How to Cook Chickpeas

How to cook chickpeas! It’s so easy to cook dried chickpeas: they’re cheaper and taste way better than canned ones.

Wondering how to cook chickpeas? You are in the right place. At A Couple Cooks we eat a plot of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans. These little legumes are packed with protein and healthy nutrients – and they’re especially important for a plant-based diet. And what better way to eat them than boiled dry? It takes a little planning, but if you’ve tried it before, you know: Dried chickpeas are a lot tastier than canned. They have a firmer texture and better taste: and they’re cheaper too! Here’s our master method for cooking chickpeas.

How to Cook Chickpeas aka Chickpeas (Basic Steps)

The hardest part of cooking chickpeas is this: think ahead. You will need to soak the chickpeas overnight and it will take about 1 hour to cook. But once you get into the rhythm of cooking dried beans, you’ll remember it and it will become second nature. Cook a bean casserole in the evening or on a weekday, then refrigerate or freeze for cooking that week. Here’s what to do:

• Soak chickpeas overnight. Soaking the beans will help them cook faster and more evenly. You can also do without soaking, especially if the beans are fresh (see the soaking section below).
• Add flavorings if desired! Add lots of flavor to your beans in no time at all by tossing in the potted adders like onion and garlic.
• Simmer in water for 25 to 45 minutes (soaked) or up to 1½ hours without soaking. The timing is different each time depending on the age and brand of the beans. Read on to learn more about it…

Taste test to find the right timing

How long to cook chickpeas? The cooking time is variable and depends on the age and type of beans. A fresher bean will cook better than an older bean. You will notice slight variations between brands and even within the same brand. Here are some pointers to help you know when you’re done:

• taste test. Begin taste testing at 25 minutes (if soaked) or about 45 minutes for not soaked. If the chickpeas are still a little raw, continue cooking. Do this every 10 to 15 minutes until the beans are tender. You want them more tender when you’re making hummus and fluffy when using them in salads.
• Add water if necessary. The water level in the pan may begin to drop during cooking. That’s good! Just add a little more to cover the beans if they aren’t already soft.

Can You Avoid Soaking Chickpeas Before Cooking?

Indeed, yes! You can cook chickpeas without soaking them. So why soak at all?

• Soaking will help them cook more evenly AND faster. In our opinion, getting the most even pot of chickpeas is definitely worth it. And they cook faster!
• No time to soak? Cook them longer. You need to cook them a little longer (time varies). Or you can use our Instant Pot method, which requires no soaking. Speaking of…

Do you have an instant pot? Use it instead.

do you have a pressure cooker It’s even easier to cook chickpeas in an Instant Pot! Go to Instant Pot Chickpeas. Here are the main advantages:

• You don’t have to soak the chickpeas. Just throw them in the pot of water.
• They last less than 1 hour! The Instant Pot speeds up the process.
• You don’t have to keep the oven. With the pressure cooker method, there is less control and tasting.

Add flavor with blends!

Here’s the fun part: add more flavor! You can just boil chickpeas in water (which is what we usually do). But when you have some of these aromatic ingredients on hand, they add great flavor:

• Onionpeeled and cut into wedges
• Garlicpeeled and chopped – as many cloves as you like
• kombu – dried seaweed, often used in Japanese recipes. He adds awesome Meat flavor for vegetarian and vegan dishes! You can buy a packet and keep it in your freezer.
• carrots Where celeryroughly chopped

How to store cooked chickpeas

This recipe lets you go with you 6 cups chickpeas or four 15-ounce cans. That’s a lot of chickpeas! Because it makes a large batch, it’s perfect for meal prep. We like to do this:

• Store some of the chickpeas in the refrigerator. These will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.
• Freeze anything you won’t be eating in the short term! Drain the cooking liquid and place the chickpeas in airtight containers (we like to use mason jars). Place them in containers in 1 ½ cup increments, which equals 1 15-ounce can. Then you can freeze them for up to 8 months.

Chickpea Recipes

Now that you know how to cook chickpeas, there are so many recipes on how to use them! Here are some of our favorite chickpea recipes:

This chickpea recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.