Chickpea Milk

Homemade chickpea milk for an easy plant-based dairy alternative. Made with garbanzo beans, vanilla extract, and pitted dates, this plant milk recipe is high in protein with a uniquely smooth texture.

Chickpea Milk

Chickpea milk is surging in popularity, and for good reason. Packed full of protein and calcium, and without the bitter aftertaste of almond or soy milk, this plant-based dairy alternative has plenty to offer. What’s more, it’s easy to make at home.

We’ll walk you through all the process stages, from boiling to straining, leaving you with a dairy alternative that can be enjoyed in vegan curry recipes or poured over ice. Let’s get into the recipe.

Chickpea Milk Benefits

homemade chickpea milk recipe

One of the benefits of chickpea milk is its neutral flavor, making it easy to use for various recipes. It does not have the same bitter taste like many other plant-based dairy substitutes. Also, it is low cost and easy to make. And you need way less water to make it than when you make almond milk, so it’s better for the environment.

Since chickpeas themselves are highly nutritious, the milk is as well. In particular, it is a good source of protein, which helps with bone growth and development, skin health, and muscle building. Chickpeas also contain fiber, which can be especially beneficial for people with diabetes.

Chickpea Milk vs. Soy Milk

Chickpea milk and soy milk are both plant-based. However, they have a couple of key differences that may influence your choice between them. For example, soy milk has about 74 percent fewer calories than chickpea milk. For every 100 grams, chickpea milk has 164 calories, while soy milk has 43 calories.

Soy milk is lighter on carbs—it’s about 46 percent carbohydrate instead of chickpea milk’s 65 percent. Both soy milk and chickpeas milk are low in saturated fats. For every 100g of chickpea milk, there is 0.27g of saturated fat, while soy milk has 0.21g.

Chickpea milk has more vitamin C than soy milk and less vitamin A but has the same amount of vitamin K. It’s also high in calcium, helping to strengthen and develop bones.

homemade chickpea milk recipe

Pro Tips

How to store chickpea milk

You can keep chickpea milk in the fridge in an airtight container. Another option is to freeze the prepared chickpeas in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag and take them out when you are ready to make the milk

When refrigerated, it will be suitable for 3 to 5 days. If you freeze the chickpeas, they will last for about three months.

How to sweeten chickpea milk

You can sweeten chickpea milk by adding maple syrup, honey, or sugar, or any other sweetener of your choice. It is best to incorporate the sweetener into the blending process rather than when you are about to serve the milk to make sure it is mixed in well.

Why do you need to soak chickpeas overnight?

Chickpeas need to be soaked overnight to be more digestible and do not take as long to cook.

Why do you need to use a mesh strainer?

Using a fine-mesh strainer gives the chickpeas a thicker texture than when you wring or press it through cheesecloth or muslin.

Serving Ideas

Unsweetened chickpea milk is great for use in savory dishes because of its neutral flavor. You can add it to coffee or tea and use it in place of regular milk in any recipe. You can also use chickpea milk to make yogurt, macarons, and meringues. At its most simple, it makes an excellent warm or cold drink.

homemade chickpea milk recipe
homemade chickpea milk recipe

Chickpea Milk

Homemade chickpea milk for an easy plant-based dairy alternative. Made with garbanzo beans, vanilla extract, and pitted dates, this plant milk recipe is high in protein with a uniquely smooth texture.
4.89 from 17 votes
Prep Time 10 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking 8 hours
Total Time 18 hours 30 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Non-Dairy, Vegan
Servings 0.5 gallon

Equipment

  • fine-mesh strainer

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups dried chickpeas
  • 4 Medjool dates pitted
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ gallon water

Instructions
 

  • Soak the chickpeas in water overnight. They will expand to about three times their original size. Drain any excess water from the chickpeas.
  • Add to blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Add dates and blend for 2 minutes, gradually adding filtered water to help form a paste.
  • In a large pot, bring the remaining water to a boil. Add the chickpea paste, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  • Reduce heat and simmer for 20–30 minutes, combining well so all ingredients are properly mixed.
  • Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or a clean mesh cloth. Discard the solids and store the liquid chickpea milk in an airtight container. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.