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Large bowl of chickpeas after they've been cooked
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5 from 9 votes

How to Cook Chickpeas

These step-by-step instructions show how to cook chickpeas on the stovetop or in an Instant Pot. Learn how to soak garbanzo beans & cook them to perfection!
Course Ingredient
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 206kcal
Author Yumna Jawad

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

Storage: Store any cooked chickpeas in an airtight container. They will last up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Serving Size: Each serving is about 2 ounces of dried chickpeas.
Photo Credit: Erin Jensen

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 304mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 38IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 4mg