How to Soak and Cook Chickpeas?

Chickpeas are high in protein and have a mild, nutty flavor, making them ideal for a variety of dishes, including hummus, soups, and stews. Because of the time involved in preparing dried chickpeas, most people opt for the canned variety. The problem with canned chickpeas is that many contain preservation additives, as well as high sodium levels in added salt. Making chickpeas from scratch is a more natural, healthier way to do it, and it's super easy.

Here's an easy way to quickly soak and prepare chickpeas. Chickpeas are soaked before boiling for two reasons - first, they need to be softened before boiling, and second, pre-soaking helps make the beans more digestible. You can soak them quickly, as described below, or overnight if you prefer. When buying chickpeas, make sure to use a high-turnover bulk bin. The older the chickpeas, the less tender they will be cooked.

Most recipes call for chickpeas to be soaked and cooked until soft (falafel is a notable exception - chickpeas in falafel should only be soaked, not cooked). I often make a large batch of cooked chickpeas and refrigerate or even freeze them for future use. I've included storage and freezing instructions below. You'll notice that homemade chickpeas taste much better than canned chickpeas, and you'll have more control over the salt content. It's also more affordable to prepare the beans this way...you can save over 50% by preparing your own.

1. Before cooking, you need to soak the beans. If you have time, you can soak them overnight. Put them in a large bowl and cover them with cold water. 

2. The chickpeas will expand to more than double, so be sure to cover with a few inches of water to allow for expansion. Cover the bowls with a clean towel and let them soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans before cooking.

3. To soak beans quickly, you need 1 hour. Place chickpeas in the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. Chickpeas will expand to more than double, so be sure to cover with a few inches of water to allow for expansion.

4. Boil the chickpeas. Let them boil for 5 minutes.

5. Remove from heat source. Let the beans soak in hot water for 1 hour. 

6. Drain and rinse the beans before cooking.

7. When you're ready to cook the soaked beans, place them in a large pot covered with a few inches of water. I use about 1 quart of water per 1 cup of soaked beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Add salt if desired. I use about 1/8 teaspoon of salt per 1 quart of water and 1 cup of soaked beans. You may prefer more salt to taste, or simply don't like keeping them "natural".

8. Let the beans cook for 60-90 minutes until the desired softness is achieved. Certain dishes call for very tender beans (like hummus), while others call for firmer beans (like stews and soups that take a long time to cook). 

Adjust the cooking time to achieve your desired tenderness. If you are freezing beans, keep in mind that they will freeze best if they are on the firmer side, not completely soft. The beans will continue to puff up a bit as you cook them. Watch the water level and add additional water as needed to keep the beans covered. When the beans are fully cooked, drain and cool in a colander.

9. To store cooked beans in the refrigerator, place them in an airtight container with a lid or in a plastic ziplock bag without adding any extra liquid. Cooked beans will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. To store beans longer for future use, freeze them. Pat the beans dry with a paper towel to remove as much moisture from the beans as possible. Put the beans in a single-layer unfolded reusable or plastic ziplock bag; you don't want to pile the beans or they'll stick together. To freeze, lay down a flat single layer to prevent beans from freezing together. You can freeze several bags this way, one flat on top of the other.

10. Alternatively, you can spread the beans in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze the beans for 30 minutes. 

11. Once they have hardened, pour them into a plastic ziplock bag or airtight container, seal, and put them back in the refrigerator immediately. Using this method, you don't need to put the chickpeas in one layer - since they're already semi-frozen, they won't stick together.

12. Frozen beans can be stored for up to 1 year.

The above details the process of soaking, cooking, and preservation before making chickpeas. If you want to buy chickpeas, please contact us.

Goodluck is a professional agricultural product wholesale supplier. Our main products include chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and mung beans. In addition, we are working hard to develop new products to meet different needs. The company has a number of advanced production lines, farm bases, and warehouses to ensure that our output is large and stable.