A wooden bowl of cooked chickpeas on a wooden table.

I’ve shown you how you can sttreeecccccchhhhh a $1.50 bag of split peas, black beans, and lentils into three meals per bag. And today, we’re tackling the last (but certainly not least) pulseโ€”chickpeas!

Just like all the other pulses out there, chickpeas (AKA: garbanzo beans) are a super affordable, delicious, sustainable, protein-packed source of fiber.

Pulses

They are so tasty, versatile, incredibly healthy, and budget-friendly to cook with. The average cost of beef per serving is $1.49, whereas you can serve dry peas, chickpeas, lentils, or beans for about 10 cents per serving. TEN CENTS! If youโ€™re looking for affordable ways to eat healthier, beans and lentils need to be on your grocery list.

Canned beans are a great deal, too, but to stretch your budget even further, drive your cart down the grocery store aisle a little more and pick up some bags of dried beans, lentils, chickpeas, or split peas. A pound of dried pulses runs between $1-$2, and trust me, you can streeeettttcchhh each of those bags into multiple meals. Today, Iโ€™m going to show you how to stretch a one pound bag of chickpeas into three delicious, healthy, meatless meals! Letโ€™s do this.

How many cups of cooked chickpeas will I get from a pound of dried beans?

A pound of dried chickpeas is about two cups of dried beans, and they will approximately triple in size during cooking. You’ll get around six cups of cooked garbanzo beans per pound of dried beans.

Do you have to soak chickpeas before cooking?

You don’t have to necessarily, but soaking will help the beans cook faster and make them easier to digest.

To soak, cover the garbanzo beans with water in a large bowl (they will expand to almost triple their size, so leave lots of space in the bowl!). You want the water to cover the beans by 1-2 inches. The next morning, drain off the soaking water and use fresh water or stock to cook the chickpeas.

You can also use the quick soak method. Boil the beans hard for one minute on the stovetop, and then soak for one hour.

A bowl of uncooked garbanzo beans on a wooden table

Teach me how to cook chickpeas!

Chickpeas can be cooked on the stove top or in a pressure cooker. Here’s how to do both:

For the stovetop

  1. Soak the chickpeas, then drain and rinse the beans.
  2. Pour the chickpeas into a large stockpot. Add a bit of salt, and cover with eight cups of cooking liquid. You can use water, but we prefer to use vegetable or chicken stock for more flavor.
  3. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the beans are tender. This should take 1-3 hours, depending on how old the beans are.
  4. Season to taste and remove beans from the liquid with a slotted spoon.

For the Instant Pot

  1. Combine the beans and some salt with four cups of cooking liquid.
  2. Seal and set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
  3. Let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes.
  4. Stir the beans and season to taste.

How long will cooked chickpeas last?

If stored in the fridge, chickpeas will be safe to eat for up to one week. If you’d like to freeze your beans instead, they will hold their texture and quality in the freezer for 10-12 months.

How do you cook canned chickpeas?

Canned chickpeas are ready to use! Drain and rinse them, and then you can either use them straight away, or warm them gently on the stove.

How to Cook Chickpeas

How to Cook Chickpeas

Yield: 6 cups cooked chickpeas
Prep Time: 8 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 10 hours

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a great source of protein and fiber. Here are step-by-step instructions for preparing them in a variety of ways.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chickpeas
  • Water
  • 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth for stovetop, or 4 cups water or stock for Instant Pot
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda, optional (see notes)

Instructions

For Stovetop

  1. Place chickpeas in a large stockpot and cover with at least two inches of water, and soak overnight. Or for a quick soak, cover chickpeas with two inches of water and bring the water to a boil. Boil hard for one minute, then remove from the heat, cover, and let soak for one hour.
  2. Drain and rinse the beans, and return them to the pot. Add the stock and salt.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until the beans are tender. This will take between 1 and 3 hours, depending on the age of the beans. Start testing for doneness around the hour mark.
  4. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary, then remove beans with a slotted spoon. Serve immediately, and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

For Instant Pot

  1. Combine 1 pound of garbanzo beans and 1 teaspoon salt with 4 cups broth or water in the Instant Pot.
  2. Seal and set to manual, high pressure for 45 minutes.
  3. When the cooking time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 20 minutes.
  4. Release the pressure and stir the beans. Eat immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

If you'd like to remove the skins from the chickpeas for making hummus, replace the cooking stock with water and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. This can make removing the peels a bit easier.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/2 cup
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 142Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 299mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 7g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

What can I do with all these chickpeas?

Chickpeas have so many uses, you’ll never get bored! Put them in soups and stews, use them as a vegan replacement for meats, roast a batch for snacking…we love chickpeas!

Each of these three recipes below uses about 2/3 cups of dried chickpeas, meaning you can buy a single pound of chickpeas for a whopping $1.50 and make all three of these dishes. Now thatโ€™s how you stretch your grocery budget!

Chickpea Pesto Pasta Salad

Chickpea Pesto Pasta Salad

BBQ Chickpea Wraps

BBQ Chickpea Wraps

Chickpea Apple Spinach Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette

Chickpea Apple Spinach Salad

And check out these other chickpea recipes:

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5 Comments

  1. My kids love chickpeas..
    sO I hope I can make use of this..
    I like this very much ..This seems to be great one..
    I will be here to check more posts like this.

  2. I used to think chickpeas were too chalky but since I started cooking my own from dried, I’ve changed my tune. Now they are MY FAVORITE! My kids ask me to whip up roasted chickpeas multiple times a week for an afternoon snack and I’m never sad to say yes. So much to love about these recipes. That wrap is calling my name.

  3. Love these posts, thank you! My three year old loves chickpeas, so the best way to get her to eat anything these days is to put chickpeas in all our meals.