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How to Soak, Cook, Freeze and Store Chickpeas

Learn how to soak and cook dried chickpeas or garbanzo beans to prepare them for use in recipes. Includes how to video, storage and freezing techniques.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs 5 mins
Total Time
3 hrs 35 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 242 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 4 cups dried chickpeas (you may use more or less as needed-- 4 cups dried equals roughly 12 cups cooked beans)
  • salt (optional)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Before cooking, you will need to soak the beans. You can soak them overnight, if you have the time. Place them in a large bowl and cover with cold water. 
  2. The chickpeas will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let them soak overnight. Drain the water and rinse the beans before cooking.
  3. To quick soak the beans, you will need 1 hour. Place the chickpeas into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The chickpeas will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion.
  4. Bring the chickpeas to a boil. Let them boil for 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat. Let the beans soak in the hot water for 1 hour. 
  6. Drain the water and rinse the beans before cooking.
  7. When you are ready to cook your soaked beans, place them in a large pot and cover with several inches of water. I use about 1 quart of water per 1 cup of soaked beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add salt, if desired. I use about 1/8 teaspoon of salt for every 1 quart of water and 1 cup of soaked beans. You may like more salt to taste, or none at all to keep them "au naturel."
  8. Let the beans cook for 60-90 minutes until desired tenderness. Certain dishes require very tender beans (like hummus), while other dishes call for firmer beans (like stews and soups that need to be cooked over long periods of time). Adjust cooking time to achieve the desired tenderness for your purposes. If you are freezing the beans, keep in mind that they will freeze best if they are on the firmer side, rather than completely soft. As you cook them, the beans will continue to expand a bit. Keep an eye on the water level and add additional water as needed to keep the beans covered. When the beans are fully cooked, drain in a colander and allow to cool.
  9. To store cooked beans in the refrigerator, place them in a covered airtight container or a plastic zipper bag without any additional liquid. Cooked beans will keep 3-4 days in the refrigerator.To store the beans longer for future use, freeze them. Remove as much moisture as possible from the beans by patting them dry with paper towels. Place the beans in reusable or plastic zipper bags spread out in single layers; you don't want to pile the beans on top of each other or they will stick to each other. Freeze, laying the flat single layer down to keep the beans from freezing together. You can freeze several bags this way, one laying flat on top of another.
  10. Alternatively, you can spread out the beans in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment and freeze the beans for 30 minutes. 
  11. Once they are firm, pour them into a plastic zipper bag or airtight container, seal, and put immediately back into the freezer. Using this method, you don't need to put the chickpeas in a single layer-- because they are already half frozen, they will not stick together.
  12. Frozen beans will keep for up to 1 year.

Notes

  • You will also need: a large 8-8 quart pot, colander.

Nutrition Information

Calories 242kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 12g (24%) Fat 4g (6%) Sodium 16mg (1%) Potassium 583mg (17%) Fiber 11g (44%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 45IU (1%) Vitamin C 2.6mg (3%) Calcium 70mg (7%) Iron 4.2mg (23%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 242

% Daily Value*

Calories 242kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 12g 24%
Fat 4g 6%
Sodium 16mg 1%
Potassium 583mg 12%
Fiber 11g 44%
Sugar 7g 14%
Vitamin A 45IU 1%
Vitamin C 2.6mg 3%
Calcium 70mg 7%
Iron 4.2mg 23%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.