How To Cook Chickpeas 4 Ways (Your Complete Guide)

If you’re wondering how to cook dried chickpeas, it’s easier than you might think. Dry garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) are a nutritious way to make great recipes. They’re full of dietary fiber and plant-based protein. Learn how to cook dried chickpeas and get them ready for your homemade hummus or other chickpea recipes!

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy to make: There are several methods for cooking chickpeas. Once you learn how, you’ll be using these steps regularly. Prep ahead for your meals so they come together fast. 
• It’s nutritious: Chickpeas are full of fiber and protein, making them an exceptional way to get this type of nutrition in a meatless way.
• They’re versatile: From chana masala to homemade hummus, there are so many things you can create when you have your garbanzo beans ready to go. 

How many cups of cooked chickpeas does one cup of dried chickpeas make?

In general, one cup of dried beans will make two and a half cups to three cups of cooked beans. So, one cup of dried chickpeas will make about 2 ½ to 3 cups of garbanzo beans once cooked.

Nutrition For Mental Health

Chickpeas are a powerhouse bean. They are rich in fiber, manganese, folate, copper, iron, zinc, and phosphorus. Garbanzo beans are also a good source of plant-based protein, magnesium, thiamine, vitamin B6, selenium, and potassium. So much goodness in one little bean!

Chickpeas are high in magnesium which has been shown to positively impact symptoms associated with depression and anxiety (though more research is needed).

Insufficient selenium consumption is associated with depressive symptoms. So, consuming garbanzo beans which are a good source of selenium can positively impace your mental health.

A review found that zinc, magnesium, and selenium all play a role in depression to varying degrees. Specifically zinc supplementation has been shown to have a mood-enhancing impact on those with and without depression. Zinc deficiency was shown to be associated with increased probability of depression. Chickpeas are rich in zinc so they can impact your mental health and boost your mood.

Ingredients

• Dried chickpeas: You will need to start with dried chickpeas. You could also use a can of chickpeas to speed things up, but they taste so much better when you use the dry ones.
• Water: Water helps them plump back up and blossom for your recipes.
• Salt: Salt adds the necessary flavor to the chickpeas, making them full of flavor from the start. Use whatever salt you have on hand, whether that’s kosher salt, sea salt, or Himalayan salt.

Optional Aromatics

For wonderfully flavorful chickpeas, it’s a good idea to add one or more aromatics.

• Onion: Pungent onions are a wonderful way to bring out the flavor of chickpeas.
• Garlic: Garlic is another aromatic that gives a delicious boost of flavor as well as nutrition. 
• Bay Leaf: Savory and aromatic, bay leaves are another way to impart another layer of flavor to your chickpeas for any recipe. 

How To Soak Chickpeas

There are a couple of different soaking methods to choose from depending on your time availability and preference.

Overnight Soaking Method

If you prep your chickpeas overnight, it saves you time in the long run. You’ll want to add them to a large bowl, making sure they are fully covered by at least several inches of water.

Keep in mind chickpeas will triple in size as they rehydrate, so you want to use plenty of water. It’s best to give them about 8 hours or so to plump up. This is considered the long soak method.

Quick Soak Method

Did you forget to soak your chickpeas for dinner tonight? No problem! You can also get them ready in about an hour by adding them to a large pot on the stovetop and covering them with several inches of water.

Boil them for about five minutes. Then remove them from the heat, letting the beans sit in that water for an hour. Then they will be ready for cooking. (You can use this cooking water for fully cooking the chickpeas as well. No need to use fresh water.)

Step-by-step Instructions: How To Cook Garbanzo Beans

Cooking garbanzo beans is a simple process. That being said, some cooking methods take significantly longer than others. Some methods require soaking, and others don’t. Here are a few different methods for cooking the perfect chickpeas. What’s your favorite method?

How To Cook Garbanzo Beans On The Stovetop

1. Add one cup of dried garbanzo beans to a large bowl and cover them with water. Make sure several inches of water cover the chickpeas as they will absorb the liquid as they soak. Let soak for at least 8 hours. (An easy way to do this is to let them soak overnight.)
2. Drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.
3. Place the beans in a medium pot, cover them with several inches of water and bring to a boil. 

4. Turn down to a simmer and add salt along with any aromatics you like. I like to add quartered onion, peeled whole garlic cloves, and bay leaves at a minimum. 
5. Cook until the garbanzo beans are nice and tender. (This usually takes 1 ½ hour to 2 hours, depending on your stove type and elevation. 
   
   For salads, soups, etc. I recommend cooking beans without a lid on for about one and a half hours. This will result in beans that are cooked but on the firmer side.
   
