A side-effect of doing this cooking thing for 10+ years is that people seem to imagine I’m so sort of domestic diva, eating only homemade bread and milling my own grains and not just someone with an obsessive streak when it comes to making things exactly the way she wants them. Even though I’d love to live in some alternate universe where I’d always have time and energy to make my own, I’m unbothered by frozen breaded chicken things (erm, occasionally), tortellini, boxed stocks, and canned beans; the freezer almost always contains the first two (lunchbox heroes!) and the cabinets, the latter, which is why when friend told me a couple weeks ago kind of sotto voce, almost like a confession, the other day that she’d never cooked her own dried beans, I couldn’t even rouse myself to gasp in faux horreur.
But, I’ve been thinking since about when I bother cooking dried beans and when I absolutely do not and for me, when the beans are one ingredient among many or even with hummus, canned beans suit my needs perfectly. At times when you really want beans to be the star, and I’m going to make the argument that these could and should be, if you can find the time, it’s usually not as much as you think. I was shocked to find my (purchased 15 months ago) dried chickpeas that I’d soaked a little over 24 hours, totally softened after 20 minutes of simmering time, although I’d consider closer to 1 hour the norm. The benefit to cooking beans from scratch is not just deeper flavor but that you get to cook other flavors all the way into the beans, not just add them at the end as an afterthought.
And also: the broth. Bean cooking liquid is some of the most delicious brodo there is, especially enhanced with herbs, garlic, and more — promise you won’t dare dare drain it off. It alone could be the base of a soup, or my favorite way to eat chickpeas like this, with a splash of the liquid so it’s not quite soup or salad. But don’t stop there. Once you make a pot of really great chickpeas — here, we’re taking inspiration from Tuscan-style white beans but applying it to this meatier bean — I can think of at least eight ways to turn it into a meal, and if you combine multiple ideas (salsa verde and burrata, shown above; we added wilted spinach once, ahem, my tireless husband picked it up from the store on his way home), you have almost endless possibilities.
8 Things To Do With A Really Great Pot Of Chickpeas
• rewarm in in a little olive oil with some of the bean broth; wilt in a handful or two of greens
• stir in a spoonful or two of a tomato sauce
• finish it with a drizzle of olive oil and grated parmesan or pecorino
• finish it with salsa verde
• blend some to a smoother texture, add ditalini and a splash of cooking broth for a take on pasta e ceci
• put an egg on it
• put a burrata on it (can this be the new #putaneggonit?)
• grill some olive oil-brushed bread, rub it with a raw garlic clove, ladle beans over
Does it go without saying that you can also use the above as a way to doctor up a can of chickpeas? Just in case it does not, you absolutely can. If you’ve got time, take a couple cups of vegetable broth and simmer it with portion of the extras below (garlic, sage, peppercorns) until well-infused, about 15 to 20 minutes, then add canned, drained, and rinsed chickpeas and let them gently, barely simmer in the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.
Previously
One year ago: Shaved Asparagus Frittata and Palm Springs Date Shake + Monkey Flip
Two years ago: Potato Scallion and Kale Cakes, Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Crispy Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic
Three years ago: Lamb Meatballs with Feta and Lemon
Four years ago: Yogurt Panna Cotta with Walnuts and Honey and Spring Vegetable Potstickers
Five years ago: Classic Ice Cream Sandwiches and Cinnamon Toast French Toast
Six years ago: Crispy Potato Roast and Sour Cream Cornbread with Aleppo
Seven years ago: Classic Cobb Salad, Lime Yogurt Cake with Blackberry Sauce and Blue Cheese Scallion Drop Biscuits
Eight years ago: Buttermilk Ice Cream and Black Bread
Nine years ago: Carameilzed Shallots
Ten years ago: Margarita Cookies and Tequila Lime Chicken
And for the other side of the world:
Six Months Ago: Broken Pasta with Pork Ragu and Roasted Cauliflower with Pumpkin Seeds, Lime and Brown Butter
1.5 Years Ago: Baked Potatoes with Wild Mushroom Ragu, Twinkie Bundt and Oven Fries
2.5 Years Ago: Homemade Harissa and Cauliflower Cheese
3.5 Years Ago: Apple Slab Pie and Potato and Broccolini Frittata
4.5 Years Ago: Apple Mosaic Tart with Salted Caramel and Butternut Squash Salad with Farro and Pepitas
A Really Great Pot of Chickpeas
I didn’t get to test this recipe in a slow-cooker, pressure-cooker, and/or InstaPot because I am just one human, heh, but you can absolutely make beans in all of the above. I’ll fill in specific cooking times as I try it out each way, or point to them if commenters are kind enough to let us know how long this takes in any of the above.
- 1 pound dried chickpeas
- Water
- 2 tablespoons coarse or kosher salt, divided
- 2 fresh sage sprigs or 1 sage and 1 rosemary sprig
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, unpeeled but crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- A parmesan rind (optional)
To cook: Drain chickpeas and add them to a large (ideally 5 quart) heavy pot with 12 fresh cups of water. Add another tablespoon (or more, you can taste the liquid to get it right) of kosher salt, sage, garlic, and peppercorns and bring mixture to a full boil over high heat. Skim any foam on top; with chickpeas, it’s significant and dramatic. Boil for 2 minutes then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover partially, and cook until chickpeas are firm-tender, as little as 25 to 30 minutes (what mine took after almost 30 hours of soaking, although I found this unusual) and up to 1 1/2 hours. Let cool in their broth. I usually fish out the garlic, sage, and peppercorns so they don’t get in the way but you can leave them in for extra-infusion.
To use: See any of the ideas above, and use as many as you’d like in combination. A little tomato sauce and greens over grilled bread, perhaps? A little brothy with pasta, a swirl of olive oil and parmesan? Salsa verde and burrata? You have so much deliciousness ahead.
To store: Store chickpeas in their cooking liquid in the fridge for up to one week.
This is so timely – I’m a little obsessed with this pasta recipe, and would love to make it with dried chickpeas. If anyone has advice for the slow cooker method, I’d love to hear it. Also, any particularly good sources for the chickpeas?
Thanks!
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018591-lemony-pasta-with-chickpeas-and-parsley
Sally, Rancho Gordo has a great selection of dried beans (and other things), including chickpeas.
