There are several methods for cooking dry chickpeas. Each of these will result in tender chickpeas at the ready for recipes. Much more economical than purchasing canned chickpeas!
1cupDry chickpeas (or any amount, scaling up water as needed)
Kosher Salt
Instructions
How to cook chickpeas on the stovetop
Step 1. Soak the chickpeas one of two ways:Overnight soak: Cover the chickpeas by 4 or more inches with cold salted water (3-4 tablespoons), and let them soak overnight or for 12 hours. Then pour off the soaking liquid. Don’t be tempted to use this liquid as your cooking liquid—fresh water is a must. Consider the soaking liquid “saturated” and not good for cooking chickpeas.Quick soak: You can use a “quick soak” method if you don’t have time to soak your beans ahead of time. This will shorten the overall cooking time.Step 2. Cook the chickpeas. Place the chickpeas in a large pot and cover by several inches with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 1.5 – 2 hours, or until soft (but not mushy). Offset the lid of the pot to let some of the steam out during cooking. Salting at this point will slow down the cooking process, so better to wait to salt until the chickpeas are used in whatever dish you are making.
How to cook dry chickpeas in a crockpot
The cook time for cooking dried chickpeas in a crock pot will vary depending on the type, size and age of the bean as well as the slow-cooker equipment you are using. Generally, if you did not pre soak the chickpeas, they will take 3 to 4 hours on HIGH or 6 to 8 hours on LOW to become tender. You can shorten the cooking time by preheating the water in the microwave for 4 to 5 minutes before adding to the beans. Pour the dry chickpeas into a saucepan and cover with 3 inches of water. Boil for 5 minutes.Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 1 hour. Pour off the soaking liquid before cooking.
How to cook dry chickpeas in an Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)
Step 1. Pre-soaked or unsoaked beans will work in an instant pot. If you pre-soaked the chickpeas, be sure to drain them before adding to the bowl of your Instant Pot. If you are starting with unsoaked beans, be sure to rinse them in a colander and remove any debris that you see, then add to the Instant Pot.Step 2. Cover 2 cups of beans with 6 cups of water, so the chickpeas are covered with 1 inch of water. Add in 1 teaspoon salt and add any extra seasoning such as garlic, onion, or bay leaves. Set the Instant Pot to High Pressure, and adjust the timer to 20 minutes (40 minutes if using unsoaked chickpeas). When the cooking time is up, turn off the Instant Pot and release the pressure manually 10 minutes after the beep. Strain the liquid and refrigerate or freeze the chickpeas in small batches.
Notes
Storage and Freezing Cooked Chickpeas
In the refrigerator: Leftover cooked chickpeas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
In the freezer: Cooked chickpeas can be stored in the freezer for 4 to 6 months. To freeze, spread cooked chickpeas on a baking sheet in a single layer, place in the freezer for 2 to 3 hours (this will help when freezing so they don’t stick together). Once frozen, store the chickpeas in a container or a freezer safe bag in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator before using. They will be softer in texture so these are best in dips and dishes that don’t require a whole bean.