Cooking perfect chickpeas in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker (Soak & No-Soak Method) is quicker and more convenient than the stovetop method. Plus, homemade pressure-cooked chickpeas are more cheaper, healthier, and tastier than store-bought canned versions.
I love meal prepping, and since chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein, I make sure to include them in my diet. I usually cook a big batch of chickpeas in the pressure cooker and freeze them in 1.5–2 cup portions. This way, I can easily use them in recipes like air fryer roasted chickpeas, chickpea coconut curry, and chickpea cucumber salad instead of canned chickpeas.
I have provided detailed instructions below on how to cook chickpeas in an Instant Pot using both the soak and no-soak methods.
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What is the science behind soaking beans?
1. Beans contain indigestible complex sugars that cause gas and are hard on tummies, and can cause some digestive issues like bloating and flatulence. Therefore, soaking and sprouting the beans is an excellent way to reduce the uneasiness produced by them.
2. Soaking dried beans ahead of time (soaked for at least 3-4 hours in hot water) will cook faster compared to the beans that have not been soaked at all.
Ingredients
- Chickpeas: I used white chickpeas (garbanzo beans), also known as Kabuli chana.
- Water: for cooking.
- Salt: for seasoning.
How to Cook Chickpeas in Instant Pot (Soaked & No-Soak Method)
Soak Method:
Rinse 1 cup of dried chickpeas and soak them in 2 cups of water in a large bowl for at least 8 hours or overnight. You can also quickly soak dried chickpeas in hot water for 4 hours, if you don't have time.
Once ready to cook, drain the water and add the chickpeas into the Instant Pot insert. Cover the soaked chickpeas with 3 cups of water along with ¼ teaspoon salt.
Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 13-15 minutes.
Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Open the Lid.
Take one chickpea and mash it with your fingers to check the tenderness. Then, perfectly cooked Instant Pot chickpeas are ready.
You can use cooked chickpeas right away or refrigerate them for later use in an airtight container.
**Note: 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas replace one can of chickpeas. This recipe yields 3 cups, equivalent to two cans of chickpeas.
No-Soak Method:
- Add the dried chickpeas to the Instant Pot insert. Cover with 5 cups of water along with some salt.
- Close the Instant Pot with the pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 35-40 minutes.
- Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Open the Lid
- Take one chickpea and mash it with your fingers to check the tenderness.
- You can use cooked chickpeas right away or refrigerate them for later use in an airtight container.
Note: 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas replace one can of chickpeas. So this recipe yields 3 cups, i.e., two cans of chickpeas.
Tips for cooking Instant Pot Chickpeas
- Old chickpeas take longer to cook - Usually, fresh chickpeas take less time to cook compared to old beans lying in the kitchen pantry.
- Organic chickpeas take longer to cook than regular chickpeas.
- Always try to quick-soak chickpeas in hot water for at least 3-4 hours, this will also reduce the cooking time.
Storage Suggestions
Boiled chickpeas can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
You can also freeze it by patting any excess moisture in a paper towel and then storing it in 1-2 cups batches in a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months.
FAQs
Dried chickpeas will usually triple in size when cooked. So 1 cup of dried chickpeas will yield about 3 cups of cooked chickpeas, close to two 15 oz of canned chickpeas.
More Instant Pot 101 Recipes
Instant Pot Chickpeas (Soak & No-Soak Method)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans or chole)
- 2 cups water for soaking
- 3 cups water for cooking
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Soaked Method:
- Rinse 1 cup of dried chickpeas and soak them in 2 cups of water in a large bowl for at least 8 hours or overnight. You can also quickly soak dried chickpeas in hot water if you don't have time.
- Once ready to cook, drain the water and add the chickpeas into the Instant Pot bowl. Cover the soaked chickpeas with 3 cups of water along with some salt.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 13-15 minutes.Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Open the Lid.
- Take one chickpea and mash it with your fingers to check the tenderness. Then, perfectly cooked Instant pot chickpeas are ready.
- You can use cooked chickpeas right away or refrigerate for later use in an airtight container.**Note: 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas replace one can of chickpeas. So this recipe yields 3 cups, i.e., two cans of chickpeas.
No-Soak Method:
- Add the dried chickpeas into the Instant Pot bowl. Cover with 5 cups of water along with some salt.
- Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 35-40 minutes.Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally. Open the Lid
- Take one chickpeas and mash it with your fingers to check the tenderness.
- You can use cooked chickpeas right away or refrigerate for later use in an airtight container.Note: 1 ½ cups of cooked chickpeas replace one can of chickpeas. So this recipe yields 3 cups, i.e., two cans of chickpeas.
Notes
Tips
- Old chickpeas take longer to cook - Usually fresh chickpeas take less time to cook compared to old beans lying in the kitchen pantry.
- Organic chickpeas take longer to cook than regular chickpeas.
- Always try to quick-soak chickpeas in hot water for at least 3-4 hours, this will also reduce the cooking time.
Nutrition
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Fran
Hey Bhavana - next time I make unsoaked chickpeas I'm going to try your timing. Several other recipes on web say 50 minutes. I've done that twice and it leaves chickpeas way too soft. I will add to this if I find your timing works better. Maybe others want really soft chickpeas but I want them to retain their shape.
Susan
I was very happy with the result.
I had a cup of dried chickpeas that had been in a jar in my pantry for about 2 years. I used your no-soak method and pressure cooked them for a little longer - about 45 minutes.
Then I let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturally for 30 minutes.
The result is tender chickpeas. Thank you!
Bhavana Patil
Hi Susan, I am glad they turned out great for you. Happy Cooking.
Jenny
Hi.. thank you for posting this! One of the reasons I have a pressure cooker. Can you multiply the recipe within the limits of your pressure cooker? E.g. could I double it? Thank you
Bhavana Patil
Hey Jenny ,You can double the recipe easily within the limits of Pressure cooker and cooking time will remain the same in the instant pot.Hope this helps.
Kim
What do you do when if the chickpea you test isn't tender enough?
bhavana
You just close lid and cook for another 10 minutes on high pressure on (MANUAL /PRESSURE COOK ) Mode