 am

    5 stars
    Great Recipe! use those chickpea bread crumbs now in many recipes: over salads to replace croutons, having added garlic & Italian herbs. Use no salt in our home, so these are a very tasty alternative. Made the lentil loaf: delicious! Use the seasoned bread crumbs +nutritional yeast, sauteed in olive oil and garlic to put over pasta, as you suggested it tastes almost like parmesan. Eat no cheese in our home due to it's high salt content so this was a tremendous taste improvement to pasta!
    Thank you so much.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      April 01, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      Your comment made me so happy! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your feedback!❤️

      Reply
  10. Loni Brooke McGackin

    November 26, 2021 at 6:05 pm

    4 stars
    Hi Petra,

    I played around with this recipe and discovered that roasting the chickpeas whole first (canned chick peas) helps prevent overblending them. I roasted them at 350 degrees for 21 minutes, blended the roasted chickpeas, then roasted the "breadcrumbs" again for 21 minutes. They came out perfectly!

    Thank you for this recipe!

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      November 29, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      That's awesome! Thank you for letting me know, Loni.

      Reply
  11. Alice

    June 29, 2022 at 2:28 pm

    Hi could I please get how much I need to make the burgers without being gluten free. They look soo good.

    Reply
    • PetraScott

      July 01, 2022 at 5:40 am

      Hi Alice - I am not sure I understand your question, but if you would like to use regular breadcrumbs to make the veggie burgers, I would start with half the amount of breadcrumbs and add more as needed. You want to add enough breadcrumbs so the mixture is not too sticky, but not so much that the veggie burgers are too dry.

      Reply

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