I made a pot full of Rancho Gordo chickpeas last night – their beans have changed my cooking game and diet for the better! Can’t recommend them enough.
You can’t go wrong with Palouse brand chickpeas…a little spendier than others, but I think so so worth it.
Thanks for the tip, i just ordered 5 lbs !
Sally, I cook all sorts of dried beans, including chickpeas, in a slow cooker all the time. In fact, it’s the only method I’ve used for years. I skip the soaking, just pick through and rinse the beans, then add to the pot with desired seasonings. Cover with water to about 1″ above the beans, and cook on high for 4-6 hours. Perfectly cooked beans every time!
Exactly my method. I have a tiny 2-qt crockpot and throw beans, water and seasonings (including salt!) and turn to high for about 4 hours. Perfect every time, indeed.
One caveat, though. Kidney and cannellini beans have a toxin that probably won’t kill you, but will certainly give you a really bad night. It’s deactivated by boiling for about 10 minutes, but actually made worse at lower temperatures. So those are the only canned beans I buy, and, if I were to cook them from dry, I’d do it on the stove.
The slow cooker has been my go-to for a while now, too. For whatever reason, I always forget to get them soaking and want hummus sooner than 24 hours. I add a teaspoon of baking soda (to soften the husks, theoretically) to 7 cups water with one pound beans and cook on high for 5 hours, low for 8 hours. Following Deb’s ethereally smooth advice to remove the husks, sometimes I’ll err closer to 6 hours on high and stir aggressively until most of the husks come off, then skim the husks off the surface of the water and drain the beans.
I can’t wait to try this version!
I like to cook beans in the slow cooker too. Use 2 cups dried beans and 6 cups of boiling water. When you heat the water to boiling before pouring it into the slow cooker, I find that most kinds of beans will cook in about two hours (check them at that point to avoid overcooked beans but know that it could take up to a half an hour more). Be sure to leave the salt out until after they’re cooked because salt slows down the cooking process. Just stir in the desired amount of salt when you turn off the heat and allow the cooked beans to sit for a few minutes.
I do exactly the same thing except I add salt at about the halfway point. However, I’ve found that adding tomatoes really slows down the cooking process.
Try Palouse (WA state) brand organic chick peas and other items. Fresh (time stamped date of harvest!), delicious and healthy.
THANK YOU everyone for all the awesome suggestions! And make that pasta with chickpeas and parsley recipe that I linked to – SO SO GOOD
I don’t see the link. Anyone?
I routinely cook my chickpeas in the crockpot!
1. The evening before, throw chickpeas into crockpot. Fill to the brim with water and plop on the lid to soak overnight.
2. Rinse chickpeas well at breakfast time and fill the crock to the top with hot water.
3. Cook until done. Mine usually need around 6 hours-ish so they’re ready sometime after lunch. Make sure you stir and taste from different parts of the pot- sometimes certain areas cook faster than others!
All slow cookers are a bit different.. Mine must be a lot more got than most because chickpeas on high will cook from dry in just under 2 hours. So the first time you try it I woukd check everybody often to see how they are doing.
Several years ago I read on some website (long forgotten which one) that you could cook dried beans without being presoaked in a crock pot and have them done in three hours. I was skeptical but tried it and it works, just three hours on high. So many times I wanted beans but forgot to soak them before going to bed so I would change what I was going to fix as I rarely use canned beans. No longer, think of a bean dish and have the cooked beans in three hours.
Not to be all me-me-me, but it might have been here? I made my beans this way for eons, I just found that it was inconsistent in other people’s crockpots, that many were saying it took longer and then I gave up. I do this all of the time, though. But these days for writing recipes, I’m suggesting a presoak because it makes it take less time (of course) and also seems to make the cooking times more consistent across the board.
It may have been here as my daughter is the one who told me about your website years ago. Anyway, thank you for posting that idea, sorry it doesn’t work for everyone but I am glad it works in my crock pot as I am the person who falls asleep too early while thinking of all the things I have to do to get ready for the next day…
I am not a chickpea snob – I will eat them all. We sure love chickpeas that did not come from a can. I soak mine overnight and cook them in a pressure cooker to cut the cook time. I love the idea of adding fresh herbs and garlic. Why didn’t I think of that? Another great idea. Thanks!
aaaand work lunch for all of next week is officially sorted! thank you!!
Was just sent an aquafaba cookbook so this post seems perfectly timed, although sage and garlic tasting water would probably eliminate most recipes, except the super savory ones.
Last night I was sent to the grocery store specifically for frozen fish sticks. I have made them from scratch and they were simple and quite delicious. But nope, has to be the frozen kind. Sometimes I wonder if there is a camera following me around as I try to feed my girls and someone is going to pop out and tell me it was a big ruse.
Great post! I would never turn down a pot of chick peas <3 I usually add a spoonful of ground cumin, olive oil and a little salt to make the perfect dinner bowl.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. My favorite way to cook dry chickpeas is to simmer them with old bay seasoning. They’re delicious plain-and even more so when turned into hummus or veggie burgers. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum! Deb, you mention pasta con ceci. About once a week we make this recipe for it that is beyond delicious: https://food52.com/recipes/66790-victoria-granof-s-pasta-con-ceci. We love it so much as is (doubled, with half the olive oil), but it’s just begging for the Deb treatment to take it to the next level.
I usually make it with canned chickpeas (half the point is that it’s the best-tasting 20 minute meal in my arsenal), but these would take it over the top.
Another vote for that recipe. We use it and love it!
We love this recipe too! So much more flavor than you’d expect from the ingredients.
On the menu for tomorrow night! Thanks for the tip. Will report back if I have notes.
Made it this evening, as promised! I doubled it. I used the chickpea broth as the water and the whole thing was a huge hit. Even the baby — well, I don’t know if she’s aware that she only got a few bites in her mouth and most ended up in her bib pouch — was really excited about it. We finished it with parmesan.
A couple things: I know there’s this whole bit about how it’s okay to get a little color/light browning on the garlic but if you find the flavor of well-toasted garlic abhorrent, be very cautious. It’s going to perfume the whole dish.
