Instant Pot Chickpeas (No Soaking Required)

Cooking chickpeas in the instant pot is faster than stovetop and you don’t have to soak them overnight. Now you can enjoy chickpeas in your favorite Chickpea Salad or homemade Hummus without needing to plan a day ahead. I included instructions for cooking chickpeas to your desired doneness (i.e. slightly chewy for salads and very soft for hummus).

The Instant Pot has gained so much popularity in recent years because it shaves hours of cooking time from recipes that require slow cooking to tenderize like Instant Pot Beets (which is genius), Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, and of course instant Pot Chickpeas!

Tender chickpeas cooked in the instant pot

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Instant Pot Chickpeas Video Tutorial

Watch this quick video and learn how to cook chickpeas in the instant pot. This is such an easy method and the hardest part is peeling the skins – thankfully that’s optional!

Chickpeas in the Instant Pot is Genius!

Homecooked chickpeas are less expensive and taste so much better than canned. Making them in the instant pot is super fast and easy. You don’t even have to prep ahead since there is no soaking required and they come out tender, creamy, and buttery. A full batch is enough to make 2 batches of hummus so we use half and freeze the other half for another day (see make-ahead tips below).

Bowl of chickpeas cooked in the instant pot.

How to Cook Chickpeas in the Instant Pot

The ingredients and process are simple. All you need is dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans, water, and salt.

  1. Rinse the chickpeas and pick out any debris or shriveled/bad chickpeas then drain.
  2. Add beans to the 6-quart Instant pot, add enough to cover the chickpeas by 1-inch of water and add salt.
  3. For slightly lightly chewy chickpeas (used for salad): Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release. 
  4. For soft and tender chickpeas (used for hummus): Pressure cook on high pressure for 50 minutes followed by a 15 minute natural pressure release. 
step by step how to rinse and cook instant pot chickpeas

Pro Tip: If your chickpeas aren’t soft enough, you can cover and pressure cook another 5 minutes followed by a manual pressure release.

Cooked Instant pot chickpeas

Common Questions

Can I pre-soak chickpeas?

You can pre-soak the night before. If you pre-soak the beans, they will cook much faster. You can cook on high pressure for just 15 minutes for firm chickpeas or 18 minutes for very creamy and tender chickpeas, followed by a quick pressure release.

How to Sort Chickpeas?

Before cooking, discard any stones and discolored, shriveled, or grey chickpeas which indicates bad chickpeas. 

Can I keep the cooking liquid?

Keep some of the liquid for storing the beans. You can also use it in hummus or soups to add more flavor.

Do I need to peel the chickpeas?

Peeling is optional. For some recipes such as hummus, where a smoother texture is desirable, you can peel the chickpeas. Transfer drained chickpeas to a bowl of water and rub them between your hands then skim off the skins.

Are Chickpeas and Garbanzo beans the same?

Chickpeas are the same thing as garbanzo beans and the terms are used interchangeably. They are a type of bean in the legume family.

How to peel chickpeas

How to Serve Chickpeas

These are our favorite ways to serve chickpeas, but as they have gained popularity in recent years, people have gotten really creative. I’d love to hear how you use Chickpeas with your cooking in the comments below.

  • Chickpea Salad – topping your salads with cooked chickpeas adds great protein, wonderful nutty and buttery flavor, and a fun crunchy texture.
  • Soups – add them to soups as you would other beans.
  • Hummus – homemade hummus is so much better than store-bought and cooking the beans in the instant pot takes it to the next level.

Make-Ahead

Refrigerator Storage – Cool beans to room temperature then transfer to an airtight container with a little bit of cooking liquid and store for 3-5 days.

How to Freeze – Place cooled chickpeas along with some liquid in a freezer- safe zip bag, squeeze out all of the air and seal tightly. Freeze flat for quick thawing and store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Package in portions that you know you will use when thawed, for example, we freeze half of the batch for hummus.

Cooked chickpeas ready for refrigerating and freezer storage

More Instant Pot Recipes

Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner, or want to skip some cooking time like with Instant Pot Beets to add to your favorite Beet Salad, you will love these recipes:

  • Instant Pot Whole Chicken and Gravy
  • Mashed Potatoes in the Instant Pot
  • Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
  • Instant Pot Ribs
  • Chicken Chili in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Chickpeas (No Soaking Required)

4.99 from 51 votes Author: Natasha Kravchuk Instant Pot chickpeas Instant Pot Chickpeas are faster than stovetop cooking and you don’t have to pre-soak them overnight. Cook the chickpeas to your desired doneness depending on how you are using them (chewy and tender for salad, or soft and creamy for hummus). SaveSaved Pin Review Print Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Natural Pressure Release: 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Servings: 6 cups cooked chickpeas
  • 1 lb dried chickpeas, 2 cups
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt, optional

Instructions

  • Rinse and chickpeas and remove any debris then drain well.
  • Transfer chickpeas to a 6-quart instant pot and add 6 cups water or enough to cover the chickpeas by 1-inch of water. Add 1 tsp salt.
  • For slightly lightly chewy chickpeas (used for salad): Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural pressure release.
  • For Soft and Tender Chickpeas (used for hummus): Pressure cook on high pressure for 50 minutes followed by a 15 minute natural pressure release.*

Notes

*Tip: If your chickpeas aren’t soft enough, you can cover and pressure cook another 5 minutes followed by a manual pressure release.

Nutrition Per Serving

275kcal Calories46g Carbs15g Protein5g Fat1g Saturated Fat2g Polyunsaturated Fat1g Monounsaturated Fat418mg Sodium662mg Potassium13g Fiber8g Sugar51IU Vitamin A3mg Vitamin C87mg Calcium5mg Iron
  • Full Nutrition Label
  • Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition FactsInstant Pot Chickpeas (No Soaking Required)Amount per ServingCalories275% Daily Value*Fat 5g8%Saturated Fat 1g6%Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 1gSodium 418mg18%Potassium 662mg19%Carbohydrates 46g15%Fiber 13g54%Sugar 8g9%Protein 15g30%Vitamin A 51IU1%Vitamin C 3mg4%Calcium 87mg9%Iron 5mg28%* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanKeyword: instant pot chickpeas, instant pot garbanzo beansSkill Level: EasyCost to Make: $ Calories: 275

Filed Under

  • #Instant Pot
  • #How To Cook
  • #Sides
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