How do I cook chickpeas?
Part of our Ultimate Guide to Cooking Techniques. Click to see more answers to your questions.
Do chickpeas need to soak overnight?
Cooking chickpeas is a straightforward process that can be approached in a few different ways, depending on your time and preference.
Traditional Method
One traditional method is to soak the chickpeas overnight. To do this, begin by rinsing the chickpeas under cold water to remove any debris. Then, place them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. The chickpeas will expand as they soak, so ensure there’s enough water to keep them submerged. Leave them to soak overnight, or for about 8-12 hours. After soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas again, then transfer them to a pot, cover with fresh water, and cook until tender, which usually takes about 1-1.5 hours.
Quick Soak
If you’re short on time or forgot to soak your chickpeas overnight, the quick soak method is a great alternative. Start by rinsing your chickpeas and placing them in a pot. Cover them with water and bring the pot to a boil. Let them boil for a few minutes, then turn off the heat and let the chickpeas sit in the hot water for about an hour. This method helps to soften the chickpeas and reduces the cooking time somewhat. After the hour is up, drain and rinse the chickpeas, then cook them as usual. This might take a bit longer than soaked chickpeas, typically 1 to 2 hours.
Pressure cooking
Using a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot is an excellent way to cook chickpeas, especially if you’re short on time. The pressure cooking method significantly reduces the cooking time, whether you’ve soaked the chickpeas or not. Here’s how you can do it:
If you’ve soaked your chickpeas overnight, the process is quite simple. After soaking, drain and rinse them. Then, place the chickpeas in the Instant Pot and add enough water to cover them by a couple of inches. For each cup of chickpeas, use about 3-4 cups of water. Seal the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure. The cooking time for soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker is typically around 12-15 minutes. Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally, which can take about 20 minutes.
If you haven’t soaked your chickpeas, the Instant Pot can still save you considerable time. Rinse the chickpeas and add them to the pot, covering them with plenty of water. The ratio of water and cooking time will be slightly different than for soaked chickpeas. Use about 4-5 cups of water for each cup of unsoaked chickpeas. Set your Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for about 40-50 minutes. After cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally, which, as with soaked chickpeas, takes around 20 minutes.
In all cases, it’s important to remember that cooking times can vary slightly depending on the age and quality of the chickpeas. Also, unsoaked chickpeas might be less digestible for some people and might have a slightly different texture compared to soaked ones.
