How to cook dried chickpeas from scratch

Cooking beans from scratch can take so much time. Use your slow cooker to cook your chickpeas hands-free! It's so easy. Takes no time at all, will save you money AND avoid all extra chemicals found in canned beans.

This post was originally written in February 2012 (Yikes!!) and has been updated with new photos and more detailed instructions, including instructions for using an electric pressure cooker.

Jump to:

• 🌱 Easy, from scratch chickpeas
• Stove-top cooking method
• ⏰ How to use your slowcooker to cook dried beans
• Meal prep and planning
• Other cooking methods
• 📋 FAQs:
• 📖 Recipe
• 🍴Recipes to try with a chickpeas
• 💬 Comments

Have I ever shared this method with you before?  I hope that I have, but I think I may have neglected to do so.  I'm sorry.

Have you ever convinced yourself you did something because you really wanted to make sure you did it? But then didn’t actually do it? This is one of those times.

This is important, it will change your life. I promise.

Just a quick note --> chickpeas are also called garbanzo beans. They are the same thing! So yes, the below works for garbanzo beans too! They are also known by a few other names too! Ceci bean, and chana (hence Chana Masala is basically curried chickpeas). Who knew this one little pea could have so many names. Just goes to show you, chickpeas are basically everyone's favourite pea.

🌱 Easy, from scratch chickpeas

Cooking chickpeas is simple, it just takes time. So plan accordingly.

• Stove-top method, about 2 hours after soaking.
• Slow-cooker method, about 3 hours after soaking.
• Instant pot method, soaked, about 30 minutes after soaking
• Instant pot method, unsoaked, about an hour, no pre-soaking

Today I'm going to focus on cooking chickpeas in the crockpot (a.k.a. slow cooker) or the instant pot (a.k.a. the electric pressure cooker) .

⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎ PRINTABLE RECIPE card below ⬇︎⬇︎⬇︎

But in the meantime, let's start with the basics.

Stove-top cooking method

No special appliances or equipment is needed, but you do need to plan to soak the beans first. There is no shortcut here.

I find the long soak method is the easiest thing to do, it just takes a little pre-planning. Since I usually cook beans in big batches on the weekend, I'll throw them in a bowl at the end of the night with plans to cook the next day at some point.

Soaking dried beans before cooking

For soaking beans, rinse the dried peas in a fine-mesh sieve under cool running water to remove any dust. Place the washed peas in a large bowl, much larger than needed to hold the beans and cover with at least two inches of water. The water should measure several times the volume of beans.

The dried peas will expand and absorb water while they soak.

You can see that the soaked beans are almost as big and plump as the fully cooked beans! Soaking saves so much cooking time.

➡︎ Long soak method - at least 8 hours

Place rinsed and drained dried peas in a large bowl, large enough to allow the beans to swell 2 to 3 times their size. Cover with 4x their volume of cool water. Let sit at least eight hours, or overnight. Drain beans before cooking.

➡︎ Quick soak method - just over an hour

Place rinsed and dried peas in a stockpot, cover with 4x their volume in water and bring to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 1 hour. Drain beans before cooking.

Cooking the beans

Once chickpeas are soaked and drained of their soaking liquid. Place them in a large stockpot with enough fresh cool water to cover by several inches and bring them to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer.

Feel free to add aromatics - salt, bay leaf, onion, or garlic cloves to the cooking water.

Chickpeas will need 45 minutes to 1 hour, or even longer to fully cook using this method.

After 45 minutes, test a chickpea to see if it is done. It should be soft enough to easily be crushed with a spoon. They should not be cooked to the point where they have completely fallen apart.

How long the beans take to cook will depend on the age of the beans, so use the clock only as a guide and a rule.

⏰ How to use your slowcooker to cook dried beans

My favourite method for cooking dried beans is to use the slow cooker.

Benefits: works with soaked or unsoaked beans, is completely hands-off.

I like the slow cooker because it is convenient, but also because I find I get reliable and evenly cooked results each time.

I always make big batches so I can stash extra into the freezer for when I want to throw some into a soup or make a quick hummus.

All you need:

• 2 cups of dried chickpeas, rinsed under cold water and soaked overnight
• 6 cups water
• ½ – 1 teaspoon of salt or Herbamare seasoning salt*

I like to soak the beans first. I find even and dependable results when I soak the chickpeas overnight first.

After soaking, drain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the slow cooker along with fresh water and salt, if using. Set to High setting and cook for 3 hours.

Water requirements:

• You need about 3 cups of water for each cup of dried, unsoaked chickpeas. This is true whether you soak the chickpeas first or not.
• If you soaked the chickpeas, measure the water, using the 3 cups to 1 cup ratio based on the original, unsoaked measure of chickpeas.

If this is the first time you have used your slow-cooker for this, you may want to test your chickpeas after 2 and half hours for the right texture, I find some crock pots run hotter than others.  However, I’ve found 3 hours is perfect.  

The above makes about 5 cups of cooked chickpeas.  

Meal prep and planning

I will make a batch of beans or chickpeas on the weekend, separate the chickpeas into 1-½ cup or 2 cup bags and stash them in the freezer.

Most recipes will call for a can of beans. Memorize this! A standard 15 oz can of beans holds about 1-½cups.

Now you have chickpeas in the freezer in little bundles. Just the perfect amount to toss on a few salads for the workweek, or measured and ready to go when you need a few cups for a recipe.

Other cooking methods

You also also use the instant pot to cook dried chickpeas

Cooking chickpeas in an instant pot:

For soaked beans: for every cup of beans add 1 cup of water. Cook on HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. Natural pressure release for 15 minutes.

For unsoaked beans: for every cup of beans add 2 cups of water. Cook on HIGH pressure for 50 minutes. Natural pressure release for 15 minutes.

📋 FAQs:

📖 Recipe

🍴Recipes to try with a chickpeas

What to do with all these chickpeas now that you have them!? There are so many options.

Add them to salads! I take a fresh salad for lunch almost every day. Chickpeas are a great source of vegetarian protein.

Mash some up and make a sandwich

Roast some for a yummy snack...

Some of my favourite chickpea recipes:

• Easy Chickpea & Olive Pasta {Vegan}
• Roasted Chickpeas Potato bowls {Vegan}
• Chickpea Cacciatore {Vegan}
• Chickpea and Sun-dried Tomato Soup {Vegan}