Learn how to cook chickpeas from scratch with this simple step-by-step tutorial. Covering three different ways to cook dried chickpeas, you'll end up with creamy, perfectly cooked beans every time. Cooking chickpeas is easy, and it makes the best, most tender, delicious garbanzo beans you've ever had!
Chickpeas are the queen of beans
We are huge fans of beans here on HNL. But if I had to choose a favorite, it may just be the chickpea.
IMO, the chickpea is the queen of beans. I mean, hello, is there anything a chickpea can't do? We've got everything from hummus to chickpea curry to chickpea Blondies (they're an HNL community fave—don't knock 'em till you try 'em!)
You see what I mean? Queen. Of. Beans.
As a nutritionist, I love that chickpeas are packed with the ultimate combo of plant-based protein and dietary fiber. As a long-time vegetarian, I love how versatile they are.
If you've never cooked dried chickpeas before, worry not - I'm going to walk you through three different cooking techniques (stovetop, Instant Pot, and slow cooker) with step-by-step instructions. Once you see how easy it is to cook dried chickpeas from scratch, you'll never need cans again! (Ok, we totally keep canned chickpeas on hand for those weeknight emergencies!)
Let's do this!
Let's cook chickpeas together!
We're going to cover THREE different techniques for cooking dried chickpeas from scratch to yield perfectly cooked delicious beans every single time. This is the chickpea recipe I've tested until perfect for cooking beans on the stovetop, pressure cooker, or slow cooker. Let's get into it!
Note that the cooking times listed here are for unsoaked chickpeas. If you are going to soak your beans (more on that below) you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Cooking chickpeas on the stovetop
Cooking chickpeas on the stove top is probably the most straightforward method. You can check the beans anytime you want, and can pull them off the heat the moment they're perfectly done.
All you need to do to make this stovetop chickpea recipe is combine well-rinsed beans, a few inches of water to cover, and a bit of salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a strong simmer and simmer with the lid off for 40-60 minutes.
The cooking time will depend on whether or not your beans are soaked (more on that below), the age of your beans, and whether your water is soft or hard.
Cooking chickpeas in the Instant Pot
I love cooking dried beans in my Instant Pot. The pressure cooker is fast, it's easy, and there's no soaking required. All you need to do is combine dried chickpeas, water, and a bit of salt in your Instant Pot, and you're good to go.
I've tested a number of different cook times for chickpeas in the Instant Pot, and have come to the conclusion that the best results are with 42 minutes on high pressure for perfectly cooked, tender beans.
If you prefer really soft beans, you could cook them for 45 minutes on high pressure. If you're looking for a firmer bean, you could cook them for 40 minutes. But 42 minutes on high pressure yields great results every time. Please note that these cooking times are for beans that have NOT been soaked ahead of time.
If you're looking for seasoned chickpeas that are ready to serve, be sure to check out our recipe for Instant Pot Chickpeas!
Note! Letting the pressure release naturally results in a better bean. Quick-releasing the pressure causes the beans to bash around inside. This often results in mushy beans, which a natural release will avoid.
Cooking chickpeas in the slow cooker
Making dried chickpeas in your slow cooker is by far the slowest (duh!) cooking technique. However, it is hands-off, and all you need to do is add the water, beans, and salt - then set it and forget it for 4-6 hours.
As with the stovetop and oven techniques, you can easily remove the lid and check your beans at any time when you cook chickpeas in the slow cooker. This is an excellent option if you want to come home to a batch of freshly cooked beans - but you will definitely have to plan in advance.
Chickpea Yields and Conversions (aka bean math!)
If you're wondering how many chickpeas you'll end up with, or how many dried beans to cook if a recipe calls for a can of chickpeas, worry not! I've done the bean math and taken the guesswork out of it for you.
Typically, dried chickpeas will triple in volume once cooked. So 1 cup of dried beans will yield 3 cups of cooked chickpeas.
- A 15-ounce can of chickpeas contains roughly 1.5 cups of beans when drained
- ½ cup dried chickpeas = 1.5 cups of cooked beans
- ½ cup dried chickpeas is equivalent to a 15-ounce can of beans
- 1 pound of dried chickpeas yields about 6 cups of cooked beans
- 1 pound of dried chickpeas is equivalent to 4 x 15-ounce cans of beans
Do You Need to Soak Chickpeas?
That is up to you! Common wisdom suggests that soaking your beans overnight will both speed up the cooking time and lead to more evenly cooked beans. But this myth has been busted in food labs.
Turns out that soaking your beans overnight only saves about 10 minutes of cooking time when using the stovetop technique, so I rarely bother with this. Additionally, beans that have not been soaked tend to have more flavor, and a better texture once cooked, with more intact beans at the end.
Some folks prefer to soak their beans and discard the soaking water to reduce the flatulence-causing compounds that beans are known for. Soaking also breaks down some of the complex sugars in beans that make them hard to digest. So if you're got a sensitive tummy, by all means soak your beans before cooking them.
Other recipes you might enjoy
You'll find plenty of inspiration in our archive of Bean Recipes. Here are some of our favourites:
Instant Pot Black Beans
Instant Pot Pinto Beans
How to Cook Mung Beans
How to Cook Adzuki Beans
How to Cook Black Eyed Peas
How to Cook Black Beans
How to Cook Kidney Beans
How to Cook Chickpeas From Dried - Easy From Scratch Recipe
Equipment
Instructions
Instant Pot Chickpeas
- Check the beans for any stones or broken beans. Rinse well.
- Add dried chickpeas, 3* cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to your Instant Pot.1 cup dried chickpeas, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
- Set the Instant Pot to Manual / High Pressure for 42 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Then, flip the vent to "releasing" and quick-release the remaining pressure.
Stovetop Chickpeas
- Check the beans for any stones or broken beans. Rinse well.
- In a large pot, combine dried chickpeas, water, and salt.1 cup dried chickpeas, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
- Place the pot on the stove over high heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer with the lid off until the beans are tender - about 50-70 minutes.
Slow Cooker Chickpeas
- Check the beans for any stones or broken beans. Rinse well.
- Transfer the chickpeas along with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to your slow cooker.1 cup dried chickpeas, 4 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt
- Slow cook the beans for 4 hours at high, 6 hours on low, or until the beans are tender.
Notes
- Nutrition values are an estimate only, and are based on 1 cup of dried chickpeas serving four people.
- If you're cooking beans in the Instant Pot, you can reduce the water to 3 cups.
- This recipe can easily be scaled up or down depending on what quantity of beans you want to cook.
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