Learn how to cook chickpeas from dried and use them in a variety of recipes. I absolutely love chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans.
These protein-packed legumes have a mild, nutty flavor that goes well in a variety of dishes, such as hummus, chickpea and kale soup, and chicken chickpea stew.
Because of the time involved in preparing dried chickpeas, most people resort to canned varieties. The trouble with canned chickpeas is that many contain additives for preservation, as well as high sodium content from added salt.
Making chickpeas from scratch is a much more natural way to go, and it’s surprisingly easy. This recipe, photo tutorial, and video will show you the whole process, step-by-step.
Why Soak Chickpeas?
Soaking chickpeas before cooking softens them and makes them easier to digest. You can do a quick soak (see below) or opt for an overnight soak.
Some prefer soaking them for a few days until they sprout, which may boost nutritional value. If sprouting, use cold water and change it twice a day to prevent bacteria.
For the best results, buy chickpeas from bulk bins with high turnover. Older beans can cook unevenly and stay tough.
Most recipes call for chickpeas that are soaked and boiled until tender (except falafel, which uses soaked but not cooked chickpeas). I often cook a big batch, then store extras in the fridge or freezer.
Homemade chickpeas taste better than canned, offer more control over salt, and can save you over 50%. Budget-friendly and flavorful!
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) – I always make a large batch, using at least 4 cups of chickpeas. Make sure they’re dried!
- Salt – This is technically optional, but infuses the legumes with flavor, similar to cooking pasta.
How to Cook Dried Chickpeas
Before cooking, you will need to soak the chickpeas. For a quick soak, you’ll only need an hour. (See the recipe card below.) However, I recommend letting them soak overnight. Either way, make sure to drain and rinse the chickpeas before cooking. You can save the cooking liquid, known as aquafaba, to use in meringues or macarons.
- Boil. Place the soaked chickpeas in a large pot, and cover them with several inches of water. Then, bring the cooking liquid to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add salt, if desired.
- Simmer. Cook the chickpeas on the stovetop until they reach your desired tenderness.
- Cool. Drain the colander, transfer the chickpeas to a large bowl, and set them aside to cool.
How to Soak, Cook, Freeze and Store Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 4 cups dried chickpeas (you may use more or less as needed– 4 cups dried equals roughly 12 cups cooked beans)
- Salt (optional)
Instructions
- Before cooking, you will need to soak the beans. You can soak them overnight, if you have the time. Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water.
- The chickpeas will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let them soak overnight. Drain the water and rinse the beans before cooking.
- To quick soak the beans, you will need 1 hour. Place the chickpeas into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The chickpeas will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion.
- Bring the chickpeas to a boil. Let them boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Let the beans soak in the hot water for 1 hour.
- Drain the water and rinse the beans before cooking.
- When you are ready to cook your soaked beans, place them in a large pot and cover with several inches of water. I use about 1 quart of water per 1 cup of soaked beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add salt, if desired. I use about 1/8 teaspoon of salt for every 1 quart of water and 1 cup of soaked beans. You may like more salt to taste, or none at all to keep them "au naturel."
- Let the beans cook for 60-90 minutes until desired tenderness. Certain dishes require very tender beans (like hummus), while other dishes call for firmer beans (like stews and soups that need to be cooked over long periods of time). Adjust cooking time to achieve the desired tenderness for your purposes. If you are freezing the beans, keep in mind that they will freeze best if they are on the firmer side, rather than completely soft. As you cook them, the beans will continue to expand a bit. Keep an eye on the water level and add additional water as needed to keep the beans covered. When the beans are fully cooked, drain in a colander and allow to cool.
- To store cooked beans in the refrigerator, place them in a covered airtight container or a plastic zipper bag without any additional liquid. Cooked beans will keep 3-4 days in the refrigerator.To store the beans longer for future use, freeze them. Remove as much moisture as possible from the beans by patting them dry with paper towels. Place the beans in reusable freezer bags or plastic zipper bags spread out in single layers; you don't want to pile the beans on top of each other, or they will stick to each other. Freeze, laying the flat single layer down to keep the beans from freezing together. You can freeze several bags this way, one laying flat on top of another.
