Instant Pot Chickpeas. Easy, foolproof method for cooking chickpeas in your Instant Pot (or pressure cooker) less than 1 hour – no soaking required! Flavorful, creamy, and a million times better than canned.
Why the Instant Pot is Great for Cooking Chickpeas
I’ve never liked cooking with dried beans. The hassle of soaking coupled with their hour-plus cooking time always led me straight for the canned stuff. Until one day, something weird happened – I actually decided to give dried beans a try. I was planning to make hummus and read that hummus is always creamier when it’s made with freshly cooked beans – not the canned kind. I decided to test this theory and cook my garbanzo beans in the Instant Pot versus stovetop.
The benefits of cooking beans in the Instant Pot?
- Soaking isn’t required, or necessary.
- It’s super fast – less than 1 hour!
- Hands off. Simply dump, set, and cook.
Do I Need to Soak Chickpeas Before Cooking?
You do not need to soak chickpeas before cooking them in the Instant Pot. Some people argue, however, that beans are easier to digest (aka less bloating and gas) if they are soaked prior to cooking. I’ve never paid attention close enough to tell a difference.
If you do soak your beans before cooking them in the Instant Pot, decrease cooking time to 12 minutes on “manual pressure” HIGH followed by 10 minutes natural release.
How Many Cups of Cooked Chickpeas will 1 Cup of Dried Chickpeas Make?
In general, dried garbanzo beans will triple in size once they’ve been cooked (sometimes a bit more, sometimes a bit less). So, 1 cup of dry chickpeas will make approximately 3 cups cooked.
Helpful conversions to note:
1 pound (16 ounces) of dried beans = 2 cups dried beans
1 part dry beans = 3 parts cooked beans
1 can cooked beans = approximately 1.5 cups cooked beans
How to Cook Chickpeas in the Instant Pot (step-by-step)
How to cook chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) in the Instant Pot:
- Rinse the chickpeas under cold running water and pick out any stones of debris.
- Add the chickpeas to the bowl of your Instant Pot and cover with 6 cups of water (or enough to cover the chickpeas by approximately 1-inch).
- Secure the lid and check that the steam release valve is in the sealing position.
- Select “manual” or “pressure cooker” mode and set cook time to 45 minutes, HIGH PRESSURE. Press start.
- Allow the Instant Pot to warm up (approximately 10 minutes) and the beans to cook. After the timer is complete and your Instant Pot beeps, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed, very carefully switch the valve to “venting”. Use an oven mitt or kitchen towel to cover your hand as the steam is HOT!
- Remove the lid and test for doneness. If any cooking liquid remains, drain, or reserve if desired.
I didn’t include any seasoning for this recipe as I wanted to make chickpeas similar to those you would get from a can.
Optional additions to add extra flavor:
- Salt
- Vegetable or chicken stock in place of the water.
- Garlic – powdered, minced, or whole head halved crosswise.
- Cumin
- Onion
- Bay leaves
How Long do Cooked Chickpeas Last?
Store any leftover chickpeas in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You may also freeze in smaller portions for up to 6-8 months.
How to Soak Beans in the Instant Pot (Quickly!)
What if you just want to soak your beans? But you forgot to do it the night before, you’ve run out of time, and you need some soaked beans…quickly.
In addition to full-on cooking chickpeas via your Instant Pot, you can also soak them too! It’s easy,
- For every 1 cup of dry chickpeas, add three cups of water to the bowl of your Instant Pot.
- Set your pressure cooker to “manual mode” HIGH for 2 minutes, then allow your pressure cooker to release naturally for 10 minutes before manually releasing.
- Drain and rinse your beans and cook as desired.
Easy Chickpea Recipes,
- Pasta with Chickpeas Recipe (Pasta e Ceci)
- Oven Roasted Carrots with Chickpeas with Farro
- Easy Three Bean Salad Recipe
- Vegetarian Cauliflower Tikka Masala Recipe (Instant Pot)
- Easy Chopped Mediterranean Salad
If you try making these Easy Instant Pot Chickpeas, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Instant Pot Chickpeas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry chickpeas - (approx. 2 cups)
- 6 cups water - (or enough to cover by 1-inch)
Instructions
- Add the dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans) to your Instant Pot or pressure cooker add enough water that it is covered by at least 1-inch.
- Secure the lid and place the steam release valve in the SEALING position.
- Select "Manual" or "Pressure Cooker" mode and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 45 minutes.
- After the timer is complete and your Instant Pot beeps, allow your Instant Pot to release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, manually switch the valve to "venting" - be careful! Use an oven mitt or kitchen towel to cover your hand as the steam is HOT!
- Remove the lid and test for doneness. Different chickpeas and pressure cookers will each cook a little differently. If your chickpeas are super undercooked, return the lid and cook for 10 minutes more.
- Once cooked to desired doneness, drain thoroughly. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You may also freeze in smaller portions for up to 6-8 months.
Jessica's Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Thank you so much! I have made these a couple of times now and they turn out just right. I was afraid to cook chickpeas at home before, so thanks for giving me that nudge! Your hummus recipe is amazing also!
Thank you for this recipe! We love homemade hummus now! I cook a big batch of beans and put them in smaller bags in the freezer so I can switch up our hummus flavors!
Thanks for the feedback Paula 😀
Hi! I was wondering if you have ever done 1/2 lb of chickpeas in the instant pot. If so, how much water would you recommend and how long? Should I shorten the time? Thank you!
While I have not tried this, 3 cups of water should work well for a half-pound. The cook time would remain the same 🙂
This was so easy! Will be making a lot more chickpeas in the Insta Pot. I made a large batch so that I made a recipe of the classic hummus and froze some.