Here’s the funny part; swore I had ditalini around, couldn’t find it, used anneli pasta which is basically the pasta shape in SpaghettiOs. What I hadn’t expected is that this sauce/broth was going to be an exact match in texture and appearance (okay, I had it last when I was 10, but from what I remember) for it, even if you’re not using anelli pasta. Like, if I were going to make SpaghettiOs from scratch, which I think was my harebrained idea when I bought the pasta, this is exactly the way I’d approach it, except I’d never planned to match the texture. Maybe that’s why this is such great kid-bait.
Regardless, like Martha’s (ahem, Nora Singley’s, since I now know the food stylist who developed the recipe) one-pot spaghetti, it’s one of those things you’d be crazy not to make at least once in a dinner pinch.
Thanks for the suggestion!
So glad you finally made a post about this recipe. :)
I am obsessed with your pasta com ceci recipe. It’s the best easy meal. I decided to soak my Rancho Gordo chickpeas and use this recipe to see how the best beans and bean broth improve the pasta con ceci.
I learned this from Steve Sando (Mr. Rancho Gordo) and Samin Nosrat. You do not need to toss the soaking water–it adds more flavor.
Ohhhh
Thankyou!!! Delicious recipe.
Going into my weekly/monthly rotation. Cheap, healthy and delicious.
Thank you for this! I conquered, and regularly make pots of black beans (seriously, you have to try this: https://www.thepauperedchef.com/article/90-minute-no-soak-beans, it was life changing). But I can’t seem to get chickpeas right. I am excited to give this a try, and have a bag of chickpeas in my pantry waiting for this treatment. Your recipes have never steered me wrong before!
Also, I am not above the frozen breaded chicken thingys for my kids now and then. But if I am going to eat them too, I do this (with boneless skinless breasts, because my kids are iffy on thighs, and how could you possibly make kid food that your kids might reject!) and highly recommend it: http://www.alexandracooks.com/2016/11/16/merrills-chicken-fingers/
I make chickpeas in my pressure cooker all the time and am always amazed at the depth of flavor–I have to make extra because I know I’ll eat so many before they make it into a recipe. I don’t presoak them, and it takes about 35 minutes on high pressure. If they’re not quite done I just simmer them unpressurized until they are. I usually add salt, several cloves of garlic (no need to smash it if you’re pressure cooking it), and half an onion. I’m excited to try it with the herbs, peppercorns, and parmesan rind.
This exactly. I just throw them in the pressure cooker (unsoaked) for 30ish minutes and they are fabulous. It’s hard to go back to canned after making them from scratch.
Cooking beans from scratch is totally worth the time/effort – I agree!! I usually make a GIANT batch of them and then freeze what I don’t need immediately so that I can have flavorful, home-cooked beans at a later date without needing to start from scratch again!! Long term time saver and waaaaay better flavor than canned beans!
I read in a bean cookbook (yup) that the soaking water removes some of the particular components (the book said they’re oligosaccharides) that make beans “musical,” so I definitely follow your method of using fresh water for cooking.
Another thing to do when they’re done: stir in thinly sliced raw onion, canned Italian tuna (the kind that comes in oil), and chopped parsley. Fantastic salad.
Funny, about the tuna. My sister and husband live in Italy, and she says the water -packed tuna is more expensive (because it’s American-style?).
I always thought it as being more perishable! Oil preserves the tuna better. (And if it’s really cold, probably lasts longer because the freezing point of oil is lower.)
I would never be without cans of beans (of all varieties) in the cupboard, but I’m with you re cooking your own. Haven’t done it with chickpeas, but now you made me hungry for them, so will do.
I first ate chickpeas years ago at a restaurant back home, in a salad with tomatoes and artichoke hearts. Yum.
I exactly share your thoughts about dried and canned beans. One issue I have, however, is that I live at 6300 ft, so I need a pressure cooker to cook almost all dried beans. It’s difficult to figure out how long to pressure cook them so that I can then add them to the recipe. It’s trial and error every time, and I write down how I did it on recipes, but it’s not very reliable. Has anyone else figured this out? I also realized that if you’re making something like soup, you need to decrease the liquids if you’ve already partially cooked the beans. Any suggestions appreciated!
I am another Rancho Gordo fan and I live at 3300 feet which normally does not require much in adjustment, but I do find that I need to cook both beans and rice a bit longer. I use an Instant-Pot electric pressure cooker. I mention the RG source because I do find that I get consistent results, but each bean is different so I made notes for each type of bean and that is working for me. With a new variety, I error on the underdone side time-wise. If they are not done, I put the lid back on and try another 3-5 minutes. Pressure comes back up quickly with everything still hot.
The thing with Rancho Gordo is that you are assured of freshness and so a more consistent cooking time.
I love doing these when I have a special recipe, There is one from Ottolenghi which was in the Guardian and in one of the cookbooks, maybe Jerusalem.
You dry roast the cooked beans til sort of crispy in a pan with some spices, and put them in the center of a platter surrounded by summer vegetables with a delicious dressing, and it is a dynamite starter. Sorry I can’t be more specific, everything I own is still in packing boxes.
Found it! Thanks for the suggestion! https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/12/spiced-chickpea-salad-vegetarian-recipe
That looks delicious, thanks!
That recipe is in Jerusalem, where you will also find their basic instructions for cooking chickpeas. Like Deb, Yotam and Sami call for a good soak before cooking. For recipes like hummus that benefit from removing the bean skins, they add a simple step: After the soak, dry saute the beans with a little baking soda to kickstart the process.
Thanks for all the great ideas, Deb and commenters!
I love the ideas you have for these chickpeas! I think I need to start keeping burrata on hand.
I use chickpeas more often than any other dry bean and yes, I cook all my own in the slow cooker because it’s so easy and forgiving. Just cover with water and cook on low or high and check in 2 or a few hours (I eat a bean to check) – how long it takes depends on the age of the bean which is unknowable, but the slow cooker is very forgiving if you let them go longer. I usually even let the beans sit for hours or a day until I have time to jar them up to freeze.
I love the pasta and ceci recipe from Rachel Eats, but also a chickpea/pesto stew from Martha (http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2014/04/a-new-way-with-pesto.html). Also, if you buy dry chickpeas and soak them for 24 hours, you can make the most delicious falafel (http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2016/12/in-love-with-falafel.html)
Do you have an idea of many cups (approximately) is one pound of dried chickpeas?
