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    Home » Recipes » how-tos-food-diy

    Updated: May 30, 2023 by Gus · This post contains affiliate links.

    Easy Instant Pot Chickpeas (Soaked and Dried Methods)

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    VOFGF

    Explore the versatility and convenience of Instant Pot Chickpeas with our dual method guide, covering both soaked and dried approaches. No matter whether you've planned ahead or need a quick solution, these simple methods are designed to make your meal preparation smoother.

    instant pot chickpeas served with rosemary and paprika.
    Jump to Recipe

    Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans are an integral part of a balanced plant-based diet, rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients. Often used in soups, salads, and the popular Middle Eastern dish hummus, they can be cooked to perfection with the help of an Instant Pot pressure cooker.

    Pressure cooking eliminates traditional cooking methods' hassle and time commitment, rendering garbanzo beans soft and delectably flavorful. Read on to discover how to transform these humble legumes into the star ingredient of your meals using your Instant Pot.

    Also, with one pound of dried chickpeas, you get up to 4 cans of cooked beans.

    Jump to:
    • 🧾 Ingredients
    • 🔪 How to cook chickpeas in instant pot
    • 👨🏻‍🍳 How long to cook soaked chickpeas and dried chickpeas
    • 🫖 Using cooking liquid
    • 🍶 Substitutions
    • 🍽 Equipment
    • 🥡 Storage
    • 📚 More chickpea recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 🌡️ Food safety
    • 💬 Reviews and Comments

    🧾 Ingredients

    This instant pot chickpeas recipe is made with just a few staple ingredients:

    ingredients to make instant pot chickpeas.
    • Dried chickpeas: Chickpeas serves as the primary ingredient in this recipe, known for their high protein and fiber content, which contribute to a balanced diet and promote satiety.
    • Baking soda: Baking soda softens the chickpeas more quickly, improving the texture while reducing the cooking time in the Instant Pot.
    • Garlic cloves: Garlic is added to impart a robust, aromatic flavor, enhancing the overall taste of the cooked chickpeas.
    • Onion: Onion adds depth and a subtle sweetness to the chickpeas, complementing the other flavors well.
    • Rosemary - or Thyme: These fresh herbs are used for their distinct, fragrant flavors; rosemary is piney and slightly bitter, while thyme is subtly sweet with a hint of mint, adding a layer of complexity to the dish.
    • Bay leaf: Bay leaf is added for its unique, subtly sweet, and slightly floral flavor, adding to the depth of flavor in the chickpeas.
    • Salt and Pepper: These are essential seasoning ingredients used to enhance and bring out chickpeas' natural flavors and other ingredients, making the dish more palatable.

    See the recipe card for quantities.

    🔪 How to cook chickpeas in instant pot

    Cooking chickpeas is super easy and even more if you use a pressure cooker. First, rinse the dried beans to get rid of any stones or debris.

    rinse chickpeas and get rid of any debris and stones.

    How to cook soaked chickpeas in instant pot

    Soaking chickpeas reduces the pressure cook time. Adding baking soda renders more tender chickpeas but is not necessary.

    soaking chickpea in a mixing bowl with water.

    To a bowl with water, add baking soda and soak chickpeas for 8-12 hours or overnight.

    rinsing chickpeas.

    Drain chickpeas using a colander.

    chickpeas in the instant pot with water, onion, garlic, and herbs.

    Add all the ingredients to the instant pot.

    cooked chickpeas on the instant pot.

    Pressure cook on high-pressure, quick-release pressure, and say hi to your perfectly cooked chickpeas.

    Hint: serve your instant pot garbanzo beans with a drizzle of olive oil and smoked paprika.

    served instant pot chickpeas with paprika and olive oil.

    How to cook dried chickpeas in instant pot (no soak method)

    Follow the same steps as for soaked chickpeas while changing the cooking times. Cook garbanzo beans as per the table below.

    👨🏻‍🍳 How long to cook soaked chickpeas and dried chickpeas

    Chickpeas TextureUse (chickpea recipes)Soaked
    (8 hours)
    Unsoaked chickpeas (Dried)
    Firm cooked ChickpeasFor cooking: snacks, curries, roasting, and Air frying.
    Recipes: chickpea snack, crispy chickpea kale salad, chickpea curry
    10 minutes40 minutes
    Tender but firm Chickpeas
    (like store-bought canned chickpeas)
    To make burgers, salads, and bowls.
    Recipes: chickpea burger, vegan "tuna" salad, avocado chickpea salad, Buddha, or Poke Bowls.
    12-13 minutes50 minutes
    Super creamy and soft ChickpeasFor Hummus and dips.
    Recipes: Avocado Dip, Roasted pepper, Pumpkin, and Lebanese Hummus.
    15 minutes60 minutes

    *We used baking soda, which helps soften the chickpeas; if not using, add 2 minutes of cooking time for the soaked chickpeas and 5 minutes for the dried chickpeas.

