Substitutes for Chickpea Flour

Substitutes for Chickpea Flour

Garbanzo beans are known for being gluten-free but have this unique creamy and tasty flavor. It is being made as a flour, also called chickpeas flour, which is widely popular in Indian cuisines and has reached even the Western areas as well. Chickpeas flour is the main ingredient in dishes such as hummus and falafel. It is also known as a vegan or vegetarian ingredient, and an alternative to wheat flour for those who have digestive problems. And due to its numerous health benefits, it has become the number one option for a lot of consumers nowadays. No need to fret when this flour is out of stock in your local market because we have listed alternatives that would give the same taste and flavor, and at the same time have nutritional values too.

Six Best Alternatives for Chickpea Flour

Quinoa Flour

Quinoa flour is made of ground quinoa seeds that are known for being the “mother of all grains”. This flour has a distinct nutty and earthy flavor rich in calcium, protein, and iron. It is also gluten-free similar to chickpea flour which makes this its best substitute. Quinoa is good for those who are watching their diet since it has very high fiber with 20 grams per cup, and also for those who are having gastrointestinal issues. Pastry chefs now prefer using quinoa for its improved quality of bread, waffles, and pancakes. It can be bought in most groceries and can even be ordered online.

Oat Flour

Oat flour is an ingredient that you always come by in common grocery stores and can even be made at home, hence, making it a great alternative. You can have any regular oatmeal and just let the food processor or blender do the job for you. Oat flour can be best used in traditional baking such as in bread or any pastries. It has a high fiber content with magnesium, copper, and vitamin B. With its mildly sweet flavor, it can also be used as an ingredient for cakes, muffins, or brownies. Not only is it tasty but oat flour makes these sweets a lot healthier.

Millet Flour

Millet flour is becoming a popular flour, especially in the gluten-free section. It is also eco-friendly in the way that the millet grows even with minimal water and also even pest resistant. It has a naturally sweet flavor that you can incorporate in many baked goods and similarly works well in other recipes such as pizzas, fritters, and stews. Millet flour is also very beneficial to our health because in a hundred grams of serving it already contains the necessary amount of iron, vitamins, and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, copper, and zinc. Since consumers nowadays have more desire in searching for healthier foods, millet flour has gained popularity and is even being considered on top of their grocery list.

Almond Flour

The flour that is good for blood sugar is almond flour. It has a low glycemic index meaning it has a lesser amount of sugar and carbohydrates. It is also healthy for the digestive system for its prebiotic dietary fiber. Almond flour can easily be made at home by blanching almonds into a boiling pot of water, blending it in a processor, and sifting it until it is in a superfine flour consistency. This flour can also be used as a coating that can replace breadcrumbs thus making any dish tastier and sweeter. And again, for those health buffs, almond flour is gluten-free.

Cassava Flour

Cassava is famous in itself as a root and an ingredient in common dishes found in Southeast Asia, Africa, and some parts of America. You can eat it as a whole but for some, it has been made as flour that has replaced basic wheat flour as a healthier version. This flour has a natural neutral flavor and has a fine and soft powdery texture. It is also famous for being gluten-free, high in carbohydrates, and low in fat but it has no protein. If adding cassava into your diet, make sure to complement it with a protein to compensate for its deficiency.

Wheat Flour

Bakers and most pastry chefs used wheat flour as it is the most common baking flour. It is known for its gluten content which makes the dough more elastic which is why it is best used in baking cakes, pastries, and pasta. There is a variety of wheat flours that can be used according to their characteristics. These are all-purpose flour, bread flour, cake flour, pastry flour, self-rising flour, and whole wheat flour.  Wheat can also be classified into different types according to its protein content. There are strong flours with higher protein and gluten content, and there are also those called weak flours with lower protein and gluten.