Chickpeas for Dogs, Cooked Soft and Plain

By Serena Faber-Nelson

Updated 28 October 2026

Hummus is usually the first chickpea a dog gets to taste, licked off a dropped carrot stick or a cracker left at nose height on the coffee table. It is also the one version that should not be shared. Chickpeas for dogs are a different story once the garlic, lemon and salt are gone. Cooked until soft and served plain, they make a gentle, fiber-rich snack most dogs accept very happily. How they are cooked, and how many land in the bowl, matters far more than the chickpea itself.

Are Chickpeas Good for Dogs?

Yes, chickpeas are good for most dogs in small amounts. Plain, fully cooked chickpeas, also called garbanzo beans, are not toxic to dogs and offer fiber, plant protein, folate, iron and magnesium. Serve them unsalted and unseasoned, soft enough to squash with a fork, and keep them inside the 10 percent of daily calories set aside for treats. Raw chickpeas, salty canned ones and hummus are the versions to skip.

Chickpeas are legumes, so the same plain-is-fine rule from this guide to peas for dogs applies here.

Chickpea Nutrition in a Dog's Bowl

According to USDA data, plain boiled chickpeas carry roughly 160 calories, 9 grams of protein and close to 8 grams of fiber per 100 grams. A level tablespoon comes to around 15 to 20 calories, noticeably more than peas, which matters for a Chihuahua or Dachshund watching their waistline. For dogs who need to slim down, lighter options such as plain green beans are kinder to the daily calorie budget.

Where Chickpeas Fall Short for Dogs

Chickpea protein is not complete for a dog the way meat or egg protein is, so chickpeas sit beside a balanced dog food rather than replacing any of it.

They are also gassy. Fiber and legume sugars ferment in the gut, and a dog new to them may get wind or soft stools. Flat-faced breeds such as Boxers, Pugs and French Bulldogs, who already swallow plenty of air, tend to show it most. If chickpeas keep leaving your dog uncomfortable, they are the wrong snack, and one of these dog foods for a sensitive stomach may be worth discussing with your vet.

Dogs prone to urate bladder stones, including many Dalmatians, are often kept on low-purine diets that limit legumes. Ask before sharing.

Chickpeas, Grain-Free Food and DCM

The FDA has looked into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease, in dogs eating diets with pulses high on the ingredient list, grain-free and grain-containing alike. It says pulses are not inherently dangerous and the connection is still unknown. A spoonful of home-cooked chickpeas is not the diet pattern being studied, but if your dog's main food lists legumes near the top, mention it to your vet.

How to Cook Chickpeas for a Dog's Bowl

The goal is soft: a chickpea that crushes easily between thumb and finger.

Dried Chickpeas, Soaked Overnight

Soak dried chickpeas for 8 to 12 hours in plenty of cold water, since they roughly double in size. Drain, cover with fresh water and simmer for 1 to 2 hours until completely tender. Leave out the salt, stock cubes, garlic and bay leaf. Cooked chickpeas keep for four days in the fridge, or freeze them in portions.

Canned Chickpeas and Rinsing Off the Salt

Regular canned chickpeas sit in salted liquid, so choose no salt added and rinse well in a sieve. Skip seasoned cans entirely. Garlic and onions damage a dog's red blood cells whether they are fresh, cooked or powdered.

Raw and Undercooked Chickpeas

Dry raw chickpeas are hard enough to chip a tooth and just the right size to choke a small dog. They also contain lectins that cooking breaks down, which is why undercooked chickpeas are more likely to bring on vomiting and bloating. If a dog raids the pantry and eats a mouthful of dry ones, watch closely for the next day and call the vet for vomiting, retching or a swollen belly.

How Many Chickpeas Can a Dog Eat?

Treats of every kind should stay under 10 percent of a dog's daily calories, chickpeas included. The first time, offer one or two and wait a day.

