How to Cook Dried Chickpeas in an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker – is a very common question often asked. Should I soak the chickpeas or no soak ? This post will guide you on how you cook the dried beans in less than 1 hour no matter which method you use!

INSTANT POT GARBANZO BEANS / CHICKPEAS

Let me confess, I had never seen a can of Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans until we relocated to UK 15 years back. The child in me literally started jumping, wanting to try the easier to go option. But after using the canned beans for a while, I started reading the nutrition labels.  That’s when I realised the amount of sodium and preservatives that goes into canning.

Over a period of many years, I have gone back to old school whenever possible!!  Finding tricks and techniques to cook dried chickpeas without soaking if needed.  Also we all know that cooking your own chickpeas is really easy and we have a better control of the texture and taste.

Skip the canned Chickpeas and cook your beans in the Instant Pot instead. It is super quick, easy, and a lot cheaper. They are perfect for meal prep and to store for later too.

Yes, I am not kidding at all. Growing up in India, my mom would always soak the dried beans or garbanzo to make a chickpeas curry. But there are numerous hacks to cut short on soaking time if you have forgotten soaking in advance or  ever pressed for time. Then the beans are cooked in the pressure cooker and ready to use.

Hey don’t worry at all, I have also got you sorted on how to cook dried chickpeas in less than 1 hour without soaking!

ARE YOU NEW TO THE INSTANT POT? CHECK OUT OUR WHOLE COLLECTION OF RECIPES FROM BASICS, SIDE DISHES, DESSERTS TO MAIN COURSES TO MANY MORE.

Instant Pot has become a household name for Electric Pressure Cookers. There are so many other brands out there, so irrespective of what you have – cook chickpeas in pressure cooker to speed up your cooking.

TRENDING VIDEO ON SANDHYA’S KITCHEN

Why make Instant Pot Chickpeas?

Did you know this Instant Pot chickpeas recipe is Naturally Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Sugar Free!!

Its absolutely a no brainer why I prefer Instant Pot Chickpeas. Simply because it is

Quick & Easy

Cheaper than Canned Beans 

So much Healthier than Canned Beans

Requires no baby sitting

How to cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot?

You can cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot in less than 1 hour, depending on the method you choose. It all boils down on either soak the chickpeas or no soak the chickpeas.  I have mentioned in detail below on how Soaking & No Soaking works.

Approximately 1 cup of dried beans yields about 2 1/2 cups of cooked beans.

1. Rinse and Drain – Always rinse the dried beans in cool running water a couple of times until clear. Drain well. At this stage you can decide on whether you want to soak the beans or  no soak.

2. Add all the Ingredients – To the innerpot of the Instant Pot, add the rinsed chickpeas, bayleaf, water, and salt.

3. Pressure Cook HIGH- Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the valve on SEALING, and PRESSURE COOK HIGH for 15 – 50 MINUTES. Once completed, allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally for 20 minutes and quick pressure release any left over pressure.

4. Check : Check if the chickpeas are cooked well. Pick a chickpeas and press them with your fingers or use a fork.. If you find them soft & tender they are ready.

5. Drain : Drain the cooking liquid from the Chickpeas and use it for later.  Cooked Chickpeas is ready to use.

INSTANT POT CHICKPEAS STEP BY STEP

To cook Chickpeas in the Instant Pot, first gather the ingredients. Approximate bean to water ratio for cooking is 1: 3, which means for every 1 cup of the chickpeas, use 3 cups of water.

Dried Chickpea : Water =  1:3 Ratio

1. Add the chickpeas to the Stainless Steel Pot of the IP.

2. Add Water, salt , bayleaf and Pressure Cook on HIGH.

3. Once completed, turn off the Instant Pot. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 20 minutes. Quick Pressure Release any remaining pressure.Wait for the float pin to drop.Open the lid carefully. Drain the liquid and cooked Chickpeas ready to use!

I like to add Bayleaf and garlic sometimes, which elevates the flavours.  But its just optional !

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

What is quick pressure release?

Quick-release  is the process of releasing the steam after cooking. To quick pressure release, carefully turn the valve from STEAMING  to VENTING position. This will result in a strong jet of steam coming from the pressure release valve . Once the steam has released completely from the valve, the float valve will drop into the lid when the cooker has depressurised.

It is now safe to open the Instant Pot lid.

Soaking Vs No Soaking 

Whether to soak the beans or not, is a debate existing for a while. It is believed that not soaking the beans can cause  IBS, bloating etc. But I am not going to advocate about it as I have not experienced any troubles so far.