Typically about 2 cups.
A pound of dry is probably about eight cups of cooked. Just made some the other night and they filled two quart sized yogurt containers.
Just seconding the 2 cups; it’s what I usually get.
Seriously? From a pound of dried chickpeas? The chickpeas when dried are more than two cups, let alone when rehydrated. Am I missing something?
Oh, maybe the 2 cups was still for dried uncooked chickpeas. My bad.
1 pound dried beans=2 cups dried beans=6 cups cooked beans
The chickpea (dried or canned) is such a hero in the pantry that gets me out of a bind on many an occasion, not just barely, but with flying colours. I am so glad to see you celebrate him so beautifully and simply Deb.
In the directions, for “Boil for 2 minutes then reduce heat to a low simmer, partially, and cook…,” did you maybe mean “cover partially”?
Yes, thanks, now fixed.
Deb,
I cooked up a pot of chickpeas a couple days ago for the first time in as long as I can remember (I used canned), planning to make homemade falafel, but then I took a nap instead, so now I have a pot of chickpeas sitting all lonely in my fridge. Thank you for that list of serving suggestions at the end of your post!
Best dried bean tip I’ve found: you can do a speed soak if you put them in a pot, cover with water plus about an inch, heat just to a boil, then cover and soak for an hour!
Thank you for this! I have been making them in my slow cooker, and find it very forgiving – I put them on low overnight and have delicious chickpea options for breakfast and desk lunch. Thank you also for your wonderful spinach and chickpea recipe – so easy and delicious. The chickpea consumption index in our house has skyrocketed since I started making it.
I love it with kale in place of the spinach!
I think I’ve only done black beans from scratch, as a base for soup (with ham, yum!) CI said it’s good to soak beans with kombu — I think to help with digestion. I picked some up. Haven’t tried it yet but thought others might be interested.
A secret tip: insert a chai tea bag into the pot when soaking the chickpeas. It adds delicious spicy flavor and helps the stomach digest the beans.
when does the rind come into play?
Dump it in with the rest of the ingredients. It’ll flavor the beans and the broth in the loveliest way.
Thanks for these great ideas! I usually cook mine in a pressure cooker and I love how soft I can get them – almost creamy on the inside. Then I add some olive oil, cut up preserved lemon (which I keep on hand for this exact reason), and pepper. Best snack ever. I’m excited to try some of these variations!
Nobody has mentioned those plastic-y little transparent jacket casings on the chickpeas!
When I rolled my own (made a pot of chickpeas from dried), many moons ago, I used my kids to help detach and remove these pesky plastic-y thinges after I soaked the ceci overnight.
It took FOREVER – a TON of work.
In other words, I’ve been opening cans of Goya ever since.
I guess you guys aren’t as persnickety about the casings as I am.
But I really don’t like them.
Deb? I know you mused on this philosophical point when you made Ottolenghi’s hummus.
For a whole 1 lb. bag of dried chickpeas, removal took a LOT longer than 9 minutes.
What about the Sharpei skins here?
I have found the same — both that the skins take forever to remove, and that the skins on canned chickpeas are sufficiently unobtrusive that I do no feel the need to remove them.
Is there a trick to cooking chickpeas from dried that makes the skins less chewy?
This is a guess, but try not salting the water? Apparently cooking most kinds of beans in salted water toughens the skins, whereas adding it at the end of cooking doesn’t do so. Obviously you miss out on the brining effect so the beans themselves won’t be salty on the interior, but that may well be worth it for the sake of avoiding the tough skins.
I always leave the salt out when cooking dried beans, but still get thick skins sometimes. I’ve found that different brands and batches of chickpeas can have different thicknesses of skins, but don’t always end up with the ones with thinner skins. I can’t tell in advance by looking at the dried beans.
Use a little baking soda in the cooking water to help soften and break down the skins. Or dry saute the soaked beans with baking soda (see Jerusalem cookbook). Takes about 5 minutes but the benefit is obvious immediately.
No skins makes smooooth hummus. Some of my vegan/vegetarian friends scoff because you are losing nutritional element. Sometimes you deserve the indulgence.
1 teaspoon baking soda for a pound of chickpeas.
Occasional reader (dairy – avoidant, so a lot of recipes are tempting), first-time commenter.
My trick for avoiding the hulls is to use channa dal for anything that does not need whole chickpeas. Spectacular flavor, and no hulls–so hummus is perfectly creamy, pureed soups can be chunky without any odd bits of wcratchy/slippery stuff.
OMG. That’s genius. Now I just need to find channa dal. Thank you so much. Those little hulls are so annoying.
Excellent timing! I just bought an 8-pack of canned chickpeas at Costco. My family would eat them every day! We’ve never had any luck with dried beans, so I’ll just take your word for it.
#9
Smash them with some tahini and a few other things and make a veggie naan’wich like Sarah does.
http://www.sproutedkitchen.com/home/2013/6/19/veggie-naanwich-with-feta-chickpea-mash.html
Yess! And I’d forgotten I’d done a smashed chickpea sandwich years ago, terrible photos (sorry) but it was a riff on something from Wichcraft.
Hi Deb,
Will definitely try your suggestions! I make this dish w/ spinach! Sooo delish. Just chickpeas, cumin, salt, pepper, spinach and a squeeze of lemon juice. Gah I love your take on recipes :-)
One more broth use: Cook a pot of grains in it and eat the fluffiest, best seasoned rice/barley/bulgur/farro/quinoa you’ve ever had :)
Chickpeas are so versatile! And many dishes can be served hot, room temperature, or cold, which is very handy for serving a crowd. My mom has always cooked hers in the crockpot with just a couple bay leaves, and they are delicious even plain. A bowl of Lebanese balilah requires no more than the beans, cumin, a drizzle of good olive oil, salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Supposedly the cumin helps with digestion of the beans too!
I couldn’t agree more, Deb. A pot of beans, yum yum. I now always do mine in the slow cooker, and don’t bother soaking. They take usually 5 hours in my slow cooker from dry, but it does depend on the bean and its age.
