Chickpeas are a delicious, and nutritious food that kids enjoy. Learning about the variety of ways that chickpeas can be prepared will increase your menu versatility. And not only are they good for our students, but they are often a USDA food that can be found on your dry good shelves. Chickpeas can be prepared as a main dish, snack, or side dish, and can take on a variety of flavor profiles. Here are some ways to take advantage of the versatility of chickpeas on your menu.
Chickpea Versatility: Snacks
Chickpeas can be a crunchy and delicious shelf-stable snack. Roasting these beans is a great way to develop flavor and crunchy texture. Not only are roasted chickpeas great as a side dish, but they are a great salad topper adding the perfect crunch to a fresh salad. Chickpeas are a mild bean, so toss chickpeas with any seasoning blend from BBQ to cinnamon sugar and you are sure to have a happy customer. If using as a topping on a grab and go salad, keep them in a separate sealed container to maintain their crunch. Here are some ways to take advantage of the versatility of chickpeas on your menu.
Rockin’ Roasted Chickpeas
Check out this recipe for roasted chickpeas from Forward Food. This crispy, crunchy snack is perfectly seasoned with rosemary and cayenne pepper. Healthy and delightful!
Tip: Make sure that all the chickpeas are crunchy before removing them from the oven. To make these a perfect, crunchy bite, you need to completely dehydrate them during the cooking process. Because ovens cook differently depending on the corner and/or shelf, make sure to shake the pan often and check chickpeas doneness from several areas on the pan.
Combine roasted chickpeas with popcorn to create this amazing popcorn crackerjack snack, a recipe from Londonderry Schools in New Hampshire.
CrackerJack Popcorn
Grab some crackerjacks for a delicious snack! Popcorn and roasted garbanzo beans are sweetened with sugar, molasses, and vanilla, making this snack a hit among kids!
Chickpea Versatility: Entrées
Chickpeas are a hearty bean that can easily be a main entrée dish. This flavorful and globally inspired Chana Masala from Minneapolis Public Schools is a delicious plant-forward dish that is great to add to any menu.
MPS Chana Masala
This popular Indian dish is the perfect combination of garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and warm spices. Served over rice, or with a side of flatbread, this is a healthy, flavorful combination!
This dish can be a side dish or a main entrée. Just remember when crediting this dish, you can only count your beans as a vegetable/legume OR a meat/alternate but not both in the same recipe.
Tip: Toss USDA chicken strips with this delicious Tandoori Spice Blend if you want to add meat to this dish.
Chickpeas make a delicious entrée in this baked falafel dish from The Vermont Feed Cookbook (https://vtfeed.org/). This falafel can be frozen after the patties are formed but before they are baked. Simply remove from the freezer and bake when you need them! Be sure to add a little more cook time if you are cooking from frozen.
Falafel Nuggets
A great way to add nutritious and delicious chickpeas to the menu! These nuggets are flavorful finger food!
This flavorful and delicious falafel can be served with this amazing Cucumber Tzatziki sauce from John Stalker Institute.
Cucumber Tzatziki
This Mediterranean dip goes great with pita bread, falafel, and more! With hints of cucumber, dill, and lemon this dip has all the right flavors.
Tip: Adding more globally inspired cuisines and plant-based recipes to your menu is a great way to create an inclusive menu while also inspiring picky eaters to try new dishes.
Chickpea Versatility: Side Dishes
This buffalo hummus is a great recipe for grades 6-12. The hot sauce gives the students the spice they love while serving them nutritious chickpeas.
Buffalo Hummus Dip
Healthy protein is the foundation for this flavorful vegetarian dip. You can adjust the spice level to suit the taste of your students. This recipe is easy and quick!
Create a delicious hummus grab and go lunch like Windham Raymond Schools.
Hummus and Veggie Cruncher Lunch
This easy to assemble lunch pack includes all the kid’s favorites with string cheese, hummus, grapes, vegetables, and a flatbread. Kids will enjoy the variety of foods!
Tip: using an immersion blender in a large high sided Cambro is a great way to puree chickpeas if you do not have a food processor. Just make sure to add the water in the recipe with them. The liquid will help them to puree faster.
Another great chickpea recipe is this Marinated Garbanzo Bean Salad from Chef Jason Hull. It can be used as a side dish or a topping on a grab and go salad. Chickpeas are great at absorbing flavor so adding a light and crisp salad dressing is a great way to create a delicious, nutritious and filling dish!
Marinated Garbanzo Bean Salad
This light, delicious, and refreshing garbanzo bean salad would be a great addition to any salad bar or grab and go menu.
Fun fact: Garbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same things. Garbanzo bean is the Spanish name for the bean and chickpea is the English name for the same bean. For some reason, our culture adapted both names and we use them interchangeably!
For more information on a variety of beans, check out the blog: Healthy Beans for Your School Nutrition Menu.
