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If you had told me years ago that I’d turn into the type of person who cooks beans from scratch… I wouldn’t have believed you. But that was before I wrote The Fresh & Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook and tried cooking beans in the pressure cooker. The Instant Pot makes the process significantly easier!
I spent the past few weeks retesting this recipe to see if I could shorten the cooking time, because some other recipes online suggest that it’s possible. However, when I tested a shorter cooking time in my kitchen, I was disappointed. (The beans don’t turn out evenly cooked.)
One thing I learned from all of my extra experiments is that soaking the chickpeas in salted water makes them more flavorful and more appealing-looking when they’re done. It’s a step you can do in the morning, and they’ll be ready to cook by dinner time.
That said, I usually skip soaking chickpeas because I’m not the type of person to plan ahead. If this is you, too, just know that they’ll turn out delicious either way!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“I made these today and I was so happy to see how creamy the chickpeas turned out. My family is new to cooking with the instant pot. One of our challenges with chickpeas is that they usually took a long time so we would make too many so we didn’t run out then we got sick of them. Now, I can make small batches, thank you so much!” -Richard
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chickpeas
- Dried Chickpeas. There’s no need to soak these ahead of time, but you can if you want to. (Tips below!)
- Water. You’ll use a 3:1 water-to-chickpea ratio when cooking them in the Instant Pot. Don’t be tempted to use any less, or the beans won’t cook evenly.
- Salt. There’s a myth that adding salt to dried beans will prevent them from getting tender, but I tested salted and unsalted beans side by side, and that’s not true. So add salt if you prefer beans with a more flavorful taste.
How to Cook Chickpeas in the Instant Pot
Step 1:
Add the dried chickpeas, salt, and water to the stainless steel bowl of the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to the “Sealing” position.
Note: Newer Instant Pot models have the valve in this position by default, so you may not need to worry about it. My older Instant Pot (purchased in 2017) requires you to move the steam release valve between the “sealing” and “venting” positions each time you use it.
Step 2:
Use the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button to cook on high pressure for 50 minutes. In my experience, this is the minimum cooking time to get chickpeas tender.
They might still be slightly firmer at this time, so if you prefer softer chickpeas, set the timer for 60 minutes instead. The machine will take at least 10-15 minutes to pressurize, so the screen will simply read “On” until then.
Step 3:
When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release. This usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. If you’re impatient, you can move the steam release valve to the venting position after 15 minutes.
Test a chickpea for tenderness by pressing it against the side of the pot with a fork. It should mash easily; if, for some reason, the chickpeas are not as tender as you’d like, you can secure the lid and cook for 10 more minutes.
Drain the cooking water by pouring the chickpeas into a fine-mesh strainer. Then they are ready to use right away.
Safety Tip
When the floating valve in the lid drops, you’ll know the pot is no longer pressurized, and it’s safe to open the lid. As a safety feature, the Instant Pot lid is almost impossible to remove when the pot is still pressurized. So, if it feels difficult to open, don’t force it. The lid is very easy to twist off when the floating valve has dropped.
How to “Quick Soak” Chickpeas
An alternative to soaking chickpeas for 8 hours or more is to use the “quick soak” method. To do this, cover the chickpeas with at least 3 inches of water in a large pot and bring them to a boil over high heat on the stove top. Once it’s boiling, set a timer for 5 minutes.
When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the chickpeas soak in the hot water for 1 hour. They can be cooked in the Instant Pot using the timing mentioned above for soaked chickpeas.
Instant Pot Chickpeas (No Soaking!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Cover the dry chickpeas with water, add the salt, and secure the lid. Move the steam release valve to the SEALING position. Select the "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" button and cook at high pressure for 50 minutes. This is the minimum time needed, but if you prefer more tender minutes, cook them for 60 minutes instead.
- The machine will take 10-15 minutes to pressurize, so the screen will read "On" until the countdown begins. When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes. This means you don't have to do anything until the screen reads L0:15. Then move the steam release valve to the "venting" position to release any remaining pressure in the pot.
- When the floating valve in the lid drops, it's safe to remove the lid. Test the chickpeas for tenderness by mashing one against the side of the pot with a fork. Pour the chickpeas through a fine mesh strainer to drain the cooking liquid, and then they are ready to use just like canned beans.
- Cooked beans can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. (See the tips in this post for freezing tips.)
Notes
Nutrition
How to Use Cooked Chickpeas
- Thai Chickpea Curry
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
- Chickpea Salad Sandwich (like tuna salad!)
- Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- Vegetarian Chickpea Noodle Soup
If you try this Instant Pot recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it works out for you.
I want to use this recipe to prepare soaked chickpeas for hummus. How much baking soda should I add?
this instructions have always worked well for me! Was this page recently updated? i recall an amount that resulted in the equivalent of 4 can – about a cup and a quarter each. Thanks!
Hi Ree! Yes, this page was updated to make a smaller amount due to reader feedback. The cook time and ratio has not changed, so if you prefer to cook 2 cups of chickpeas at a time, you’ll use 6 cups of water and the same cooking time. Hope that helps!
I tried this recipe this evening and it is a terrific recipe. I let my chickpeas cook for 17 mins and they are perfect for what I want to use them for. Thank you so very much!
We use this again and again – thank you!
Quick and easy!
Thanks for this!! I decided to make hummus for dinner at 4:45 pm and only had dried chickpeas–you saved me! I used the quick soak method you have here and, for me, the 12 min cook time was not enough. I needed to redo them for another 17 mins. Granted, I wanted them to be smoother than people who would be using the cooked chickpeas whole, but wanted to add this comment in case someone else needs to make last-minute hummus :).