One of my favourite chickpea memes is to mix them with garlic, ginger, minced onion and some oil/vinegar (whatever takes your fancy) and then to leave them for at least 24 hours, turning occasionally. You can add herbs before eating if you want. It’s amazing (from the Enchanted Broccoli Forest).
I cook chickpeas in my slow cooker often, based on your instructions, Deb, toward the bottom of the recipe for Ethereally Smooth Hummus. I have a large Crockpot brand cooker and it takes more like 3-1/2 hours on high in mine. (You said 3 hours works for you.) If I know I won’t be home to turn it off when it’s done, I set it for just 3 hours because it has a keep warm function and the chickpeas will continue to soften a bit more. I don’t measure the water anymore, just cover the chickpeas with water a couple inches deep.
Being able to cook dried chickpeas like this has made a huge increase in the amount of chickpeas my family eats. I make a big batch and freeze some of it in 1-1/2 cup portions, ready to thaw and use. Thanks!
I agree with the folks who mentioned Rancho Gordo. Fabulous beans and their bean club is one of my favoriate things. Not only do you have an opportunity to try beans you’ve never heard of..but they always throw in a lovely surprise in each quarterly shipment!!! Many, many recipes too!!
I have been using the Zahav recipe to make chickpeas and it says to soak and cook chickpeas with baking soda. Thankfully this works, as I never had luck getting dried chickpeas to ever soften. I will try it with salt instead of baking soda now. Have you done both and it works either way?
Thanks.
I don’t use salt for softening but for seasoning; no reason you cannot use both. I haven’t tried baking soda but many chefs who make a lot more chickpeas than I do suggest it so it cannot be a bad idea.
Orangette has a totally fabulous chickpea salad:
http://orangette.net/2007/01/brown-bag-it/
It’s one of my go to recipes when I haven’t been to the grocery store in ages and yet still must eat dinner.
I love cooking dried beans but a few days ago came across THIS from one of the America’s Test Kitchen folks’ new book. It’s the strangest egg replacement ever.
From Wikipedia:
Aquafaba (/ˌɑːkwəfɑːbə/) is the name for the viscous water in which legume seeds such as chickpeas have been cooked.
Due to its ability to mimic functional properties of egg whites in cooking, aquafaba can be used as a direct replacement for them in some cases, including meringues and marshmallows. Its composition makes it especially suitable for use by people with dietary, ethical, or religious reasons to avoid eggs.
There’s even a cookbook. :)
Here’s my favourite way to make chickpeas: in a pressure cooker, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil, season with a two inch stick of cinammon, three cloves and a bayleaf. Saute half a sliced onion, add a teaspoon each of ginger paste and garlic paste. Once cooked, add a chunky puree of one and a half onions and four or five tomatoes. As it cooks down, add roasted ground spices: red chilli, turmeric, coriander seeds, and salt. When the oil starts separating from the tomato curry, add a cup of soaked chckpeas with water and pressure for ten to fifteen minutes. Open, mix in a pinch of garam masala, garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro leaves) and serve with rice or flatbreads. The chickpeas will absorb the flavours of the curry and taste absolutely divine.
OMG this recipe! Thank you, Priscilla!
If there is one and only one reason to own an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker, it is to cook beans. You do not have to soak them and can have perfectly textured, luxurious beans in under an hour (25-35 min cooking time, the rest to pressure up and naturally release the pressure). The results from the pressure cooker so vastly surpass cooking out of a pot…I’ll never go back.
I was fine with canned chickpeas until the day I cooked them from dry. There was no going back then. I rarely even keep canned on hand now.
Rachel Roddy’s chard with chickpeas, lemon and tomatoes and pasta e ceci. I also like to toss them on a green salad or use them in a Greek village salad (tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, lemon juice, olive oil and maybe some oregano). That’s a favorite summer lunch.
I love cooking beans but can’t get past organic beans never cooking down enough to get a great texture. What am I doing wrong? I get the texture I’m looking for with non-organics but would really like to get the organic bean thing right…
I can’t think of any reason that organic would be different than non-organic, other than that perhaps the organic beans are older. Older beans take longer to cook down, and if they’re old enough, they’ll always be a little crunchy.
You really have to watch out for the BPA levels in cans (especially tomatoes, thanks to the acidity). Whole Foods now sells tetrapaks of cooked beans, but I’ve found the chickpeas to be too firm for my liking. I always have to cook them longer.
I’m a big fan of just soaking and then using a pressure cooker to finish them.
Thank you, Deb
I’m trying to do it for the first time! Anyway, all my family is your crazy-fan :P
Jack Rabbit brands dried beans out of Denver CO are my favorite. Thanks for another great recipe post :)
We (well, 4/5 of us) love chickpeas. We started eating them a lot after making (Molly Weizneberg’s?) chickpea salad with a fair quantity of olive oil, lemon juice, parmesan, and arugula. I usually don’t have arugula and the kids don’t love it, so I generally sub in herbs, parsley most often, but whatever is around. Its a great salad that keeps for days and we eat it as is or toss it with lettuce or grilled veggies. Also, this: https://smittenkitchen.com/2009/01/smashed-chickpea-salad/ My husband was suspicious, but we all loved it. You know, except for the 1/5 who can’t look at a bean unless it’s green, black or pinto, because there are rules in life.
Cooking beans (and many other things) in a pressure cooker is a life changer. For cooks that don’t have unlimited kitchen time it’s well worth the time and effort to get one IMO.
Love your site Deb. Makes me laugh often and always solid recipes.
Anna is so beautiful. 💗
Wether I cook them or open a can, I store them in their liquid in a glass jar in fridge, and get out what I am eating with whatever I am eating….just give them a rinse and they are delicious with almost anything you want to eat…..excellent on salads and great in soups…..especially home made veg. soup…..also in chili….or just get out a few and eat by themselves…..they are delicious…..
I was thinking about making chickpeas, and here was this post- it was meant to be! I made this in the pressure cooker (took about 35 min at pressure with my beans) and oh my goodness they are amazing. I’m having to restrain myself from eating all the broth RIGHT NOW. Do not skip the parmesan rind, it adds so much flavor.
Can’t wait to try this. When I cook black beans I “google” roasted black beans and follow the instructions using a Dutch oven in my oven. They are glorious (along with the most delicious broth)!
