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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:
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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.
This was so helpful ! Thank you, from the presoak for intestinal gas, to the bulk advice with highest turnover, this was great. Also thank you for all the methods!
Hi I tried this recipe/method and found the chickpeas came our very soft. I was going to make hummus so it was fine but they were definitely overcooked to mke any sort of other dish. Would you suggest less water, less cooking time etc? Thanks
I made these today and I was so happy to see how creamy the chick peas turned out.
My family is new to cooking with the instant pot. One of our challenges with chick peas 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!
Way too much writing here. Just get straight to how to cook them.
That’s what the “jump to recipe” button is for. It’s included for every recipe on my website if you want to skip the extra cooking tips that I share in my posts.
Thanks for the quick non-soak pre-cook method. Unfortunately I don’t always remember to soak my beans before I need them for meals. This method has cut down on time and prep. Thanks so much for saving us from having to buy another can of store bought beans.
I’ve used this method at least once a week now for the past month.
This turned out perfectly! Followed the no-soak recipe to a “T”. Thank you!
Thanks Lisa! Would you recommend adding some kombu or seaweed for digestibility? I usually would for beans, but I’m assuming that would add salt.
Did 50 min with 10 min npr still hard as can be.
I have been trying forever to find a method for cooking dry chickpeas that leaves them like canned. This is it. I’m honestly so happy. I felt like I still needed to buy canned for certain recipes because I just couldn’t get it the texture right. You honestly just saved me a lot of money and made me a very happy cook. Thank you!
I’m trying this now since I didn’t soak my chickpeas last night! The only thing is Instantpot says to cook them 35-40 minutes, but they don’t give the water ratio, which I needed!