This guide will help you cook chickpeas instead of buying them in a can. Here’s our favorite way to prepare chickpeas using the Instant Pot.
This will result in tender, buttery chickpeas that are perfect for Salads, Sandwiches, Dips, and More. This method is faster, easier, and more consistent than the stovetop. Plus, chickpeas cooked at home taste so much better and are cheaper than those bought in the store! We’ll show you exactly how to do it.
How to cook chickpeas with an Instant Pot
You can soak them in water for 6-8 hours or overnight. It helps them to soften, and they cook faster. Add a teaspoon of baking soda for even more softening.
Unsoaked versions were not as good as soaked ones. Unsoaked chickpeas did not soften at all in the middle.
Next, add the chickpeas to the Instant Pot after rinsing them. Cover with enough water to cover them but not too much so that you end up with excess liquid.
Add seasonings if you wish, then close the lid. Cook chickpeas on high pressure for 15 minutes or a super buttery and tender result; cook for 17-18 minutes. Note: If you have soaked the chickpeas longer than 8 hours, you can cook them for as little as 12-14 minutes.
Then Quick Release, and drain the excess liquid. You can also press “Saute” and stir frequently, for about 5 minutes, to concentrate flavors.
How do you add flavor to chickpeas?
Although chickpeas are delicious and slightly sweet, we like to add the following:
- Onion and garlic for a savory and fragrant element.
- Olive Oil To add richness.
- Fresh Herbs (such as thyme and rosemary) — for earthiness. If you are using chickpeas to make a dish with a lot of flavors or where the flavors will not complement each other, leave out the herbs.
- Pepper & Salt – because, Always!
Ingredients
CHICKPEAS
- Dry chickpeas, 1 cup
- 1 tsp of baking soda (softens the beans).
- 3 cups of water
FOR COOKING
- Water: 2 to 2 1/4 cups (just enough water for the chickpeas).
- Leave whole, and don’t chop 1/4 of a white onion
- Two cloves garlic peeled
- 1 Tbsp of olive oil
- Fresh herbs (we like thyme and rosemary)
- Use one pinch of each black pepper and sea salt
Instructions
- Cover the chickpeas with baking soda and cool water (about 3 inches) and make sure they are well submerged. Soak at room temperature for 6-8 hours or overnight.
- After rinsing and draining chickpeas, add them to the Instant Pot. Cover with just enough liquid to cover (as per the original recipe, 1 cup of soaked chickpeas required 2 to 2 1/4 cups of water).
- Add onion, garlic oil, herbs, salt, and pepper to the mix for more flavor.
- For chickpeas with a bit of bite, cook them for 13-14 minutes. Try 13-14 minutes for chickpeas that have some taste. NOTE: If you soak your chickpeas longer than 8 hours (for example, overnight or 10-plus hours), your chickpeas will likely cook faster (12-14 minutes).
- * Quick release (always be careful of steam). Before serving, we prefer to remove the herbs, onions, and garlic. You can also drain off the excess liquid. The cooking liquid is quite flavorful, and it can be used to add to soups or stews.
- The beans are now ready for you to enjoy! They are great for recipes like Chickpea Buddha Bowl or Homemade Hummus. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to one month.
