How to Cook Chickpeas
by Sommer Collier — last updated on May 28, 2025 3 Ways to Cook Chickpeas – This handy guide has the easy steps for how to cook dried or canned garbanzo beans in the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or on the stovetop. Perfect for snacking or using in all kinds of plant-based recipes!
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
Why We Love Chickpeas
Tasty, tiny but mighty chickpeas AKA garbanzo beans are a protein powerhouse! If you are looking for a way to pack more nutrients into your diet with less meat, these guys are your BFF… Just 1/2 a cup of cooked chickpeas has up to 20 grams of protein, plus lots of fiber, minerals, and vitamins like iron and vitamin C.
This is one of those “good and good for you” situations we all love. Not only are garbanzo beans loaded with nutrients, but they are also very delicious and versatile, too. On their own, there isn’t a whole lot of flavor, but they easily take on the flavors of other ingredients. So you can season or sauce them up however you like and use them in all kinds of recipes as a lean main or supplemental protein.
You also have several options for the ways to cook the beans, and whether you want to prepare them from already cooked and canned, or dried and bagged. Today we are discussing how to cook chickpeas from a dried state, and showing you how to make them 3 different ways: On the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker.
Canned vs Dried Beans
So first, let’s discuss why you would buy dried beans instead of canned. If you’re wondering how to cook canned chickpeas… You should know they are already cooked. Therefore cooking canned chickpeas simply means warming them up and adding them to a recipe. In fact, you don’t even have to warm them; we toss canned chickpeas in salads all the time.
The point of having canned chickpeas is just to make them super convenient to use when you need them. However, they are more expensive than dried chickpeas, and contain a decent amount of sodium. If you have a little time on your hands and are watching your salt intake, it’s easy to prep and cook dried garbanzo beans.
3 Ways to Cook Dried Chickpeas
As mentioned, there are three easy ways to cook garbanzo beans: on the stovetop, in a crock pot, and in the Instant Pot.
If you plan to cook them on the stovetop you will need to soak the chickpeas overnight for best results. Like other dried beans, soaking is an important part of the cooking process for traditional stovetop methods.
However, if you plan to cook them in the slow cooker or instant pot, no soaking is needed!
Which is the BEST method? While each has its benefits, the Instant Pot method is the quickest by far for cooking dried beans. They still take an hour, but this simple method produces firm but fully cooked chickpeas you can use in any recipe you like!
Note Before Getting Started: When you open the bag of chickpeas first pick through them to remove any debris… Sometimes small rock or seed casings can get caught in the bag.
How to Cook Chickpeas on the Stovetop –
Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover the beans with water by at least 1 inch. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow them to soak overnight. When ready to cook, drain off the water.
Place the chickpeas in a large pot with enough water (or broth) to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Turn the heat on high and bring the chickpeas to a boil. Then reduce the heat so the chickpeas are at a gentle simmer and cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours. The chickpeas should stay firm but be fully cooked all the way through. If you’re cooking them using the stovetop method for hummus or any other method where you would like to purée the chick peas, cook them longer until they are soft.
Drain the chickpeas in a colander and use as desired.
How to Cook Chickpeas in the Crock Pot –
Rinse the chickpeas well with cold water, then place in the crockpot. Add 12 cups of water (or broth) and 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Turn the slow cooker on HIGH for 3 ½ – 5 hours or on LOW for 6 – 8 hours.
Remember, you want the crockpot chickpeas to be firm enough to hold their shape but fully cooked through. However, if you plan to purée them for hummus or dips, cook them a little longer so they’re soft. Drain and use.
How to Cook Chickpeas in the Instant Pot –
Rinse the dried garbanzo beans well in fresh water, then place them in the Instant Pot. Add 6 cups of water (or broth) to the pot, along with 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper.
Get the Complete (Printable) Easy Guide for How to Cook Chickpeas + Video Below. Enjoy!
Lock the lid into place. Set the Instant Pot on pressure cook HIGH for 45 minutes. Then perform a natural release.
