When can babies eat chickpeas?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Chickpeas

Mash them, flatten them or blend them into hummus. Small hands love them.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat chickpeas from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedNot a common allergenIron-rich

How to serve chickpeas by age

6 months+

Smooth mash or hummus

Mash very soft chickpeas with a fork, or blend them with a little water, breast milk or formula into a smooth, tahini-free hummus. Offer it on a pre-loaded spoon or spread thinly on soft cooked vegetable sticks. Shop-bought and traditional hummus usually contains tahini (sesame): leave it out until your baby has had sesame on its own (see the allergy note).

Size: Mashed smooth, or spread thinly as hummus on a pre-loaded spoon or a soft finger food about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
Check before serving: Press the mash between your thumb and finger. It should be smooth, with no whole or half chickpeas left.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare chickpeas

1
Canned chickpeas: choose no-salt-added, then drain and rinse them under running water. Dried chickpeas: soak them for at least 5 hours (overnight is easiest), pour away the water, then boil them in fresh water for at least 30 minutes and until very soft, without salt. The FDA gives these soak and boil times for kidney beans and says the natural toxin is found in many kinds of beans, so our suggestion is to use them for dried chickpeas too. The FDA also says slow cookers don't get hot enough to destroy the toxin in kidney beans, so don't use one for dried beans.
2
Simmer canned chickpeas for a few minutes to soften them further, if needed. Peeling off the thin skins makes a smoother mash or hummus.
3
Mash, blend or flatten each chickpea, depending on your baby's age, and let them cool before serving.
4
First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward.

How much to offer

Start with a teaspoon or two of mash or hummus. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of licking and smearing is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Serving whole chickpeas

Whole chickpeas are firm and round, and the CDC lists whole beans as a choking hazard. Mash them, or press each one flat.

Using shop-bought hummus without checking the label

Some hummus is high in salt. Check the label, or make your own without salt.

Offering roasted crunchy chickpeas

They're hard and can break into firm pieces. The CDC says to avoid hard foods for young children, and the AAP advises keeping high-risk foods away until about 4 years. Keep chickpeas soft-cooked and flattened until then.

Introducing hummus before sesame

Most hummus contains tahini, which is sesame, a common allergen. Introduce chickpeas on their own first, or make hummus without tahini until sesame has been tried on its own.

Questions parents ask

Can chickpeas be a choking hazard for babies?

Whole chickpeas are firm and round, and whole beans are on the CDC's list of choking hazards for young children. Cook them until very soft, then mash them, blend them into hummus, or squash each one flat. Never offer roasted crunchy chickpeas to babies or toddlers. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to chickpeas?

Chickpeas are not one of the top 9 US allergens, but the NHS lists beans, lentils and peas among foods that can trigger an allergic reaction. Offer a small amount on its own first, and watch for signs of a reaction. Talk to your pediatrician, GP or health visitor first if your baby already has a food allergy or eczema, or if there is a family history of food allergy, eczema, asthma or hay fever. Hummus usually contains tahini, made from sesame, which is a top allergen: introduce sesame separately so you know what caused any reaction. Once chickpeas (and sesame, if you use it) are eaten without a reaction, keep offering them as part of usual meals.

Are chickpeas healthy for babies?

Cooked chickpeas provide protein, fiber and iron (about 2.9 mg of iron per 100 g, according to USDA FoodData Central). This is nonheme iron, which the body absorbs better when vitamin C is eaten at the same meal.

Can babies eat hummus?

Yes, from around 6 months. Most hummus contains tahini (sesame), so introduce sesame on its own first, or make hummus without it. Homemade hummus without salt is best in the first year; check the label on shop-bought hummus.

Can babies eat canned chickpeas?

Yes. Canned chickpeas are already cooked. Choose no-salt-added, drain and rinse them, and mash or flatten them for your baby.

Can chickpeas cause gas?

They can. Legumes contain carbohydrates that are only partly digested, and gut bacteria make gas as they break them down. A little extra wind is common and usually nothing to worry about.

If your baby refuses chickpeas

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Try another form: hummus on a spoon, flattened chickpeas, or mashed into a patty.
Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
Funny faces don't mean they dislike it. They're getting used to a new taste and texture.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing chickpeas

Keep dried chickpeas in a sealed container in a cool, dry cupboard.
Cooked chickpeas and homemade hummus keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Move leftover canned chickpeas out of the can into a covered container.
Cooked chickpeas can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

Your baby already has a food allergy or eczema, or there is a family history of food allergy, eczema, asthma or hay fever. Ask before introducing chickpeas, sesame and other legumes.
You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered chickpeas?

Add it to your first 100 foods.