Instant Pot Chickpeas

cooked chickpeas in a bowl

 The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Pressure Building/Releasing: 30 mins
Total: 38 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 2 cups

The Instant Pot is the perfect way to cook dried chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans). They are creamy, tender, and packed full of flavor in a very short amount of time. We like to soak them beforehand for optimal texture, but you can skip this step with the alternate instructions below.

Chickpeas are full of protein and fiber and are a great choice for vegetarians and carnivores alike. This is a super-easy way to prepare them from scratch so you can control the flavor, salt, and texture. Dried beans are also cheaper and more nutritious than canned.

Use these chickpeas to garnish your favorite salads, make flavorful curries, turn into silky-smooth hummus, or add to your favorite pasta dishes for a boost of protein.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas

  • 4 teaspoons salt

  • 8 cups water, divided

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 2 large bay leaves

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    instant pot chickpeas ingredients on a marble board
  2. Add the chickpeas to a large bowl. Add in the tablespoon of salt and 4 cups of cold water. Allow to soak for at least 8 hours, ideally overnight. Don’t soak for longer than 16 hours.

    dried chickpeas soaking in water
  3. Rinse the chickpeas under cold water. Make sure to remove any debris that might be in the bowl.

    drained cooked chickpeas
  4. Alternatively, don't soak the chickpeas overnight and cook them straight from dry. Rinse under cold water and drain.

  5. Add the soaked or unsoaked chickpeas, garlic, bay leaves, and one teaspoon of salt to the Instant Pot insert. Pour in 4 cups of water and stir.

    instant pot with dried chickpeas, garlic cloves, and bay leaves
  6. Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes for soaked chickpeas or 45 minutes for unsoaked chickpeas. Allow to naturally release for 20 minutes. Release the remaining pressure and remove the inner pot. Discard the bay leaves and garlic.

    chickpeas cooked in the instant pot
  7. Drain the chickpeas and add to your favorite salads, pastas, or make it into hummus.

    drained cooked chickpeas
  8. Enjoy!

Recipe Variations

  • Use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water during pressure cooking for extra flavor. Or use half broth and half water.
  • Add different herbs and spices to the liquid while cooking. Try adding a peeled half of an onion, a sprig of thyme, or a sprig of rosemary.
  • If you are looking for saltier chickpeas you can add the tablespoon of salt into the cooking liquid instead of the soaking liquid.
  • You can easily turn these Instant Pot chickpeas into hummus. Drain the chickpeas after cooking, reserving a cup of the liquid. Blend them with the cooked garlic and add in 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of tahini, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, and up to 1 cup of the chickpea cooking liquid. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

  • If you skip soaking the chickpeas, you'll end up with slightly less tender and plump beans. Whenever possible, soak chickpeas before cooking. Soaking is also believed to help you digest them better.
  • Make sure to let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure for 20 minutes. This helps finish the cooking process.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
48 Calories
1g Fat
8g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 48
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1425mg 62%
Total Carbohydrate 8g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 28mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 88mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)