    **We use 1 cup of dried chickpeas (225 grams or 8 ounces); more requires augmenting times.

    *** To make falafels, you don't need to cook chickpeas; you just need to soak them overnight.

    🫖 Using cooking liquid

    The cooking water from chickpeas, often referred to as "aquafaba," is a versatile ingredient with a range of uses:

    1. Egg Substitute: Aquafaba can serve as an egg substitute in many recipes, particularly those that call for egg whites. It can be used to make vegan meringues, macarons, and other egg-free baked goods.
    2. Thickener: It can be used as a thickening agent in soups, sauces, and gravies.
    3. Emulsifier: Aquafaba can be used as an emulsifier in homemade vegan mayonnaise or aioli.
    4. Binder: In recipes that call for a binder, such as veggie burgers or fritters, aquafaba can provide excellent binding properties.
    5. Dairy-Free Whipped Cream: You can whip aquafaba just like egg whites to create a fluffy, vegan, dairy-free whipped cream.
    6. Chickpea Soup: Use the cooking liquid as a base for a hearty chickpea soup or curry. This flavorful broth, combined with your cooked chickpeas and other vegetables or herbs of your choice, can create a comforting and nutritious meal.

    Remember to store the liquid in the refrigerator if you're not using it right away, and it should last for about a week. You can also freeze it for future use.

    Hint: if you plan to make sweet or baked goods, don't use herbs or salt, simply follow the directions without adding the seasonings.

    🍶 Substitutions

    • Chickpeas: you can use this recipe to cook black chickpeas as well.
    • Garlic: If you're allergic or sensitive to garlic, you could use a small amount of asafoetida (also known as hing), which has a similar pungency. However, asafoetida has a unique flavor profile, so the result won't be precisely the same.
    • Onion: For those who cannot consume onions, try using a small amount of fennel bulb or celery for a different but equally savory flavor base. Both offer a unique taste, with fennel being slightly sweet and anise-like and celery offering a fresh, light flavor.
    • Rosemary or Thyme: If these specific herbs are unavailable, you could substitute them with oregano or sage. Keep in mind that each herb has its distinct flavor profile, so the taste of your chickpeas will change slightly.
    cooked chickpeas seasoned in a bowl.

    🍽 Equipment

    • Instant Pot Pressure Cooker: The Instant Pot is essential for this recipe as it significantly cuts down the cooking time of chickpeas, compared to traditional stovetop methods. This multi-functional cooker allows for even, high-pressure cooking, ensuring that the chickpeas are cooked uniformly and to the desired softness.
    • Colander: A colander is necessary for draining the chickpeas after soaking (for the soaked method) and also after cooking. It ensures that excess water is removed, while its perforations make it easy to rinse the chickpeas thoroughly, removing any remaining skin or debris.

    🥡 Storage

    store cooked chickpeas using an airtight container.

    Store-cooked chickpeas in the Fridge:

    1. After the chickpeas have completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container. You can store the chickpeas in their cooking liquid to keep them moist and flavorful.
    2. Store the containers in the refrigerator. The chickpeas will keep for up to a week.

    Reheating:

    1. When you're ready to use the chickpeas, simply remove the desired amount from the fridge.
    2. You can reheat them in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove, stirring occasionally until warmed through. Alternatively, you can microwave them in a microwave-safe dish, stirring every 30 seconds until heated evenly.

    Freezing:

    1. To freeze chickpeas, first, ensure they are thoroughly cooled.
    2. Spread them out on a baking sheet in a single layer, and freeze until solid. This will prevent them from clumping together.
    3. Once frozen, transfer the chickpeas to airtight freezer bags or containers, and return them to the freezer. They can be frozen for up to 6 months.

    Reheating From Frozen:

    1. You do not need to thaw frozen chickpeas before reheating. Simply remove the desired amount from the freezer.
    2. You can reheat them directly in a saucepan over medium heat on the stove, stirring occasionally until heated through. If using a microwave, place them in a microwave-safe dish and reheat, stirring every 30 seconds until warmed evenly.

    📚 More chickpea recipes

    • roasted crispy fried chickpeas featured image.
      How to Make Oven-Roasted Crispy Fried Chickpeas (Air Fryer Method too!)
    • crispy chickpea kale salad with tahini dressing featured.
      Crispy Chickpea and Kale Salad with Tahini Dressing
    • Lebanese Hummus Recipe
    • Vegan Chickpea Tuna Mayo Sandwich Feature
      Vegan Tuna Salad (Chickpeas)

    ⭐ If you try this instant pot chickpeas recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

    📋 Recipe

    instant pot chickpeas featured.

