How to Cook Dried Chickpeas? Should I soak the chickpeas or no soak? This ultimate post will guide you on how you cook the dried beans in less than 1 hour, no matter which method you use!
Cook Chickpeas from Dried beans
Growing up, my mum always soaked the dried beans overnight to make Channa Masala or Chickpea Sundal. However, there are tricks to reduce the soaking time, in case mom had forgotten to soak in advance. After soaking, they were pressure-cooked on the stovetop and ready for use. Really easy peasy!
I had never seen a can of Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans until we relocated to the UK, 18 years back. For a while, the lazy me always opted for the canned easier to-go option, even when I had time at hand. After reading the nutrition label, I soon realized that there is a considerable amount of sodium and preservatives that go into canning. So it is not the best option for everyday use.
Since then, I have gone back to old school whenever possible!! Cooking your own chickpea from dried beans is really easy and we have better control of the texture and taste.
Skip the canned Chickpeas and cook your dried beans in the Instant Pot Pressure cooker instead. It is super quick, easy, and a lot cheaper. They are perfect for meal prep and storing for later too.
PS – I still buy canned chickpeas for emergency use only!
Why make Instant Pot Chickpeas?
Really Easy and straightforward – Add the dried beans to the pot and Pressure Cook. So no Baby Sitting is needed too. I can’t call it Quick, because it does take 30-50 minutes to cook.
Heathy – Fresh Homecooked Chickpea has no preservatives and it is definitely healthy.
Cheaper than Canned Beans – Time to ditch the store-bought stuff and make cooked chickpeas at home. It’s a lot cheaper than you can imagine. 400g Cooked Chickpea cost about 50 pence. Whereas 1 kg dried Chickpeas costs 2.25£. I just did some basic maths and this may help you.
1 can of chickpeas yields 1.5 cups and it costs 0.5p
1 cup dried chickpeas will yield 3 cups cooked chickpeas and it costs- 0.56p
Dietary needs – Naturally Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, and Sugar-Free!!
TRENDING VIDEO ON SANDHYA’S KITCHEN
Soaking Vs No Soaking Dried Chickpeas
Whether to soak the dried chickpeas or not, you have to decide. 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 that the pressure build-up time is about 12 minutes and the Natural Pressure Release time is about 20 minutes for both methods.
Unsoaked Chickpeas take about 45-50 minutes to cook.
Soaked Chickpeas take about 25 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 8 hours to overnight. You will see the soaked chickpeas will triple the size of the dried chickpeas.
How to cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot Step by Step
To cook Chickpeas in the Instant Pot, first, gather the ingredients. You can in Instant Pot in less than 1 hour!
DRIED CHICKPEA :WATER RATIO = 1:3
- Add the chickpeas to the Stainless Steel Pot of the Instant Pot.
2. Add Water, salt, bay leaf, and Pressure Cook on HIGH for 25 minutes.
3. Natural pressure release. Use the cooked chickpeas in recipes.
I like to add Bayleaf and Garlic sometimes, which elevates the flavors. But it’s just optional!
Instant Pot Chickpeas Cooking time
It takes about 25-30 minutes for soaked Chickpeas to cook and about 45-50 minutes fo unsoaked Chickpeas! Bear in mind, if the beans are old add another 10 minutes of cooking time.
This is only a guide time. If you require slightly firmer beans, use the lower cooking time.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How much does 1 cup of dried chickpea weigh?
1 Cup of Dried Chickpea weights 200g.
How many Cups of Chickpeas are in a Can?
One 400g can have 1 1/2 cup of cooked chickpeas.
How many cups does One cup of dried chickpeas make?
1 Cup of Dried Chickpeas = 3 Cups of Cooked Chickpeas .Dried Chickpeas will triple in size when cooked.
What is quick pressure release?
Quick-release is the process of releasing the steam after cooking in the Instant Pot. 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.
You are now ready to cook the Chickpeas in pressure cooker.
How to store Leftover 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.
Easy Vegetarian and Vegan Chickpea Recipes for you
Curries – Chickpea Spinach Curry, Chickpea Tikka Masala, 30 minutes Chana masala, chickpea
Hummus – Pumpkin Hummus, Avocado Hummus, Turmeric Hummus, Beet Hummus, and classic Hummus
Appetizers – Falafels, Chickpea Sundal, Airfryer crispy chickpeas
Buddha Bowl – Sweet Potato & Chickpeas Buddha Bowl
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a ★ rating!
Post a photo of your creation on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #sandhyaskitchen. I would love to see your pictures!
Subscribe to our weekly newsletters!
Cook Dried Chickpeas in Pressure Cooker
How to cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot ? [ Soak & No Soak ]
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 2 Cup Dried Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans
- 6 Cups Water
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 2 Bayleaf optional
- 2 Cloves garlic optional
Instructions
Soak the Chickpeas
- 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.
- Drain the water.
How to cook Soaked Chickpeas in Instant Pot
- Add the soaked chickpeas, water, salt & bayleaf to the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Secure the lid and turn the vent to sealing.
- Pressure Cook on HIGH for 20-25 minutes. Allow to naturally release the pressure.
How to cook Dried Chickpeas in Instant Pot ( No Soak )
- Add the dried chickpeas, water, salt & bayleaf to the inner pot of the pressure cooker.
- Secure the lid and turn the vent to sealing.
- Pressure Cook on HIGH for 40-50 minutes.
- 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.
Leave a Reply