   However, if your aim is to make hummus, another type of dip or dish that requires extra soft beans (like chickpea burgers), you will most likely want to cook these chickpeas for about 2 hours. This will make them extra soft. Alternatively, for softer beans, you could cook them with the lid mostly on but slightly off. (This creates a gap for steam to escape.) 
6. Turn the heat off and discard any aromatics. 
7. Strain and use as desired, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

Full Recipe Video

How To Cook Chickpeas In A Pressure Cooker

Soaking the garbanzo beans is optional when cooking them in an instant pot. The following instructions cover both options. 

Optional: Add one cup of dried garbanzo beans to a large bowl and cover them with water. Make sure several inches of water cover the chickpeas because they will absorb the water as they soak. Let soak for at least 8 hours. (An easy way to do this is to let them soak overnight.)

1. Strain and rinse the beans thoroughly. Remove any debris or small stones among the beans.
2. Add the beans to your Instant Pot along with four cups of water and optional aromatics.
   
   For Soaked Chickpeas: Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. This will result in softer, creamier chickpeas. Then, natural release for 20 minutes. Release any remaining pressure, then open the lid. 
   
   For Unsoaked Chickpeas: Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. This will result in tender but firmer chickpeas. For slightly softer, creamier chickpeas, cook for 55 minutes. Then, natural release for 20 minutes. Release any remaining pressure, then open the lid. 
3. Discard any aromatics. 
4. Strain and use as desired or store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. 

How To Cook Garbanzo Beans In A Slow Cooker

No soaking is required for this cooking method!

1. Rinse one cup of dried uncooked chickpeas thoroughly and remove any discolored beans and debris, such as small stones. 
2. Add the chickpeas and four cups of water to a slow cooker. 
3. Cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. 

How To Cook Canned Chickpeas

Canned chickpeas are technically already cooked, but for many recipes, you’ll want to at least heat them up. (One 14oz can is about 1 ½ cups of garbanzo beans.)

1. Strain and rinse the garbanzo beans thoroughly. (Alternatively, pour the liquid from the canned garbanzo beans (called aquafaba) into a container to use in another recipe.)
2. Add the chickpeas to a small pot and cover them with water. 
3. Cook over medium heat until it boils. 
4. Strain the water and return to the pot. 
5. Add any seasoning you like, and enjoy!

How To Peel Chickpeas

If you’re making homemade hummus, you may want to peel your chickpeas. But how do you do that? I have two ways to make this a breeze.

You can put the cooked chickpeas onto a clean dishtowel, cover them up, and then roll them around. The skins will fall right off. You’ll then want to put them in a bowl of clean water and wait until the skins float off and up to the top. All you need to do is skim those skins away. It doesn’t get rid of all of them though it does remove most.

Another way is to put them in a skillet with baking soda. You want to toss them around as you heat them over medium heat for several minutes. Then put the beans in a large bowl with cold water. Use your hands to agitate the chickpeas, and the skins will release. Like the other method, loose bean skins should float to the top. 

Be prepared with this second method that you’ll need to change that water a few times. 

What is aquafaba?

The starchy liquid the chickpeas cook in is known as aquafaba. It’s amazing as a replacement for eggs in baking or for making vegan mayo. You can reserve this liquid after cooking your chickpeas on the stovetop though you should do it without any salt, spices, or other aromatics. Once they finish cooking, turn off the heat and put a cover on the pot, letting the beans cool in there. This gives the liquid more starch, which is exactly what you want for aquafaba.

You will want to remove the chickpeas using a slotted spoon once they are cool. Then simmer the liquid for about 30 to 45 minutes. It’s going to have a thick, yellowish look to it. From there, you’ll let it cool, and it’s aquafaba!

Looking for more plant-based cooking how-to’s? Check out How To Cook Rice Noodles, How To Freeze Peaches, or How To Microwave Asparagus.

Meal Prep Ideas

When you have your chickpeas cooked and ready, the possibilities are endless.

They’ll be ready for Best Hummus Recipe, Roasted Garlic Hummus, or Pumpkin Hummus. Use them as a staple in Chickpea Salad, Lettuce Wraps, Chili, or even Baked Falafel. Alternatively, make Roasted Chickpeas for a perfectly crunchy snack.

There’s so much you can do when you’ve got chickpeas ready to go!

Storage Tips

Fridge

After your chickpeas cool, you will want to put them in an airtight container. Don’t put any liquid in there with it. This will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.

Freezer

If you have a bunch of chickpeas that you can’t possibly use within a few days, I recommend you freeze them. Pat them dry first and then put them on a lined baking sheet in a single layer. Pop this into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Then you can pour them into a freezer bag. These will keep for up to 3 months, making them excellent for meal prep. 

Recipe

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