How to Pressure Cook Dried Chickpeas

Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a type of legume. You may know them as the star ingredient in Mediterranean recipes like hummus and falafel, but pressure cooker chickpeas can also be used in a variety of dishes on a daily basis. Plus, they are an excellent source of vegan protein.

Before there were pressure cookers, you had to make dried chickpeas on the stovetop. This would require boiling water and letting the beans simmer for a long time. While you can buy canned beans, cooking dried beans is more cost-effective.

Pressure cooker garbanzo beans are much easier to make. You can also follow garbanzo bean recipes for pressure cookers since chickpeas are often used in soups, stews, dahls, curries, chilis and more.

Though chickpeas are legumes, many people confuse them for vegetables. The USDA considers legumes like chickpeas to be part of the protein food group as well as the vegetable food group. This means that vegans and vegetarians can eat garbanzo beans in place of animal products for protein.

According to the USDA, one cup of cooked garbanzo beans packs the following nutrients:

• 269 calories
• 4.2 grams of fat
• 45 grams of carbohydrates
• 14.5 grams of protein
• 12.5 grams of fiber
• 26 percent daily value (DV) of iron
• 23 percent DV of zinc
• 19 percent DV of magnesium
• 10 percent DV of potassium
• 6 percent DV of calcium

One of the benefits of chickpeas is that they are an iron-rich food source for people who do not eat meat. A criticism of the vegetarian diet is that it is low in iron, however, chickpeas can help with that.

The protein in chickpeas is also significant for people who follow a plant-based diet. For many, just one cup of chickpeas can contains about a quarter of your daily protein requirements.

Another reason to eat chickpeas is to supplement your weight loss regimen. You can eat chickpeas for weight loss since they are full of fiber and naturally free of saturated fat.

Read more: The Beans-Only Diet

To make pressure cooker chickpeas, you need a stovetop pressure cooker or electric pressure cooker. Many bean recipes for pressure cookers utilize the electric versions since they are considered easier and safer to use.

Before making your pressure cooker garbanzo beans, soak the beans for several hours. You can add the dried beans to a large bowl and cover them with water. Let them soak overnight in the fridge to soften them and encourage even cooking. According to Cleveland Clinic, soaking beans for 12 hours produces the fewest gas-producing substances.

After the beans are soaked, drain and rinse them thoroughly. Then transfer them to your pressure cooker pot. Add 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of dried chickpeas. You can add seasonings or spices like salt, garlic and fresh herbs. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and switch the valve to the sealed setting so no air escapes during cooking.

The cook time for pressure cooker garbanzo beans may vary depending on the brand of your appliance. Certain appliances also have a pre-programmed setting for cooking beans. In general, you should cook pressure cooker chickpeas on high pressure for approximately 16 to 18 minutes. If you did not soak the dried beans beforehand, the time increases to up to 40 minutes on high pressure.

Read more: Fruits and Vegetables Richest in Protein

Bean recipes for pressure cookers are not limited to plain beans. You can season dried chickpeas to yield the type of dish you desire. For example, add olive oil and fresh herbs to pressure cooker garbanzo beans to imitate Mediterranean-style beans.

You can also add dried garbanzo beans to other recipes intended for pressure cookers. If you are making a vegetable soup, adding chickpeas is a great way to increase the protein and fiber content of the dish. You may have leftover chickpeas, so add them to salads for their nutrients and flavor.