According to Alice Waters the “rule of thumb” for dried beans is:
1lb. dried beans =
2 cups dried beans =
6 cups cooked beans
So it seems like beans generally triple in volume.
Ok, just finished making this with all the intentions of going on to Pasta con Ceci, but my family gobbled it up after a taste test and now I will have to start all over. This is amazing! Thanks Deb, another wonderful recipe!
PS Next time I will double it.
“even with hummus, canned beans suit my needs perfectly”
It’s funny you should say that because hummus is what started me boiling chickpeas to begin with.
When I first started making hummus, I had a crappy food processor and try as I might I could never get the hummus smooth.. until I made the beans from scratch. The canned beans + my food processor = lumpy hummus. Also, like you, I boil the beans with added ingredients and I think those impart a flavor to the hummus as well. (Or at least that’s what I tell myself. )
If you ever try it this way, I’d be interested to know if you think it makes a difference.
I have! I used to swear by it too. My “secret” to really perfect hummus to remove those slippery skins; it’s crazy but doesn’t take that long and the results, I find, are completely worth it. I find Goya beans to be very reliable — always intact, never mushy, well-seasoned and usually use them for hummus. When I’m cooking beans from dried, I prefer them a little more al dente, just slightly, and those never blend as well. I do agree that you miss out on flavor infusion, however.
I make a pot of chickpeas from dried with some frequency since i use them in so many dishes!
The recipe notes storing in the fridge but i wanted to add they freeze really well too! I freeze the chickpeas in their cooking liquid in smaller portions and then i’m halfway to dinner anytime
Does the salt need to be kosher? Can I just use iodized salt?
You can, just use half. (Or to taste, which is always safest.)
I made these with a bag of Rancho Gordo beans I’d had sitting around for *cough, cough* a year or so. After soaking 27 hours, they took an hour to cook. I used lemon thyme and a little oregano, instead of sage; and I forgot to use the Parmesan rind. I’ve been eating them warmed with a little of the cooking liquid, drizzled with olive oil and parm. Delicious! Tonight the rest are going into (my less beanier version of) this soup: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013535-chickpea-vegetable-soup-with-parmesan-rosemary-and-lemon
Resolution: this year cook more dried beans!
I love incorporating chickpeas into my meals whether that be a tagine, soup or salad. Definitely giving these ideas a try. Thanks
We call the liquid/broth that the beans are cooked in “pot liquor” in Texas….
First time I made it I didn’t have parmesan rind, but now I do. But can’t find it in the cooking directions…what do you do with it?
I think I forgot! Add it right to the cooking liquid.
Thanks!
Ok!
This is the recipe that made me finally go and buy a pressure cooker! Thank you Julia for your post and cooking times. Of course when I finally had my new pot out of the box and my husband had read the instructions, I realized I only had 1/4 cup of chickpeas, forgetting about that time I made falafels . (good recipe from Mark Bittman BTW). So instead I used Cannellini beans. The cannellini’s took a little longer but I did not do a quick presoak.They were soooooooo good! I added pesto and burrata cheese! Delicious last night, and even better for lunch today. Thank you! Keep those bean recipes coming. My kids might not eat them, but that doesn’t stop me from making them.
What is the white foamy stuff and is it important to get all of it out?
It’s not going to harm you in any way. It’s more just not needed, can muddy the flavors. But slightly. I get most of it off; it’s enough.
Thanks!
One more question…where do you use the parmesan rind in the recipe?
Thank you for speaking up for chickpeas. In France where I live they have v. good bottled chickpeas, but I resist constantly throwing out the glass jar. Yet it has taken a lot of research to find dried peas that cook in less than two hours. Some apparently are so old they never, ever, soften. My favorite recipe is pre-cooked chickpeas with chopped Spanish chorizo (or other hot, dried sausage), whatever other vegetables are lying around (chopped carrots or fennel, usually), some grated cheddar or cantal, and/or mozzarella buffala. A little olive oil flavored with a tad of chile paste. Microwaved for a minute.
(In an earlier post you talked of peeling your chickpeas. After two babies I bet you don’t do that anymore!)
Thanks as always for your marvelous ideas.
dear Deb,
I love you. Also, congratulations on the book!
I made these diVINE chickpeas last week & the herbs/spices really added a lot to the flavor. I also added a strip or so of kombu (seaweed), which I understand gives the bod lots of great minerals and makes the beans easier to digest. Ever use it?
Keep it up! I’ll do the same. x!
Absolutely delicious. My chickpeas came from the market bulk bin and after a 24-ish hour soak, they cooked up in about 30 minutes on the stove. Super fast!
Totally delicious! Wonderful recipe, easy to make . You’re right about doubling the quantity but I’m glad I didn’t otherwise my husband would have eaten the lot in one go!
This recipe is a totally game changer … I used the leftover broth to make vegetable soup, which was amazing. This is now my forever soup broth. I also used it has a salad dressing, also amazing. I had these chickpeas with the cornbread waffles, another good call. Also loved it with an egg and the tomato sauce, as recommended in a post. I didn’t have a parmesan rind, but look forward to trying it in future! Thank you!!
I’m curious about the use of salt while cooking the soaked beans. I thought that salt added at the start of cooking the soaked beans made them more tough. Is this true for chickpeas? I’ve never made dried beans but do recall reading not to add salt until the very end of the cooking time. Thanks for any input!
It’s been disproven; it adds a great level of seasoning.
I have made this twice in the instant pot and it’s pretty killer. I don’t think I’ve done a full pound of chickpeas, just about 1-1/2 cups dry. No soaking. 6 cups of water. 45 minutes on high pressure and natural release. Amazing! Though today I feel like I could have cut the salt a bit, but not by much.
Would it be possible to can/bottle these cooked chickpeas in their own liquid?
Used this recipe and several of the suggested add-ins to make a fabulous dinner last night! Topped the chickpeas with burrata, broccoli raab sauteed with garlic, and a salad of cherry tomatoes and parsley topped with balsamic and olive oil. Served it with fresh made focaccia and everyone loved it. Thanks so much, this will enter regular rotation.
