Jump to Recipe

Learn How to Cook Chickpeas using dried chickpeas so they turn out perfectly tender and flavorful every time. Cooking garbanzo beans from scratch is so easy and they’re great to add to soups, salads, stews and more.

A white pot of cooked chickpeas

This recipe for cooking garbanzo beans from scratch produces creamy tender and flavorful chickpeas that are perfect to add to your favorite recipes instead of using canned garbanzo beans.  The flavor of fresh chickpeas is far superior to canned chickpeas!

mason jars filled with cooked chickpeas

Chickpeas have a delicious nutty and buttery flavor and creamy texture that can be added to so many recipes.  I personally go through a lot of chickpeas, and I’m constantly experimenting with new chickpea recipes.  They’re nutritious, delicious and they make a great addition to your daily wellness program.  Make a batch and store them in mason jars in your fridge so you can easily toss them into salads or stir them in soups and stews.

Dried Chickpeas

Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans and they’re one of the most versatile of legumes.   Because garbanzo beans are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber.  Garbanzo beans have a relatively neutral flavor, making them versatile to blend well with other ingredients.  Being rich with plant protein, they make an excellent replacement for meat for vegetarian and vegan diets.

Cooking Dried Chickpeas Ingredients

  • Dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil

Find printable recipe with measurements below.

How To Cook Dried Chickpeas

  • Soak. Soak the beans in water overnight
  • Combine Ingredients. Add the chickpeas, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, olive oil and salt to a large pot.
  • Add Water or Broth. Pour water or broth in the pot so it’s filled about 1-1/2 inches above the ingredients.
  • Simmer. Simmer the chickpeas for one hour, or longer to reach desired tenderness.
  • Store. Remove the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and store the chickpeas in their broth in mason jars in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Tips for Cooking Garbanzo Beans 

Here’s a few tips when cooking garbanzo beans:

  • Inspect:  Sort through the beans and remove any small stones and debris – put in a strainer and rinse under cold water.
  • Soaking:  Dried chickpeas are covered in water (about 2 inches above the beans) then they’re left to soak overnight.   
  • Simmering:  The chickpeas are simmered on the stovetop for about 2 hours (if you leave the lid on = creamier beans and no lid on = more firm beans.  Simmer the chickpeas a little longer if you like them creamier, especially if you’re planning on making hummus with them.  

A clear glass bowl filled with legumes soaking in water.

Quick Soak Dried Beans

You can do a quick-soak method for cooking garbanzo beans if you don’t have time to soak them overnight. Here’s how…

  • Cover the dried chickpeas with water (the water should be about 2 inches above the chickpeas).
  • Bring the water to a rapid boil for about 5 minutes, then turn the flame off and let the chickpeas sit in the water for about an hour.   
  • Then cook as usual. 
  • Check on your  chickpeas every hour while they’re cooking and add more water if needed.

a white pot of dried chickpeas with vegetables.

Cooking Garbanzo Beans in Small Portions

  • For 1 cup dried garbanzo beans, add pre-soaked garbanzo beans to 3 cups water or vegetable broth in a pot or Dutch oven.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered on low-medium heat for 1-1/2 hours or until desired tenderness.  Add more water or broth as needed.

A white pot filled with cooked chickpeas

What Can You Make With Chickpeas

If you’re wondering how to use chickpeas, well the possibilities are endless really.  After you’ve made a pot of dried chickpeas from scratch, they’re great to add to so many recipes.

A white pot filled with cooked legumes.

Easy Chickpea Recipes

These are some of my favorite chickpea dishes

pot of cooked chickpeas
Yield: 8 servings

How to Cook Chickpeas

Prep Time 12 hours
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 14 hours

Learn How to Cook Chickpeas from scratch to add to soups, salads and stews.  This is an easy recipe that makes delicious, tender and flavorful chickpeas.

Ingredients

  • 1  pound bag dried garbanzo beans , soaked in water overnight
  • 1 onion, cut in half
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut in half
  • 2 celery stalks, rinsed and cut in half
  • 10 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 1-inch piece of lemon peel (optional)
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • Water

Instructions

  1. Pick through the dried garbanzo beans, discarding any stones and twigs. Rinse under cold water.
  2. Place garbanzo beans in a large glass bowl and over the beans by 2 inches of water and soak overnight
  3. Drain the garbanzo beans and add them together with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, olive oil and salt to a large pot or Dutch oven.
  4. Pour water or broth in the pot so it's filled about 1-1/2 inches above the ingredients. Cover with lid.
  5. Simmer over medium-low heat for one hour, or longer to reach desired tenderness.
  6. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (if desired)
  7. Store the cooked garbanzo beans in their broth in mason jars in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Notes

Tips For Cooking Garbanzo Beans

Inspect:  Sort through the beans and remove any small stones and debris - put in a strainer and rinse under cold water.

Soaking:  Dried garbanzo beans are covered in water (about 2 inches above the beans) then they’re left to soak overnight.   

Simmering:  The garbanzo beans are simmered on the stovetop for about 2 hours (if you leave the lid on = creamier beans and no lid on = more firm beans.  Simmer the chickpeas a little longer if you like them creamier, especially if you're planning on making hummus with them.  

Quick Soak Dried Beans Method

You can do a quick-soak method for these garbanzo beans if you don't have time to soak them overnight. Here’s how…

  • Cover the dried garbanzo beans with water (the water should be about 2 inches above the chickpeas).
  • Bring the water to a rapid boil for about 5 minutes, then turn the flame off and let the chickpeas sit in the water for about an hour.   
  • Then cook as usual. 
  • Check on your garbanzo beans every hour while they’re cooking and add more water if needed.

Cooking Small Portions

  • For 1 cup dried garbanzo beans, add pre-soaked garbanzo beans to 3 cups water or vegetable broth in a pot or Dutch oven.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered on low-medium heat for 1-1/2 hours or until desired tenderness.  Add more water or broth as needed.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 170Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 492mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

theharvestkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate information, however, this nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. The nutritional information provided comes from online sources and calculations.

© Deborah @The Harvest Kitchen
Cuisine: Healthy / Category: Sides