Looking for the ultimate guide on how to cook chickpeas!? I’ve got you covered! In this post, we’re going over all of your burning questions about chickpeas and walking through how to cook them from the stovetop to the instant pot!
In this post…
What are ChickpeasGarbanzo Beans vs ChickpeasChickpeas NutritionHow to cook Chickpeas:Slow Cooker ChickpeasAir Fryer ChickpeasOven Roasted ChickpeasCan you freeze chickpeas?Frequently Asked QuestionsSome of my favorite chickpea recipes:How to cook Chickpeas Recipe
Hopefully you know by now HOW MUCH I LOVE chickpeas! I’ve used this in a TON of recipes and they are seriously one of my all time favorite foods to eat.
Up until the past few years, I always bought canned chickpeas because they’re just so so easy. And while I still really like them canned, I also love how simple and incredibly cost effective it is to buy raw chickpeas and cook them yourself at home.
I’m going to walk you through lots of different ways to cook them, how to soak them, and even show you some of my favorite ways to use them. Let’s dive RIGHT in, shall we?
What are Chickpeas
Chickpeas are legumes! In their raw form, they almost feel like beige round rocks and are very hard uncooked. You cannot eat them raw as they contain toxins (removed during the cooking process) and are simply too hard to chew or digest properly. While typically beige, they do come in other colors including red and green.
Since chickpeas are so high in protein and fiber, they are used very commonly in vegetarian cooking as a kind of meat substitute such as in this Chickpeas Salad, this Chickpea Noodle Soup, and this Chickpea Pot Pie.
Garbanzo Beans vs Chickpeas
Since I use chickpeas in my recipes on a regular basis, I OFTEN get asked, are garbanzo beans chickpeas? And the answer is YES: chickpeas and garbanzo beans are the same thing but just a different name.
While the average person seems to most commonly refer to them as CHICKPEAS, most stores/ brans label them as GARBANZO BEANS. I suggest that when you are looking for them in a store, be on the lookout for both words since they truly are used so interchangeably.
Chickpeas Nutrition
Chickpeas are nutritionally rich and high in protein and fiber. Here’s a quick breakdown of the basics and why these legumes are so great:
Per 100g of raw chickpeasCalories365Protein19gFiber17gTotal Fat6gIron34%Magnesium28%Vitamin B-625%Potassium25%Total Carbs61g
How to cook Chickpeas:
Cooking chickpeas is very similar and follows a similar process as other beans. I have a detailed recipe card for you down below as well as a video but let’s go over the basics!
FIRST you need to soak your beans. I’ve experimented several different ways but no matter what, you simply CANNOT skip this step! But you do have 2 options: 1) long soak the beans overnight or 2) quick soak the beans by boiling them for 3 minutes and then soaking them for just 1.5 hours. Both work well but you have to pick one.
Next up, you cook them. My recipe card below goes over how to cook chickpeas on the stovetop. But I have several different methods for you!
Stovetop Chickpeas
As I mentioned, I have a detailed recipe card below all about cooking chickpeas on the stovetop but here’s the gist of it:
After soaking them, simply add the chickpeas in a large pot with water or broth as well as any desired seasonings. Simmer for ~1.5 hours or until the chickpeas are soft and at your desired tenderness.
Instant Pot Chickpeas
This is actually my FAVORITE way to cook raw chickpeas!
I have a detailed blog post all about cooking chickpeas in an instant pot that you can read HERE.
To do this, add the soaked chickpeas into your pressure cooker with water or broth along with any other seasonings. Cook on manual HIGH pressure for 13 minutes and natural release the pressure for 5 minutes. Since the instant pot will take a while to pressurize, this ends up taking about 35 minutes total.
Slow Cooker Chickpeas
This is not my favorite method of cooking chickpeas honestly, but it can be done. I’ve found that it results in mushier chickpeas (which could be ideal depending on how you are planning to use them).
For this method, you actually CAN skip the soaking step and simply add the chickpeas into a slow cooker with 8 cups of water. Cook on high for 3.5-4.5 hours or on low for 6.5-8 hours.
Air Fryer Chickpeas
This is kind of a bonus! You CANNOT actually cook chickpeas from raw in the air fryer (that I have successfully tried). However, you can cook COOKED chickpeas in an air fryer to get them ultra crispy and delicious!
To do this, follow THESE detailed directions by mixing cooked chickpeas with some oil and seasoning. Place them in the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring half way through.
Oven Roasted Chickpeas
Similar to the air fryer chickpeas, you cannot cook chickpeas from raw in teh oven, however, you can get them DELICIOUSLY crispy this way!
To do this, simply follow these easy directions!
Can you freeze chickpeas?
Why YES, you can! To freeze the cooked chickpeas, simply spread them out on a silicon or parchment lined baking sheet (this avoids them sticking). Place in the freeze and freeze for 1/5 hours. Place the flash frozen chickpeas into a resealable container and store in the freezer for a few months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Per 100gs, chickpeas have 19g of protein which is 38% daily value.
For 1 cup of cooked chickpeas, there are about 275 calories.
An average can of chickpeas has a total of 420 calories. Many are labeled as 3.5 servings per can at 120 calories per serving (1/2 cup of cooked beans).
If you have pets like I do, you may be wondering u0022can dogs have chickpeas??u0022. After a little research, I decided that YES, chickpeas are safe for my dogs to eat. Reference this article as you deciding if you feel comfortable feeding them to your dogs though. Overall, chickpeas are totally safe for dogs to eat and can provide lots of great nutrients!
After working in the food space for the past 8 years, I’ve learned that EVERYONE has a totally different definition of the word healthy. Chickpeas are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, high in protein and fiber and fully plant based! In my book, they’re extremely healthy consumed in moderation (and delicious too!).
A lot of recipes will have you remove the skin but I never both with it. It just doesn’t bother me at all and I rarely notice that they are there. There are 2 exceptions to this: 1) if you’re making hummus, the skins can make this a *tiny* bit less creamy but even then, I never remove them 2) I DO remove them when I’m roasting the chickpeas because the skins will burn in the oven.
Some of my favorite chickpea recipes:
How to cook Chickpeas
Ingredients
Instructions
Soaking the beans:
Cook the garbanzo beans:
Video
Notes
See here for more ways to cook chickpeas:
Instant Pot Chickpeas
Air Fryer Chickpeas
Roasted Chickpeas
Nutrition
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