How to Cook Chickpeas (With or Without Soaking)

How to Cook Chickpeas (With or Without Soaking)

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: vegan

Keyword: how to cook chickpeas

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 5

Servings:

Calories: 121kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

Here's how to cook chickpeas at home, with or without soaking them. I walk you through the process step-by-step, with tips to make it as easy as possible.

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Ingredients

1 cup dry chickpeas (this makes roughly 3 cups cooked)
water

Instructions

How to Soak Chickpeas

Cover the dry chickpeas with 3 inches of water in a large bowl. Let them sit in your fridge overnight, or for up to 24 hours. They will double in size.

How to Quick-Soak Chickpeas

Pour the chickpeas into a saucepan and cover with 3 inches of water. Bring them to a boil, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let them cool for 1 hour.

How To Cook Soaked Chickpeas

Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then
Pour the chickpeas into a large saucepan and cover them with 3 to 4 inches of water. (I typically start with 8 cups of water for every 1 cup dry beans, when using a 3-quart pot.) Bring them to a boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer (you still want to see small bubbles on the surface) and let the chickpeas cook uncovered until they are tender, about 45 to 60 minutes. Check on the beans after 30 minutes to make sure there is still enough water in the pot; sometimes it can evaporate and you'll need to add 1-2 cups more to keep them covered in water. (This ensures that the beans will cook evenly.)
Use a fork to smash one of the chickpeas against the side of the pot, to check for tenderness. When then smash easily, they are done. Drain the cooking water, saving it for future use if you want a vegan egg substitute (The cooking liquid is called aquafaba-- look up recipes for it!)
Cooked chickpeas can be stored in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container, or you can freeze them on a baking sheet and store them in 1 1/2 cup portions for future use. Frozen chickpeas can be stored in an airtight conatiner for up to 6 months. (See more details about freezing in the post above.)

How to Cook Un-Soaked Chickpeas

Pour the dry chickpeas in a strainer and rinse them well in a strainer to remove any dirt.
Transfer the chickpeas to a large pot and cover them with 3 inches of water. (I use 8 cups of water for 1 cup of dry chickpeas, when using a 3-quart pot.)
Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. You still want to see small bubbles on the surface. Simmer uncovered until the beans are covered, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.
Check on the beans every 30 minutes to make sure they are still covered in water. I usually have to add 2 cups of water after 60 minutes of cooking, and then I bring that water to a boil and lower to a simmer again to continue the cooking process. The beans should be tender in under 2 hours when you don't salt the cooking water.
Drain the beans, reserving the cooking water for aquafaba recipes, if desired. Use the beans right away, or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can freeze the beans for up to 6 months. (See tips in this post for details!)

Video

Notes

You can cover the pot with a lid as the beans cook, which may make them softer-- and you won't have to worry about evaporation as much. I found that cooking beans with the lid off made them more flavorful, so that's what I recommend doing if you don't mind checking on the liquid levels every now and then.

Nutrition