Those of you following me on Facebook or Instragram may have noticed a sudden new passion reflected in my recent photos...cooking in the Instant Pot!
My parents surprised me with one a few weeks ago. No special reason. Just because. And I'm pretty sure it's hands-down, the best not-my-birthday present EVER.
Now that the summer weather has turned hot and muggy, I'm not so keen on heating up the kitchen with a lot of cooking. Which means I'm quickly becoming a pro at this whole Instant Pot thing. Almost everything I cook lately is in this marvelous gizmo that gets the job done super-fast, and doesn't heat up the house.
Lamb roast? Instant Pot.
Flounder filets? Instant Pot.
Carrot Ginger soup? Instant Pot all the way.
Well, our snow peas just really started kicking into full gear this week. And in my house, that means it's time for hummus - because fresh, crisp peas with perfect hummus is a pretty hard combo to beat.
In years past, I would have just whipped up a batch of hummus from canned chickpeas. But these days I'm a label reader. And the label on the only kind of canned chickpeas in my grocery store lists an additive called Disodium EDTA.
Not being a fan of artificially-created chemical compounds capable of damaging kidneys and depleting essential minerals, among other side effects, I'm going to stick with cooking up my own dried chickpeas from now on.
And now that I'm hooked on cooking them myself, I so much prefer the taste and texture that I'd really find it hard to go back to the canned variety.
Before the Instant Pot, cooking dried chickpeas took just long enough to make it feel like a bit of a project. Which meant that I didn't make them nearly as often as we'd all enjoy. We're big fans of our hummus around here. (I'm especially digging this recipe lately!)
With the Instant Pot, it's a matter of 13 minutes, not including soak time. I've made these several times now, and I love knowing that they'll come out perfectly-done every time, without having to keep an eye on them. You want them to be neither firm nor mushy, but very easy to crush with a light touch.
Here's the method that's been treating me well, and I hope it serves you well too! Of course now that cooking chickpeas is just this easy, I'm on the prowl for more great ways to use them. I'd love it if you'd leave me a line and give me some ideas! What's your favorite recipe that uses chickpeas?
How to cook chickpeas in an Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried chickpeas (garbanzos)
- water
Instructions
- Soak dried beans overnight, or 6-8 hours. (Totally optional, but I prefer soaking ; )
- Rinse and drain.
- Add chickpeas to Instant Pot. Fill Instant Pot with water to "1/2" mark.
- Lock Instant Pot cover, and set vent to pressure setting. Select "Pressure Cook", on high. Set time to 13 minutes. (If using unsoaked chickpeas, set this for 35 minutes)
- When cooking time is complete, press Cancel. Both regular release and quick release options work well for reducing pressure in this recipe. Drain cooked beans, and they're ready to use!
PIN FOR LATER:
Save
Petra says
When you say "Fill up to the 1/2 mark", what size Instant Pot do you have?
Anna says
Hi Petra! It's a 6 quart - specifically this one: https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-Plus-60-Programmable/dp/B01NBKTPTS/ref=sr_1_6?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1536720880&sr=1-6&keywords=6+qt+instant+pot
Hope it helps!!
Kate says
I've come back to this recipe a few times now and used it both with soaking and without - perfect both ways. Thanks!!
patricia says
Is there a reason you don't just cook them from dried? According to Instant Pot timetables it would take 35 minutes. Is it a texture issue?
Hannah says
I love my Instant Pot but have not used it to cook beans yet. I will definitely be trying this recipe!
Christine says
I had never cooked chickpeas before, but thought I would try after reading your post. I followed your directions this week, and the chickpeas turned out perfectly! So easy and fast! 🙂
Lydia St. Louis says
This looks really good. . . peeling them takes forever though and when I tried it I didn't blend them enough. I may try it again sometimes with maple syrup instead. https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Chickpea-Cookie-Dough-Recipe-28371473
Thanks for the info! The instant pot sounds amazing!