Some of you are probably reading the title of this post and wondering, “Why would I bother cooking chickpeas when I can just buy them in a can?” One word: texture.
I will be the first to admit that canned chickpeas are very convenient for weeknight meals. However, I actually prefer chickpeas cooked slightly al dente, when they still have a light crunch as I bite into them. They’re better for salads, and I love snacking on them. And yes, I do actually eat chickpeas as a snack.
Of course, others may prefer chickpeas on the softer side and that’s completely fine! That’s the beauty of cooking chickpeas yourself—you get to control the texture of the beans to your liking.
In general, it is a good idea to soak your chickpeas for at least 8 hours (overnight is even better). The soaking speeds up the cooking process. Do note that the chickpeas will soak up water and expand over time, so be sure to use the right sized bowl.
If you are using unsoaked beans, I recommend cooking them in the pressure cooker because it is faster. You can also cook unsoaked beans in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours. The texture of the chickpeas will be al dente.
HOW TO USE YOUR COOKED CHICKPEAS: A FEW RECIPES
- Curried Chickpeas with Mint & Cilantro Chutney (Vegan)
- Greek Salad with Chickpeas & Heirloom Tomatoes
- Golden Turmeric Hummus
- Chickpea Minestrone Soup
- Quinoa Cakes with Chickpeas & Mango Salsa
- Mediterranean Three Bean Salad
TOOLS I USED
- Slow Cooker
- Instant Pot: This is an older model that I own.
How to Cook Chickpeas 3 Ways: Stovetop, Slow Cooker & Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- water
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon kosher salt*
Instructions
- Soak the chickpeas with water overnight or for at least 8 hours. You want to cover the beans with about 2 inches of water. The chickpeas expand as it soaks, so be sure to use a large enough bowl for soaking. Before cooking the chickpeas, drain the water and rinse the beans.
- STOVETOP METHOD: Transfer the soaked chickpeas to a large saucepan or a small pot. Cover the chickpeas with water by 2 inches. Add the garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Bring the water to boil, then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes for firmer beans, 40 to 50 minutes for softer beans.
- SLOW COOKER METHOD: Transfer the soaked beans and cover with 6 cups of water, garlic, bay leaves, and salt to a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- INSTANT POT METHOD: Soaking the beans is not necessary for the Instant Pot method. Transfer the beans, garlic, bay leaves, and salt to the Instant Pot. Cover the beans with 2 to 2 1/2 inches of water. Set the Instant Pot to manual mode and cook in high pressure for 22 minutes. The cooked chickpeas will have a light crisp to them. If you prefer softer chickpeas, cook them for about 28 minutes. If you prefer soaking the beans before hand, you can cook the soaked beans on high pressure for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on whether you like them al dente or very soft. If you cook them for 12 minutes, they'll have a slight crisp; 15 minutes is close to the texture of canned chickpeas. Once the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally (it usually takes about 20 minutes for me).
- The beans will keep in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days. Make sure to store the beans with some of the cooking liquid! This prolongs the life of the beans. I usually make sure there's enough liquid in the container to cover all the beans. You can also freeze any drained beans for several months.
Notes
- I prefer cooking the beans with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. If you are using sea salt, use 2 teaspoons of salt.
Erin says
Thank you for this guide! When you freeze the chickpeas, do you freeze them dry or in the cooking liquid?
Lisa Lin says
Great question, Erin! I usually drain the chickpeas before freezing them, so they should be dry.
Erin says
Perfect, thank you so much!
Reshma says
Simple boiled chick peas stored dry no liquid. It holds quite nicely.
Lisa Lin says
Thanks, for the input, Reshma!
Keely says
Curious to know whether you have trouble with the skins coming off with the crockpot method? I’ve read other reviews that depending on the alkaline of the water, the skins either stay intact or come off, then you have the issue of peeling the chickpeas. If making hummus this would be a non-issue, but I’m hoping to make these for salads. Please let me know. I’ve never cooked beans in my life, but had some from a friend and the homemade chickpeas were DELISH!
Lisa Lin says
I would say the skins tend not to come off in the crockpot method, but personally, I am okay with the texture of the chickpeas still on. I think the pressure cooker/instant pot method does a better job a removing the skins, especially if you cook the beans for a bit longer.
Carol Anne says
I want to start cooking my own chick peas in order to avoid the sodium in canned beans. Is there any reason I can’t leave out the salt in this recipe?
Lisa Lin says
No reason at all. Feel free to leave out the salt.
alter says
Thanks for telling us to cook the chick peas for minutes .
Others say to cook them for hours and I don’t have patience for that.
Anita Shapiro says
Can I do a quick soak on the stove before I pressure cook the chickpeas?
Lisa Lin says
Yes, absolutely!
Redha says
There is another method if you forget to soak your chickpeas a night before and are two hours away from your lunch or diner. Just put the dried chickpeas in a pot boil it for ten minutes then cover it and leave it for an hour. After that you can use it for your recipe as a soaked chickpeas.
Back home in Algeria we use chickpeas for couscous’ sauces, Chorba soupe, stews…
We snack with chickpeas once a while, by soaking it over night then cooking it in SEB autocuiseur (a heavy pressure cooking pot) until it become very soft then we add salt and cumin powder and enjoy it hot. in which i’m eating it right now.
Mary says
Can you roast these after they are cooked for a nice crunchy snack?
Alex says
I never believed that garbanzo beans could be this AMAZING! I’ve never been fond of them but I could have eaten the whole pot myself. Thanks for this!
Lisa Lin says
Thanks for trying this, Alex!
Tracey says
Hi I’m planning on making a chick pea curry do I need to cook them up before I cook them in the curry . Iv never cooked them before . X
Lisa Lin says
Hi, Tracey! Yes, you should cook the chickpeas first. Alternatively, you can buy canned/tinned chickpeas or garbanzo beans!
Jennings.Linda says
A person’s success does not depend on his wisdom, but perseverance
Anne Atsyaya says
Wonderfu thank you
Vicky J says
Hi Lisa,
I had a time getting started with these beans. This was my first time cooking the dried ones, and I had a time and got frustrated, but they turned out ok. I had to keep adding water and stirring them, because I cooked them on the stovetop. They came out al dente. I let them cook for 7 hours on the stovetop, but I only let them soak for 30 minutes. I know how to do them now and I love your recipe. Thanks a bunch