If cooking to purée for hummus or other dips, pressure cook for 50 minutes so the chickpeas are softer. Then perform a natural release for 15 minutes before opening the pressure cooker. Drain from the cooking liquid and use as desired.
Extra Seasonings
Once cooked, these tender garbanzo beans are great to toss in all kinds of savory spices and aromatics!
Drizzle on a bit of oil and coat the beans with minced onion, garlic cloves, and/or fresh herbs like chopped thyme, rosemary, cilantro, or parsley. Then enjoy as a snack, side dish, or added to fresh salads.
You can season them with your favorite spice blends, either just with oil right from the pot, or coat in oil and spices, and then briefly oven roast the chickpeas. Like in our fabulous spicy roasted chickpeas recipe, add flavor to the beans by tossing with any number of seasoning blends, such as:
What to Do with Cooked Chickpeas
After cooking dried garbanzo beans, they can be added to fresh salads, like a chunky Mediterranean salad with couscous, THAT Jennifer Aniston salad, or a winter roasted beet kale and chickpea salad.
Cook the chickpeas so they are super soft to easily puree into a rich, creamy hummus for snacking or spreading on sandwiches or veggie wraps. We love a classic roasted red pepper hummus, savory miso hummus, or show-stopping pink roasted beet hummus (seriously, you have to check out the color).
This guide for how to cook chickpeas is a great starting point for all kinds of hearty main dishes, too! Add the tender beans to stews, soups and curries, use them to make tuna kofta, or include in this vegetarian pot pie recipe for meatless protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
You technically can, but they probably won’t taste great. For the best flavor and texture, I highly recommend at least draining and rinsing the garbanzo beans first.
Cooked garbanzo beans are great to include in weekly meal preps! They’ll keep well for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Yes, you can! To keep them firm I suggest first flash freezing the previously dried and cooked garbanzo beans. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet with parchment paper, and gently pat dry with a clean cloth. Freeze them for about 1 hour, then place them all together in a ziploc bag. Squeeze out the excess air and freeze for up to 6 months.
Add them to stews and curries frozen straight from the freezer, or thaw them in the fridge overnight to use them for making hummus or to add to fresh dishes.
Looking for More Easy “How To” Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
How to Cook Chickpeas (3 Ways!)
Video
Instructions
How to cook chickpeas on the stovetop:
- Open the bag of chickpeas and pick through them to remove any debris. Place the chickpeas in a bowl and cover the beans with water by at least 1 inch. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow them to soak overnight. When ready to cook, drain off the water.
- Place the chickpeas in a large pot. Add enough water or broth to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Turn the heat on high and bring the chickpeas to a boil. Then reduce the heat so the chickpeas are at a gentle simmer and cook for 1 ½ – 2 hours. The chickpeas should stay firm but be fully cooked all the way through. If you're cooking them for hummus, or any other method where you would like to purée the chickpeas, cook them longer until they are soft.
- Drain the chickpeas in a colander and use as desired.
How to cook chickpeas in the crock pot:
- Pick through the chickpeas and make sure to remove any debris. Rinse the chickpeas well with cold water, then place in the crockpot.
- Add 12 cups of water or broth. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Turn the crockpot on HIGH for 3 ½ – 5 hours or on LOW for 6 – 8 hours
- Remember, you want the chickpeas to be firm enough to hold their shape but fully cooked through. However, if you plan to purée them for hummus or dips, cook them a little longer so they're soft. Drain and use.
How to cook chickpeas in the instant pot:
- Pick through the chickpeas and remove any debris. Rinse them well in fresh water then place the garbanzo beans in the instant pot.
- Add 6 cups of water or broth to the instant pot, followed by 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper.
- Lock the lid into place. Set the instant pot on pressure cook high for 45 minutes. Then perform a natural release.
- If cooking to purée for hummus or other dips, pressure cook for 50 minutes so the chickpeas are softer. Then perform a natural lease for 15 minutes before opening the instant pot. Drain and use as desired.