Chickpea Portions by Dog Size

Starting amounts for a healthy adult dog:

• Toy dogs under 10 lb, such as a Yorkie or Maltese: 1 to 2 teaspoons, mashed
• Small dogs from 10 to 25 lb: about 1 tablespoon
• Medium dogs from 25 to 50 lb: up to 2 tablespoons
• Large dogs over 50 lb: 3 to 4 tablespoons

A few times a week is plenty. On a day full of training rewards or homemade dog treats, leave them out.

Signs Your Dog Had Too Many Chickpeas

Gas, soft stools or a single bout of vomiting usually settle within a day. Call your vet if symptoms last beyond 24 hours, vomiting repeats or the belly looks swollen or painful. Unproductive retching with a tight, swollen belly in a deep-chested dog such as a Great Dane or German Shepherd is an emergency.

Chickpea Dog Treats to Make at Home

All four ideas below start with chickpeas cooked plain, as above.

Chilled Chickpeas After a Walk

Keep cooked chickpeas in the fridge and offer a few cold ones after a warm walk, halved for small dogs. For a longer-lasting version, freeze a few in an ice cube tray with water, the same trick behind these frozen dog treats.

Herb-Roasted Chickpeas With Basil and Thyme

For a crunchy batch:

• Pat 2 cups of cooked chickpeas dry with a clean kitchen towel.
• Toss them with 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil and a pinch each of dried basil and garden thyme.
• Spread in a single layer on a tray lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 275°F (135°C) for about 45 minutes, until dry and crunchy.
• Cool completely, then store in an airtight jar for up to a week.

Both herbs are on this list of herbs that are good for dogs, though only garden thyme belongs in the bowl. Crush roasted chickpeas for toy breeds and seniors with worn teeth, and give pancreatitis-prone dogs the chilled version instead.

Mashed Chickpea Spread for a Lick Mat

The dog-safe answer to hummus: mash half a cup of cooked chickpeas with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or plain canned pumpkin, then spread it thinly over a lick mat. Freeze it for an hour to make it last. No tahini, lemon, oil or garlic.

Chickpea Flour Dog Biscuits With Pumpkin

Chickpea flour, sold as gram or besan flour, makes a firm, grain-free biscuit:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup plain canned pumpkin, not pie filling
• 1 egg
• 2 to 4 tablespoons water, as needed

Mix into a stiff dough, roll a quarter inch thick, cut small shapes and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until firm. Cool fully. They keep a week in the fridge or three months frozen.

If Your Dog Turns Down Chickpeas

Some dogs spit out a whole chickpea and stare at it, usually because of the texture. Mashing a spoonful into dinner often helps, as does the roasted crunch. If not, there is no need to push.

Can Dogs Eat Hummus?

No. Almost every hummus recipe adds garlic, which the Merck Veterinary Manual notes is three to five times more toxic to dogs than onion, plus lemon, salt and oil. Tahini itself is fatty but not toxic, as this guide to sesame seeds and tahini for dogs explains.

What to Do if Your Dog Ate Hummus

A lick from a large dog rarely causes more than mild stomach upset. For a small dog, a big portion or a garlic-heavy dip, call your vet or a pet poison line. Signs of garlic poisoning can take several days to appear: weakness, pale gums, fast breathing and reddish-brown urine.

For more homemade dog treat recipes, the 52 Weeks of Treats eBook holds over 30 simple, healthy recipes arranged by season, from summer Blueberry Pupsicles to winter Beef Bites, plus an allergies guide and a section for special occasions.

Sources

• FDA: Questions and Answers on Potential Causes of Non-Hereditary DCM in Dogs
• Merck Veterinary Manual: Garlic and Onion Toxicosis in Animals
• WSAVA: Feeding Treats to Your Dog

About the author

Serena Faber-Nelson

Founder of Pretty Fluffy

Pet lifestyle expert Serena Faber-Nelson is the founder of Pretty Fluffy. A contributor to Everyday with Rachael Ray, Modern Dog Magazine, Cesars Way and more; her modern, stylized take on DIY dog treats has seen her recipes viewed millions of times over. Serena is the author of the go-to dog mom bible, Dog Mama, and the popular dog treat recipe book, Healthy Homemade Dog Treats.

Serena's profile and articles