    Instant Pot Chickpeas (Soaked and Dried Methods)

    Gus
    Discover two easy and efficient methods for preparing delicious and tender chickpeas in an Instant Pot. Whether you prefer using soaked or dried chickpeas, our step-by-step guide will help you achieve perfect results every time.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 2 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Instant pot warm up 18 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Basics & Preparations
    Cuisine Healthy
    Servings 4 cups
    Calories 245 kcal

    Equipment

    Instant Pot plus aur fryer in one.
    (affiliate link)
    Pressure cooker (affiliate link)

    Ingredients
     
     

    For soaking

    • 1 cup dried chickpeas 225 g
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda optional for extra tender chickpeas
    • 6 cups water

    For cooking

    • 4 cups water just enough water to cover the chickpeas
    • 3 cloves garlic peeled
    • ½ yellow onion leave whole
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt

    Optional

    • 1 sprig Rosemary fresh, or thyme
    • 1 leaf bay
    • Pinch black pepper freshly ground
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Directions
     

    • Rinse Chickpeas under cold water; then pick out any debris or stones, then drain chickpeas thoroughly.

    How to cook soaked chickpeas in instant pot

    • First, we'll put our chickpeas and baking soda in a bowl and fill it with cool water until they're covered by about 4 inches. Let's make sure they're nice and submerged. We'll let them soak overnight or at least for 8 hours at room temperature.
    • After that, we'll drain and give our chickpeas a good rinse. Pop them into the Instant Pot and cover them with just enough water to submerge them.
      Now, let's make these chickpeas extra tasty! We'll add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add herbs if you use them.
    • Time to pressure cook! Set it on high for 10 minutes for firmer chickpeas to use on salads or making crispy chickpeas, or 15 minutes if you're craving super buttery, tender chickpeas (to use in hummus). For chickpeas with a bit of bite, 13-14 minutes should do the trick.
    • Once it's done, do a quick release, always being mindful of the steam. The quick release takes about 3 minutes.
      If you use natural release, it will take 20 minutes.
      We like to fish out the onion, garlic, and herbs before serving. Drain any excess cooking liquid, but feel free to save it for soups and stews since it's packed with flavor. Enjoy!

    How to cook dried chickpeas in instant pot

    • Add chickpeas into the instant pot and cover them with just enough water to submerge them.
      Optionally season them with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add herbs if you use them.
    • Time to pressure cook! Set it on high for 50 minutes for firmer chickpeas to use on salads or making crispy chickpeas, or 60 minutes if you're craving super buttery, tender chickpeas (to use in hummus).
      Then use the quick pressure release - or natural release for 20 minutes.
    • Once it's done, do a quick release, always being mindful of the steam. The quick release takes about 3 minutes.
      If you use natural release, it will take 20 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    The total cooking time for this recipe consists of 15 minutes of hands-on cooking and about 18 minutes for the Instant Pot to warm up.
    To enjoy your chickpeas even sooner, we suggest using the quick-release method, but keep in mind that the Instant Pot manual advises a natural release for foods that expand to prevent any mess. Be careful when opting for the quick release, and happy cooking!

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 13gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 683mgPotassium: 599mgFiber: 12gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 51IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 89mgIron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Instant Pot Chickpeas (Soaked and Dried Methods)
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    245
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    4
    g
    6
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    0.4
    g
    3
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Sodium
     
    683
    mg
    30
    %
    Potassium
     
    599
    mg
    17
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    42
    g
    14
    %
    Fiber
     
    12
    g
    50
    %
    Sugar
     
    8
    g
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    13
    g
    26
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    51
    IU
    1
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    5
    mg
    6
    %
    Calcium
     
    89
    mg
    9
    %
    Iron
     
    4
    mg
    22
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
     
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    🌡️ Food safety

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    Nutritional Disclaimer

    The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.

    Affiliate Disclaimer

    Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Justine says

      May 31, 2023 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      I love chickpeas, but I've never tried making dried chickpeas before. You included so much information, it was really helpful and as it turns out - they're really easy to make! I especially appreciated you including a method that didn't involve soaking them - they were still perfect and flavorful and tasted great in my salad!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        May 31, 2023 at 7:20 pm

        That's great to hear, Justine! Thanks for your review!

        Reply
    2. Sara Welch says

      May 31, 2023 at 3:12 pm

      5 stars
      This was such a simple yet satisfying recipe that does not miss a beat! A great way to enjoy chickpeas; definitely, a new favorite recipe!

      Reply
    3. Beth says

      May 31, 2023 at 2:53 pm

      5 stars
      I love how easy and flavorful this recipe is. I love chickpeas, but I rarely make them from dried because I don't want to do all the soaking and what not.

      Reply
    4. Ned says

      May 31, 2023 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      I love chickpeas and this has just added to my love of them. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Gus says

        May 31, 2023 at 2:59 pm

        you are welcome, Ned!

        Reply
    5. Dannii says

      May 31, 2023 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      Such a great way to use the instant pot. These chickpeas were perfectly cooked.

      Reply
      • Gus says

        May 31, 2023 at 2:58 pm

        I am glad you like 'em!

        Reply

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