A chickpea is a round, tan-colored legume about the size of a small marble, with a slightly bumpy surface and a nutty, earthy flavor. Like beans, peas, and lentils, chickpeas grow in pods on plants and are packed with protein.

People have been growing and eating chickpeas for over 7,000 years, making them one of humanity's oldest cultivated crops. Today they're a staple food across the Middle East, India, and the Mediterranean, where they appear in countless beloved dishes. When mashed and blended with tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and garlic, chickpeas become hummus. When ground into flour, they can be used to make falafel (crispy fried balls) or Indian flatbreads. In Indian cooking, they're simmered in rich, spiced sauces called curries.

Chickpeas are sometimes called garbanzo beans, though they're not the same as common beans. You'll find them canned in most grocery stores, already cooked and ready to toss into salads or soups. Some people even roast them with spices as a crunchy snack. Their mild flavor and satisfying texture make them surprisingly versatile: they work equally well in a Mediterranean salad, an Indian stew, or even a chocolate chip cookie recipe where chickpea flour replaces wheat flour.