When we’re looking to make a batch of tender chickpeas, we start by grabbing our Instant Pot. We love this technique for cooking chickpeas because it’s faster than stovetop methods. Plus, we don’t have to watch the stove.
Not only do we save money by making those buttery chickpeas ourselves, they also taste better. We use them all the time in salads, wraps, and stews. Oh yeah, we’re in!
How To Make This Recipe
For best results, we recommend using fresh dried chickpeas. Old, expired beans tend to take longer to cook and often have a chewy texture. When we can’t find dried beans labeled chickpeas, we look for dried garbanzo beans. Why? Chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same exact thing.
Soak those chickpeas for at least 6 hours to help them soften. In our experience, soaked chickpeas in instant pot tend to cook more evenly. We’ve found that unsoaked beans often have a chewy center. While soaking, those chickpeas will plump right up as seen in the picture below.
Plump chickpeas after soaking.
Prep Ingredients
Once we’re done soaking our chickpeas, we drain and rinse them. We’re careful to pick out any remaining stones or debris. Then, we place our chickpeas into our Instant Pot. Next, we add our aromatics along with our water. While we love using kombu, bay leaves will also do.
Add chickpeas, aromatics, and water to Instant Pot.
Cook At High Pressure
Once we’ve placed our ingredients in the pot, we close the lid and turn the venting knob to sealing position. Then, we pressure cook our soaked chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, at high pressure for 5 minutes.
If you don’t have time to soak your chickpeas, cook them at high pressure for 45 minutes. They will likely be tender with a bit of chew. For softer unsoaked chickpeas, cook for 60 minutes at high pressure.
Either way, we allow for natural release. After 20 minutes, we carefully release any remaining pressure. Once all of the pressure has released, we remove the lid. Finally, we discard our onions, garlic, and kombu using a pair of tongs.
Remove lid after natural release.
Before draining our chickpeas, we sample a few chickpeas to ensure they are fully cooked. If they’re still a bit too chewy, we simmer them in 2 inches of water until they soften. Fair warning, old and expired chickpeas will typically not achieve that buttery texture.
Chickpeas are ready serve.
Ready To Eat
Once our chickpeas have reached the desired texture, they’re ready to eat. Enjoy them right from the pot with a little seasoning, or use them in your favorite recipe.
Enjoy those chickpeas.
Looking for ways to use those chickpeas? Here are a few recipes for inspiration:
- Chickpea Baguettes
- Curry Chickpea Salad Lettuce Cups
- Lebanese Chickpea Stew
- Spicy Bulgur Soup With Chickpeas
- Roasted Broccoli, Chickpea, and Kale Salad
Recipe Card for Instant Pot Chickpeas
Here’s the recipe card for Instant Pot Chickpeas. Print, share or save!
Instant Pot Chickpeas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked for 6 hours or overnight
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 2 pieces kombu or bay leaves
- 1 small onion halved
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Rinse and drain chickpeas. Be sure to pick out any remaining stones or debris.
- Next, add all ingredients to Instant Pot.
- Close the lid, then turn the venting knob to sealing position.
- Cook chickpeas at high Pressure for 5 minutes and allow for natural release.
- After 20 minutes, release any remaining pressure.
- Once the remaining pressure is released, remove the lid. Discard onions, garlic, and kombu.
- Sample a few chickpeas to ensure they are fully cooked. If they still happen to be a bit too chewy, simmer in 2 inches of water until fully softened.
- Once your chickpeas have reached their desired texture, they’re ready to eat. Enjoy them with a little seasoning, or use them in your favorite recipe.
