How to Cook Dried Chickpeas in an Instant Pot

I spent probably half of my life thinking I hated chickpeas! Why? Because I had only ever had canned chickpeas. I know, they probably need to err on the side of al dente over mushy, but dang! The texture is awful and the flavor is even worse.

The first time I had them freshly cooked, I couldn’t believe they were the same thing. So delicate. Buttery! Satisfying!!

If you are planning to make homemade hummus or chickpea “tuna” salad… do yourself a favor and cook them fresh. It doesn’t matter how you are planning to use them— cooking beans yourself will for sure bring out the best outcome.

For the sake of time, ease, being able to cook them in the morning before heading out for errands, I choose to cook them in the instant pot.

A Quick Note on Instant Pots:

I resisted buying one for so long, because when you consider how long it takes to come to pressure, the actual cook time, and then the natural pressure release time, it didn’t seem worth it. But when we moved across the world and our trusty crock pot was a (one and only!) casualty, in shopping for a new one, I landed on the instant pot. They have a crockpot function, and my favorite thing about it is the perfect yogurt that it makes! It has replaced our crockpot and rice cooker (hey! We lived in Japan!) and added the benefit of making yogurt and quicker beans. It’s been worth it, for us!

How To Cook Dried Chickpeas in an Instant Pot

• These are my favorite brand of chickpeas. Not all beans are equal, but these are always fresh and cook well!
• For best digestion, soak over night in a 1/3 chickpea : 2/3 water ratio. I make a big batch of 4 cups of dried beans at a time, and it fills the pot.
• To the chickpeas and cold water, add 1 TBS of apple cider vinegar to break down the phytic acid, which is a substance found in beans that impedes your body’s ability to absorb minerals.
• After an overnight soak, drain the soaking water and rinse well.
• The chickpeas will have absorbed a lot of water and doubled in size. Place the soaked beans in the instant pot and cover with a few extra inches of water or broth above the chickpea line.
• Add 1 TBS salt.
• Set instant pot to high pressure and cook for 25 minutes.
• Let the instant pot naturally release. I actually leave mine in there on “keep warm” until I’m ready to use them for lunch or dinner. Once I open that lid, I cannot keep myself from incessantly sneaking bites!!
• Be sure to save the cooking liquid for homemade, vegan mayonnaise!

Variations:

• You can use unsoaked chickpeas, but may find yourself gassy. (They will have more phyto toxins than they would if you soaked them with apple cider vinegar.) However, when I am in a pinch, I will cook them like this, and our family doesn’t have any issues! I add 4 cups of dried chickpeas to probably a gallon of water. I never measure the water, but I get close to the “max fill” line. Err on the side of too much water, rather than not enough.
• My favorite way to cook them is when I add the salt, I add 1/4 cup dried onions and a hefty shake of garlic powder. I do this with any and all beans that I cook! It gives them a delicious base flavor— and I prefer the dried vegetables over fresh!
• If you prefer firmer beans, cook them for 18 minutes and allow at least 10 minutes of a natural pressure release.

Print this recipe card, or save this to Pinterest to use the next time you need to make hummus, chickpea salad or egg-free mayonnaise!