These are SO delicious. I made them exactly as written, except I didn’t have sage on hand, so I used some bay leaves instead. I froze the broth in 16-oz deli containers, used the chickpeas that I needed for my recipe tonight (adding girth to a greek salad), and froze the remaining chickpeas in water in deli containers to thaw, throw into soups, or use at a moment’s notice. I love cooking that comes back to the basics of what makes food delicious, and this is definitely that. Thanks, Deb!
This recipe really does give you a pot full of really great chickpeas. tasty, fragrant, delicious…thanks so much!
I finally got around to making this using sage from my herb bed and last year’s garlic + the parmesan rind. Oh, it was so good! My family loved it served over rice. Thanks for this delicious recipe. Please keep the bean ideas coming.
Deb! Yesterday’s newsletter did not specify where in NYC you have managed to find burrata at reasonable prices. Will you share your source??
yummy! combined this with the salsa verde and some buffalo mozzarella (next best thing if I can’t get any burrata) and mixed in some small pasta. Doing this with canned chickpeas – as suggested by you, I first infused the broth for 20 minutes and then simmered the chickpeas for 20 more – did not result in such a vibrant flavour as I would have expected from your description. I really liked this way of reducing the carb and up the protein amount of my dinner, though, and the combo was delicious :)
Just eating the second batch of these. They made us very happy. I did use a bit less water in the second batch and thus a little less salt, but they are delicious. I left all my aromatics in and ate them over a week and the flavour just kept getting better.
Nice cookin
Question
If the beans aren’t refrigerated soaked overnight… what’s the problem using that water and just add more…
Done it several times and still alive no stomach issues either
I freeze and reuse what’s leftover after whatever I need to finish cooking with
You absolutely can. I am not sure why I didn’t mention it; lots of flavor there.
Hi hopefully all goes good
I did do a second comment that I do Refrig when soaking
And yea the cooked liquid is a good soup base I get lazy and add bullion’s
Unless cuttin up the turkey parts and scearIng the neck back wings and tussie
(Jewish for the butt nice and fatty haha 😆
Nice web site
S
Let’s say, in theory, I forgot to put salt in the soaking water and it’s already been 14 hours; should I still cook them or add the salt now and let it go for the next six or seven hours?
I would hate to end up with a bland end result!
Just had to comment to say that a year later, my boyfriend and I are still obsessed with these chickpeas. I keep meaning to try a few of the other variations you suggest, but we are stuck on how delicious these are over white rice with burrata, some grated parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. The alchemy created by the chickpea broth and the burrata is just divine. Thank you!!
Made this for dinner last night! The beans/salsa verde/burrata combo was heavenly. Word to the wise, though: I used the prescribed amount of salt, a parmesan rind, and a teaspoon of baking soda (which I realized later, duh, includes sodium) to prevent the tough-skins problem some other commenters have noted. The beans were great but the broth turned out REALLY salty. If you’re using the rind and/or baking soda, I’d definitely go lighter on salting the water.
Love it! Perfect for a casual lunch, mixed with pesto and topped with some good oil-packed tuna (e.g. Ortiz), a squeeze of lemon and a bit of fresh cracked pepper.
I made these to go in the pasta e ceci recipe from this site. I soaked them for around 5 hours, and then I cooked them in my Instant Pot on high for 20 minutes which I think was a few minutes too long, they were just slightly too soft. But, Oh My Word the chickpeas were so good — I couldn’t stop snacking on them. I was sort of sad to put them and their broth in the Pasta e Ceci because I really just wanted to eat a bowl of them. But, we had guests coming over so I made the pasta and that was also a huge hit — lots of people asked for the recipe. Total win, I don’t know how I’m going to eat chickpeas from a can anymore.
Deb, thanks SO much for the tempting, scare-free intro to dried chickpeas! I have now found my new favorite stupid-easy weeknight comfort dish (after overnight soak in fridge), and it makes terrific leftovers too. Will definitely make again, and again.
Hi Deb! When I print your recipes, part of them gets cut off between pages. Any way to fix that?
Thanks for all your amazing recipes and for sharing your talents with us!
Thanks — we are working on a fix!
Deb, I know you’re not big on pork, but how do you think a ham hock would play out in here? I have some from my pork share and I know it can be good with other beans, just not sure about garbanzos. Thanks!
I like pork! And I don’t think it would be unwelcome here.
I have been eyeing the two can of chickpeas sitting in my cupboard. Must give this a try!
Have your tried freezing your cooked beans? I believe it works very well. And then they’re ready almost as fast as canned!
Wow. Really great is an understatement. These are one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. The cooking liquid tastes like chicken stock, but so much better. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I just did these in the Instant Pot. Here’s what I did:
*Soaked the beans (1lb dried) overnight and discarded the soaking water
*Put the sage, garlic, peppercorns, and salt in the Instant Pot
*Put the chickpeas and the parmesan rinds in a steamer basket and set these on top
*Added water to the max fill line
*Cooked at 18 minutes on high pressure, natural release for 5 minutes, manual release of the remaining pressure (note: this took about 4 minutes)
Using a steamer basket meant I didn’t have to do anything in particular to fish out the aromatics from the chickpeas themselves. (The parmesan rind might have stuck to the bottom, so that’s why it’s in the basket with the chickpeas – but that’s easy to fish out.)
Results: The chickpeas were a bit too soft, so I’d do less minutes of cooking time and/or a manual release for all the pressure. I also might choose to double the aromatics next time – these were good, but maybe a bit bland in comparison to what I was imagining in reading the post. (Or is less water possible?) Perhaps a bay leaf or two? Further experiments await!
Chickpea broth is one of my FAVORITE things in the world. Every time I make a pot with olive oil and salt, I’m like ‘how is this not a thing that restaurants sell?’
The Parmesan rind got left behind! I’m assuming it goes in with the rest of the seasonings. Do you toss the rind once you’re done?
Just chiming in to say I made these and they are impeccable on their own. I ate spoonfuls over the pot after tasting for doneness and did a happy dance. Yesterday we brilliantly thought to combine them with https://smittenkitchen.com/2019/05/braised-ginger-meatballs-in-coconut-broth/ in place of the rice in the recipe. It’s incredible and reminds me of Alison Roman’s chickpea stew.
