Reach For Chickpea Flour For A Creamier, More Velvety Soup

Chickpeas are one of the most versatile beans in the legume family. From working as the ultimate swap in vegetarian tuna salads to shining in creamy hummus and crispy falafel, chickpeas are a utilitarian ingredient and a must-have pantry provision. Although most chickpea-centric recipes call for the bean in its whole or mashed form, these practical little legumes also make an excellent all-purpose flour alternative. Chickpea flour, also called gram flour or besan, is used in many cuisines across the globe. Not only is chickpea flour good for baking cakes, cookies, and bread, but it's also the ideal choice for thickening soups, outdoing its wheat-sourced counterpart.

Chickpea flour seamlessly emulsifies into your favorite soups without clumping or coagulating. When integrated into a brothy, spoonable soup, chickpea flour leaves behind nothing more than a velvety, soft, and full-bodied texture that improves the mouthfeel of your dish with a creamy opulence. Chickpea flour also imparts delicate whispers of flavor into a dish, accenting soup with nutty, buttery notes that are subtle enough to blend in but intriguing enough to distinguish your recipe. Not only does chickpea flour improve the texture and flavor of a soup, but it can boost its nutritional value as well, thanks to its protein-rich makeup along with fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals. Chickpea flour is also gluten-free, making it the ultimate soup-thickening agent for foodies with gluten sensitives.

For the best results, whisk a tablespoon of chickpea flour with two or three tablespoons of cooled soup in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the pot and simmer for a few minutes. Et voilà — creamy chickpea-kissed soup will be ready in no time!

Chickpea flour is sold at most grocery stores in the baking aisle. However, it's just as easy to make at home as it is to buy from the supermarket. Because you can control the grind, making your own chickpea flour gives you agency over its consistency. Plus, it may have a fresher and more homemade appeal than store-bought varieties.

To make your own chickpea flour, a food processor like this Cuisinart Mini-Prep one is essential, though a blender can work too. Although their canned counterparts are convenient in many recipes, you'll need dried chickpeas to make this gluten-free flour. However, you'll want to soak these chickpeas overnight first. That might sound redundant, but this step improves the digestibility of the chickpeas. After soaking in water, dry the beans in a patch of sun, dehydrator, or oven so they blend into a powder rather than a paste — the goal is to make flour, not hummus. Transfer the dried beans to a food processor and pulverize them until they have a powdery consistency. Run them through a sieve to remove clumps and blend again, repeating this process until all clumps are removed. Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place and use within six months. Store in the fridge or freezer for a longer shelf life.

Chickpea flour works in any soup recipe that needs thickening. Whether you prefer to eat a cold-curing pot of chicken noodle when you're sick, or you're making spicy ramen or a basic tomato and herb vegetable soup for a weeknight dinner, chickpea flour is the best soup-thickening agent in the game.