The world's most widely eaten pulse — a round, beige legume cultivated for 10,000 years; the foundation of hummus, dal, chana masala, falafel, and dozens of dishes across the Middle East, Mediterranean, and South Asia.
The oldest cultivated pulse
Archaeological evidence from southeastern Turkey and Syria dates chickpea cultivation to approximately 7,500 BCE — among the earliest plant species deliberately grown by humans. They spread throughout the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and along trade routes to India and Spain. Today, India produces approximately 65% of the world’s chickpea crop.
Two species, two food traditions
Kabuli chickpeas (light-coloured, large, thin-skinned) dominate Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking — hummus, falafel, and Levantine dishes require the smooth, bland Kabuli. Desi chickpeas (dark, small, thick-skinned) are the backbone of Indian cooking — chana masala, chole bhature, and most South Asian chickpea preparations use desi chickpeas for their earthier, nuttier flavour.
Aquafaba
The liquid from cooked or canned chickpeas — aquafaba — contains dissolved proteins and carbohydrates from the chickpeas that behave remarkably like egg whites when whipped. It can be beaten to stiff peaks, used in vegan meringues, mousses, and mayonnaise, and as a binder in baking. The discovery was made in 2015 by French musician Joël Roessel and later publicised by software engineer Goose Wohlt.
Nitrogen fixation
Like other legumes, chickpeas form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Rhizobium species) in root nodules, enriching the soil they grow in. Planting chickpeas in rotation with cereals has been agricultural practice since ancient times.
Find more vegetables by letter
Chickpea starts with C and ends with A. Browse other vegetables along the same letter.
Vegetables that contain a letter from "Chickpea":