Just made these in the pressure cooker and omg they are so good. I used 1 lb of chickpeas and 6 cups of water, which from the pictures looks like it may approximate the resulting amount of liquid from the stovetop version. I did 50 minutes on high, 10 min natural release, and then vented – but next time I think I would do 35 minutes and then natural release the rest. I was afraid to add the salt during cooking so I put in a little less than 1 tbsp at the end. So looking forward to eating these all week!
I made this today in a pressure cooker; I didn’t carefully read the instructions–I saw 5 quart pot and thought 5 quarts of water–reduced by 20% for the pressure cooker–so way too much broth. BUT still delicious. I think I may separate the chickpeas from the broth, boil the broth, and then put them back together for storage. I bet if I follow directions next time, this will be even better.
I was wondering if there was a way to translate this yummy recipe to make in an Instant Pot.
I find non-soaked chickpeas to cook in 45 to 50 minutes on high pressure.
So simple. I will try it. Thank you
Oh lord — I’ve been eyeing this for months and finally got around to a lazy version. I can’t imagine how good this is with the aromatics as written, because I just used garlic powder, dried rubbed sage, fresh ground pepper, and a Parmesan rind, and it was still an absolute revelation.
I followed the guidance of some other Instant Pot users in the comments to modify, as well. In my little 3 qt IP, I did 1/2 lb dry chickpeas (in soaked), 6 cups water, 1 tsp salt, and the spices + rind, high pressure for 45 min, and let fully natural release (about 30 min). They were soft(-er than I would want if using them as an ingredient for another dish, but perfectly tender for eating) and absolutely delicious with slurp-worthy broth. This will be going in my rotation.
This should read UNsoaked, sorry!
These indeed did turn out perfectly. I soaked mine for 28 hours. Cooking time was approximately 35 minutes. I prefer mine slightly firmer. I added half of a dried arbol chili. The end result was a nice firm textured bean. I plan to use them in a soup and chili recipe I found. Will probably make another batch quickly to roast and have as snacks. Definitely worth the extra investment of time. Thank you dor sharing.
Thoughts on using dried herbs? I have plenty of dried rosemary and sage but no fresh. The only fresh stuff I have is parsley or thyme.
I don’t use them very often but I don’t see why you couldn’t here.
Today my Mexican boyfriend had a genius idea – tacos! We had these chickpeas in warm corn tortillas with avocado and spicy salsa verde. (I had cooked the chickpeas with a healthy dose of dried chili in lieu of sage.) Highly recommended!
Super tasty!!! I followed the directions with no changes.
How can I use canned chickpeas for this…I’m currently on quarantine.
This is really about getting the most from dried and how to cook them — for already cooked, you can warm them however you like with any seasonings you like, including ones you see here. You can add a little broth or water to keep them loose once drained.
Is there a reason to not cook the chickpeas in the water they soaked in?
I have done it often. I don’t personally notice but many people have told me that they find the final beans a bit “gassier.”
Deb, this might be the silliest question, but how on earth do you “fish out” the peppercorns? Several of mine were floating on top but many fell down into the beans and now I feel like I’m spending an inordinate amount of time fishing them out of each serving. What did I miss? Otherwise these are super delicious and a new staple in our home!
Hi,
I have a question – you say the garlic should be “unpeeled but crushed”, but later talk about fishing it out, so I a guessing you mean “uncrushed but peeled” – I peeled and crushed, and it is simmering now, more flavor for us!
Abby
I crush them in their skins, and toss it all in. You can peel them, if you wish, but I find them easier to fish out with the skins on.
I cooked them in my Power Pressure Cooker XL.
Soaked for 24 hours. Drained and rinsed. Put all ingredients into pot and cooked for 30 minutes on the bean/lentil setting. Let the pressure drop naturally. They turned out perfectly and my beans were old. Next time I will use less water. None evaporates so you don’t need as much.
I return to this recipe again and again and love to eat it as is as a brothy soup with additional herbs tossed in (hello italian parsley!) and greens if I have them. I think of a great recipe as a work of art, or a melody and this one is soothing , earthy and aromatic. It could not be easier to make, and what I love about it as that the flavours all get to sing their own tune, the rosemary, the garlic, the sage and the mighty nutty chickpea but together they constitute more than the sum of their parts. If you’re feeling lonely because of the pandemic, I recommend doubling it and doing a soup porch drop off for a friend or family member or a neighbour who can use some comfort. A double win! It freezes beautifully and let’s just say it’s always so worth it to have chickpeas in the pantry. They are bold powerful pantry warriors! Thank you DP. You win! You always win!
I soak 1 pound of garbanzos overnight, then rinse and keep soaking with fresh water and change the water until I get around to cooking them in Instant Pot. Then I throw the soaked drained beans into large metal bowl and fill with water about 1 inch over the beans because they’re done expanding (from the soaking) and I want to use as little water as possible to get the most flavorful aquafaba possible. I add the seasoning and do 50M HP and natural release. Then I have a bowl of the most delicious bean and broth. Since the broth is gelatinous, I then separate them and pour the broth into freezer containers, some for the freezer, some for the fridge. mmmmmm good.
LOVE this – it’s so simple, and the beans + broth are incredible!
I now have your 3 cookbooks. They are my favorites. I just got Keepers today. I can’t wait to cook through your wonderful recipes!
Thank you so much!
Elise Rose
Kind of related to this recipe – I LOVE the chickpea tikka masala in the Keepers book but want to try it out with dried chickpeas rather than canned. How could I modify the recipe for this? It was so good with canned but I have some “fresh” dried chickpeas that I’m just itching to try it with…
You’ll want to cook the chickpeas first — you can use these instructions. I wouldn’t make the whole masala with dried because acidity can slow down dried cooking time. Best to cook them in water, or seasoned/flavored water.
I can report back that I did this and it was absurdly good. It’s an incredible recipe with canned chickpeas, but I had some extra time at home so I cooked up 1 lb of tiny chickpeas from Rancho Gordo and used them, plus their broth and it was amazing. For anyone scaling it up, 1lb translates to ~3.5x the recipe in SK Keepers. It’s a big pot, but it freezes fantastically.
I made this tonight! It was a late dinner, but I served the chickpeas in a bowl with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and they were delicious.
45 minutes in the instapot worked for me. I didn’t measure the water, just enough to cover well.