The Ultimate difference between the two method is the Cooking Time!  You can see the noticeable difference in the cooking time. Bear in mind the pressure build up time is about 12 minutes and Natural Pressure Release time is about 20 minutes for both the methods.

Unsoaked Chickpeas takes about 40-50 minutes to cook. 

Soaked Chickpeas takes about 15 minutes to cook.  

No Soaking the Chickpeas

I do use both the methods depending on the time I have got.  Just for instance I have forgotten to soak or preplan on the recipe I am going to make, I simply proceed with the NO SOAK Method! However the cook time is slightly longer with this method.

Soaking the Chickpeas

I like to soak the Chickpeas most of the time and cut down the cooking time. It’s high time we save on some electricity !

Short Method – 1 Hour Soaking Place the Dried Chickpeas in a casserole or a pot with a tight fitting lid. Pour enough boiling water say at least twice the amount  to cover the chickpeas. Cover with a tight fitting lid and set it aside for 1 hour. You will notice the chickpeas hydrate and triple in size.

Long Method –  8 Hours or Overnight Place the Dried Chickpeas in a bowl. Add enough water to cover the dried chickpeas and cover with a lid. Set it aside for 6 hours to overnight. You will see the soaked chickpeas will triple the size of the dried chickpeas.

You are now ready to cook the Chickpeas in pressure cooker.  

How many cups does One cup of dried chickpeas make?

1 Cup of Dried Chickpeas = 3 Cups of Cooked Chickpeas 1 Cup of dried chickpeas makes about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas approximately.  Dried Chickpeas will triple in size when cooked.

How to store Leftover Garbanzo Beans/ Chickpeas?

Drain all the liquid off the Cooked Chickpeas before you store them.

Leftover chickpeas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can be used in numerous recipes right from appetisers, soups, curries and many more.

 Freeze cooked chickpeas – transfer the chickpeas into a ziplock bags and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.How to cook Chickpeas

INSTANT POT CHICKPEAS COOKING TIME

It takes about 15 -20 minutes for Soaked Chickpeas to cook  and about 30-40 minutes fo Un soaked Chickpeas!

In between all this, we need to remember the time mentioned above is only a guide time. If you require slightly firmer beans, use the lower cooking time.

Remember we also have to consider the Pressure Build Up Time – 10 -12 minutes and Natural Pressure Release Time – 20 minutes.  The pressure indicator in the lid may drop on its own after about 10 – 12minutes, which means there is no remaining pressure in the pot.  Allowing another 10 minutes gives enough time for the beans to cook in the remaining heat.

Easy Chickpeas Recipes

Chickpeas are absolutely versatile. There are tons of easy Chickpea Recipes to cook from.

I like a good Chana Masala / Vegan Chickpeas Curry that can be stirred up in less than 30 minutes. These cooked chickpeas can come handy here.

Falafel , Hummus – they are so much full on with chickpeas.  Choose from Pumpkin Hummus, Beet Hummus, Turmeric Hummus and Avocado Hummus

HOW TO COOK CHICKPEAS IN  PRESSURE COOKER

Print

HOW TO COOK CHICKPEAS IN INSTANT POT PRESSURE COOKER?

Cook Time

15 mins

 

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chickpeas, dried chickpeas, how to cook chickpeas

Author: Sandhya Hariharan

Ingredients

• 2 Cup Dried Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans
• 6 Cups Water
• 1 Tsp Salt
• 2 Bayleaf optional
• 2 Cloves garlic optional

Instructions

Soak the Chickpeas

1. Place the Dried Chickpeas in a bowl.
2. Add enough water to cover the dried chickpeas and cover with a lid.
3. Set it aside for 6 hours to overnight. You will see the soaked chickpeas will triple the size of the dried chickpeas.
4. Drain the water.

How to cook Soaked Chickpeas in Instant Pot

1. Add the soaked chickpeas, water, salt & bayleaf to the inner pot of the pressure cooker.

2. Secure the lid and turn the vent to sealing.

3. Pressure Cook on HIGH for 15- 20 minutes.

4. Once completed, turn off the Instant Pot and wait 20 minutes to naturally release the pressure. Quick-release any remaining pressure and open the the lid when the float pin drops.

How to cook Dried Chickpeas in Instant Pot ( No Soak )

1. Add the dried chickpeas, water, salt & bayleaf to the inner pot of the pressure cooker.

2. Secure the lid and turn the vent to sealing.

3. Pressure Cook on HIGH for 40-50 minutes.

4. Once completed, turn off the Instant Pot and wait 20 minutes to naturally release the pressure. Quick-release any remaining pressure and open the the lid when the float pin drops.