- Alternatively, you can spread out the beans in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze the beans for 30 minutes.
- Once they are firm, pour them into a plastic zipper bag or airtight container, seal, and put immediately back into the freezer. Using this method, you don’t need to put the chickpeas in a single layer– because they are already half frozen, they will not stick together.
- Frozen beans will keep for up to 1 year.
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
Nutritional information per serving is for 1 cup of cooked chickpeas (1/3 cup dried chickpeas)– values and cook times will vary based on how what cooking method is used.
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FAQs
Use dried chickpeas in any recipe that calls for garbanzo beans, adjusting the cooking time as needed. Some of my favorite dishes include butternut squash soup with chickpeas, saffron chickpea risotto, and chicken chickpea stew.
Or, toss the chickpeas in oil and seasonings such as paprika, salt, and pepper. Then, arrange them in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and roast them in the oven until they’re golden brown with a crispy texture. Cool slightly, and use the crispy chickpeas as a topping for salads, pita sandwiches, and grain bowls. Or, enjoy them as a snack!
The general rule of thumb is that 1 cup of dried beans will yield 3 cups of cooked beans.
Yes, once cooked, chickpeas will keep fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Or, you can freeze them for 2-3 months. (See the recipe card for freezing tips.)
I regularly cook legumes. I use only dried or fresh, I never use canned.
I started to cook chickpeas recently, as they started to be cheaper in my country. First few batches was ok, but then, later, it started to have some strange stale like aftertaste. It is like they stayed in some very old people’s closet for some time – old clothes, clothes moths, some very old mothballs…
Do you have any idea why that is? I soak for 12 hours at least. I started to change water 5 times a day, soaking in moderate amount of water. I collect the foam.
My boyfriend suggests it is because they are old. But i had them from 2 different brands, from different shops. On the other hand, the quality of food in my country is not that good. Anyway the taste is really bad and it is totally discouraging me from trying again. But I love hummus! :-/
Hi Rozarka, this is strange! My guess is it has to do with the age and quality of the chickpeas. I can’t say for certain though.
Always loved chickpeas but never got them dry. Thought I was getting the bulk equivalent of a can, then followed your instruct and they turned out to be more like four! Meaning, at Whole Foods the cans were across from the bulk and they were more than I needed and had some time off so measured a half pound but when I heated them, wow. Glad to know I can freeze them a year even tho prob won’t need to, but thanks!
Excellent article on chickpeas – tells you everything you need to know to get them ready for any type of recipe. Thank you.
Hi thank you for this page, i am introducing the family to this wonderful food.
Easy & simple to follow! Thanks!!
I needed chickpeas fast for a quinoa salad that I make. I don’t use the canned anymore since they have so many preservatives and make my stomach hurt.
This was such a great save!! Thank you Tori.
My chickpeas came out soft enough after soaking them for the first hour and then cooking them for an additional hour. I plan on cooking them a little longer next time to make hummus.
Thanks for this post! I was a bit put off trying to do this at first thinking it was going to be complicated but your well written tutorial covered everything and it was so easy! You are right they taste so much better than canned!
Thanks – a clear and simple recipe. I also have never tried cooking chickpeas and your recipe worked perfectly first time.
Hi Tori,
I got to your page while looking for a reference to cooking chickpeas
for a friend of mine.
i could ‘ve given my own recipe which I’ve used for the last 25 years- lol
I mean it’s practically identical even including the use of ziplock bags for freezing.
It made sense to me at the time and still does.
Single layer freezes and defrosts quickly.
I also cook in batches- in a 5-6 quart pot .
I do skim the foam when the water is boiling til none is left.
and thereby avoid the pot boiling over.
I’ve used a pressure cooker on occasion, but am not keen cooking
beans and peas that way.Yes the cooking time is shorter,but prefer
to vent the pot a little in regular cooking because of the gasses.
