Need lunch ideas? Here’s why the humble chickpea should be top of your to-cook list.

Affordable, easy to store and rich in nutrients like iron and fibre — these little guys are great for your gut (and a treat for your tastebuds).

They’re also very versatile. That nutty, buttery flavour means you can throw chickpeas into almost anything. Like your blender, for a creamy, more-ish, homemade hummus dip. Or the oven, where they’re baked to perfection, eaten as a gourmet snack or tossed into a salad for extra crunch. For a healthy boost that won’t leave you hungry, scoop them into your fave stew, or even use their water (also known as aquafaba) to whip up a vegan meringue.

I recently found out that unlike other tinned veg, chickpeas retain most of their nutritional value. So I resolved to try every chickpea recipe on Gousto — and these four have become a personal favourite. If you’re feeling my chickpea mood, and want to whip up healthy but hearty lunch (let’s be real, there’s only so much salad you can eat) try them out.

Greek-Style Roasted Chickpea Wraps

Crunchy, cumin-roasted chickpeas with cucumber, tomato, mint and garlicky mayo. Wrapped in a soft, floury tortilla. Just the thing to perk you up in between those many, many, many (many) zoom meetings.

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Chickpea, Spinach & Coconut Curry

Hands down my go-to weekday warmer. If you’re a fan of aromatic Indian flavours, this veg-friendly curry will take your lunch from sad-sandwich to nutritional powerhouse in under 10 minutes. How? We’re toasting chickpeas in ginger, garlic, turmeric and curry powder, then sprinkling some nigella seeds for good measure. All in a single pan.

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Gluten-Free Chickpea Bread

Step aside sourdough, there’s a new king in bread-town! And it’s easy peasy to bake. I eat it (double) buttered, dipped in soup or grilled with a mountain of cheese, but you do you.

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Emergency Smashed Chickpeas and Pitta Snack

Technically this is more a snack than a meal, but it’s so quick it merits a mention. All you need is a can of chickpeas, a handful of chopped coriander and parsley, a squeeze of lemon juice, a teaspoon of cumin and a generous glug of olive oil. Smash it all together, serve with toasted pittas (or sliced cucumber if you’re on a health kick) and chow down.

Want more tin-spiration? Check out Mimi’s 10 Simple Feasts You Can Whip Up From Tins. It’s time to clean out the kitchen cupboard.