How to Cook Dried Chickpeas
Updated Nov 30, 2025
An easy guide for how to cook chickpeas at home with step-by-step stovetop and Instant Pot methods, plus tips for getting the right texture every time.
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Cooking dried chickpeas is so easy!
I always keep dried chickpeas in my pantry, so learning how to cook chickpeas the right way has been great for me. It’s cheaper than buying canned, the texture is better, and I can cook them exactly how soft (or firm) I want, depending on what I’m making. If you’ve never done it before, cooking dried chickpeas is actually really simple. I cook them on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot, and both come out great. Once the chickpeas are cooked, I use them for chickpea noodle soup, chickpea salad, hummus, meal prep grain bowls, or freeze them for later.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
How to Cook Dried Chickpeas
My two go-to methods for cooking dried chickpeas are stovetop and Instant Pot, for when I need them to cook faster and forgot to pre-soak them.
Stovetop Method
Instant Pot Method
How to Cook Dried Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Stovetop Method
- Place the dried chickpeas into a bowl and add enough cold water to cover by a few inches (they will triple in size). Allow the chickpeas to soak for 8-12 hours or overnight.
- Drain your soaked chickpeas and place them into a large pot.
- Add cold water, about twice the volume of the chickpeas. Stir in some sea salt and bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low, cover and simmer the chickpeas for 1 hour.
- Once the time is up, using a fork, carefully take one chickpea (allow it to cool for a bit) and check the tenderness by crushing it within your fingers. If it’s hard to crush it, or not tender enough, continue cooking, and check the tenderness every 10 mins or so. Depending on the type of chickpeas and your desired tenderness, it may take up to 2 hours to cook.
- Drain the chickpeas and allow them to cool in a colander before using/serving them.
Instant Pot Method
- Place the dried chickpeas, sea salt and 6 cups of cold water in the pressure cooker.
- Seal the lid and select the High Pressure button and cook for 45 minutes.
- Once the time is up, naturally release the pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Vent the remaining pressure before opening the lid.
- Once the time is up, using a fork, carefully take one chickpea (allow it to cool for a bit) and check the tenderness by crushing it within your fingers. If it’s hard to crush it, or not tender enough cook 10 more minutes on high pressure and do a quick release.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Tutorial Tips
- Don’t overcook your chickpeas. You’ll know your chickpeas are done when they’re tender and can be split with your fork. Don’t wait until they’re too mushy!
- Go easy on the salt. I usually like to wait to salt my chickpeas until they’re cooked. Too much salt can prevent them from softening properly!
Recipes to Make with Dried Chickpeas
- Hummus with Spiced Beef
- Mediterranean Couscous Salad
- Vegetarian Chickpea Soup
- Cauliflower Curry with Chickpeas
- Rice Salad with Chickpeas
FAQs
It’s up to you! A one-pound bag of dried chickpeas will make 6 to 7 cups of cooked, drained chickpeas, and one cup of dried chickpeas will give you about three cups of cooked chickpeas.
Comments
Initially you said 1 tablespoon of salt per 1lb of chicpeas , later it says 1 teaspoon. I’m confused.
You control the amount of salt to your liking! I recommend anywhere between 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon.
If you are done ng chickpeas in Instant Pot do you still do the overnight soak of the beans? Or can you skip that part?
You do not have to soak the beans overnight if you’re using the Instant Pot.