This reduces the gassiness of beans during digestion and is in a way similar how one should cook many vegerables, especially broccoli,cauliflower brussels sprouts ,kale etc, but also green beans,asperagus etc benefit from that, because they stay greener.
BTW- this last segment refers to steaming rather than “boiling”
Thanks for your wonderful website and fotos
Peter.
My chickpeas are foamy and smell awful!! Is this common, or should I toss them?
Hi Marissa,
I know my answer is belated, but it’s common for most dried legumes
(peas, beans etc an also rice) ro produce a layer of foam when the water comes to a boil.
I found this to be the case even after repeated rinsing before you start the cooking process.
it’s also true that during cooking the peas produce a somewhat peculiar smell.
Whether or not it’s awful depends on your nose and perception of the smell or ” aroma”..
I’m not sure whether the smell is stronger when the peas are older
or if they really have spoiled by storage under humid conditions
A good look or whif of the dry peas could possibly tell you more
I soaked my chickpeas over night and then had an emergency, so we didn’t have time to boil them, just rinse and freeze. Now I’m left with a big batch of frozen pre-soaked chickpeas, and no idea how to cook them.
Do they need to soak more? (They soaked 15h before freezing.)
If not, should they defrost completely/partially before boiling?
Really hope you or someone else here know the answer 🙂
Sol, I would simply boil them from frozen until tender. I think they soaked long enough. Alternatively, you could defrost them and make falafel (which does not require cooking, only soaking).
I’ve always frozen the chickpeas in some of the cooking water and that seems to work well. I defrost them in the fridge
If I soak the beans for longer than 8 hours, will it ruin the taste or make them too soft? I read somewhere that soaking them for longer than 8 hours is not a good idea. I am going to soak them when I go to work but I will not be back in time to take them out in 8 hours, more like 10 hours.
I typically soak my chickpeas for 8 hours, though there are many recipes that call for soaking them overnight or up to 12 hours. I think it’s truly a method of trial and error, and results may vary from batch to batch. I would suggest starting with soaking just a small amount for 10 hours. That way, if they don’t turn out the way you’d like, you haven’t wasted a big batch.
I have eaten chick peas in India which have been presented along with a mixture of other lentils peanuts and spices to form a with drinks snack. Is this fried or roasted?
Do the peas and lentils require to be soaked prior to cooking?
Hi Rick, it could have been fried or roasted. It depends on who made it! They were likely spiced and then roasted. Lentils and split peas do not require soaking before cooking. Whole peas do require an overnight soak or a quick soak.
If you must dry the cooked chickpeas before freezing, wouldn’t it be best to let them drain in a sieve, air dry, or use a cotton towel? Paper towels are made with various chemicals that are not intended to come in contact with food. If you Google, “what chemicals are used in paper towels”, you will get the idea.
This is just what I have been looking for! I am planning on buying a huge bag so that I can make a big batch and store the rest! I love making hummus with chickpeas 🙂
When soaking overnight do I refrigerate or leave out on counter?
Leave on the counter covered with a towel or plastic wrap.
Hello Tori,
I was perusing the Web to see if I cou l d freeze my cooked chickpeas to make hummus later, and your blog popped up.
Thank you! I received an answer to my question, as well as learned so much more about the chickpeas and other legumes.
I look forward to returning to your Web page soon.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!!
Thanks Queen Dee! Happy New Year!
All good information and tips. Thanks.
Hi! Im about to soak my chickpeas ( the fast way) and Im confused regarding the soaking time. You first let them soak for 1 hour in the pot and then bring them to a 5 min boil followed by another 1 hour soaking in hot water? or Cover chickpeas with water and right away bring them to a 5 min boil followed by soaking them in the boiled water for another hour?…I really appreciate your help! Thank you!
Lourdes
Hi Lourdes– just boil for 5 minutes, then soak for 1 hour. No need to presoak before the boil.