I love instant pot for uncountable reasons. I can go on and on about how Instant Pot has made my life easier.Even my friends got convinced to buy it as I couldn’t stop appreciating it! Out of all the convenient features of Instant Pot that I rave about, pressure cooking ranks very high on my list. And that makes cooking chickpeas super easy.
Why should I cook them at home?
The answer is simple:
- The process is super easy and convenient.
- They are healthier (than the canned ones!).
- It saves you money.
- You can cook as much or as little as you want at a time.
Why should I use Instant Pot for cooking chickpeas?
A lot of people prefer the traditional method of cooking them in a pressure cooker. The problem with that is you cannot be sure that the cooked chickpeas will remain intact. If cooked for a longer time they can break.
That is not seen as a problem if you are using the cooked chickpeas to make hummus, patties or curry but it can be an eye-sore when using in salads, soups, or making my favorite Chana Chaat (Indian chickpea salad)
In a nutshell, I prefer using Instant Pot because:
- It needs no babysitting, just dump, set it and go.
- The outcome is pretty much the same every time.
- You have the option to cook chickpeas without pre-soaking them.
- It is easier to clean the inner pot and the lid of Instant Pot (as compared to a pressure cooker.
- Noise-free cooking (almost!)
How should I cook them in Instant Pot?
Soaking the chickpeas
Soak 1 cup of chickpeas in 3 cups of water overnight (ideally 6-8 hours). Once you are ready to cook them, discard the water used for soaking and rinse the chickpeas.
Is it really required to soak them when I have the option to cook them directly?
Yes, I would recommend that. Soaking makes them soft and reduces the time you would need to cook. Another important reason is that soaking makes the chickpeas easier to digest.
Cooking the chickpeas
Add the soaked chickpeas to the inner pot of your Instant pot. Pour 3 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt.
Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas for 15 minutes. If they are not soaked, pressure cook for 45 minutes. Once the cook time is done, release the pressure after 10-15 mins or let the pressure release naturally. Either way, the outcome is the same.
They are now ready to use.
Some recipes to use to use these cooked chickpeas
- Chana Chaat (Indian chickpea salad)
- Instant Pot Chana Masala (Punjabi Chole Masala / Chickpea Curry)
- Instant Pot Chickpeas Potato Vegan Curry
- Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers
- Creamy Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus
Instant Pot Chickpeas
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup Chickpeas (dry)
- 6 cups Water
- 1 tsp. Salt
Instructions
- Soak 1 cup chickpeas in 3 cups of water overnight (ideally 6-8 hours).
- Drain the water before cooking the chickpeas and rinse well.
- Add soaked chickpeas along with 3 cups of water and 1 tsp. of salt in the inner pot of instant pot.
- Select Pressure cook mode (or manual mode) and adjust the time.Soaked chickpeas : 15 minsUnsoaked chickpeas: 45 mins
- Once done, release pressure after 10-15 mins or wait to release naturally.
- Strain the liquid and use it to make your dish.
Notes
- Soaking the chickpeas makes them easy to digest and fastens the cooking process.
- You can double the recipe without changing the cooking time.
- Cooked chickpeas stay good in the fridge for 2-3 days and freeze well.
