If you're looking for an easy way to cook chickpeas without soaking them, you've come to the right place. Today we're going to tell you what to look for when preparing dried chickpeas! So, here we go!
You have only dried chickpeas at home, but mega desire for a delicious recipe, for which they must of course first be soft? No need to hang your head. You don't have to throw your plan overboard.
There is a lot to be said for buying dried legumes in stock. They are delicious, nutritious and can be stored for a very long time without any problems.
This saves money and avoids waste. However, many people have the misconception that dry legumes must be soaked for at least 12 hours before cooking.
Yes, it is better to cook pre-swollen chickpeas. But with a few tricks, pulses also become soft without being soaked for hours.
Why should chickpeas be soaked?
Dried chickpeas are much more digestible if they are soaked before cooking. Especially those who have a sensitive stomach will notice the difference. By soaking you can reduce cooking time and energy consumption by up to 70 %.
Good to know: Studies have shown that the toxin phasin in legumes only breaks down when they are heated or cooked to at least 70°. Phasin in larger amounts can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and gastrointestinal distress. Therefore, you must never eat the legumes raw!
But can you cook chickpeas without soaking them? The answer is quite clear: Yes! How to do it and what you need to pay attention to, you'll find out now!
Can you cook dried chickpeas without soaking?
To turn a dried chickpea into an edible and soft chickpea, it just takes a little more time and water. If you don't want to soak the peas in cold water or forgot about it, you can just simmer them a little longer in a regular pot.
The most important thing is that you cook the chickpeas in three times the amount of water, keeping in mind that they reach three times the volume. Therefore, it is better to use a pot too large than too small.
Instructions for the normal cooking pot:
- Put the chickpeas in a large pot. Pour with three times the amount of water.
- Boil them for 5 minutes with bubbling water.
- Turn off the stove, leave the pot on the plate. Close the pot with a lid. Let this mix stand for an hour.
- Then cook the chickpeas for 30 to 40 minutes.
Alternatively, you can cook raw chickpeas without soaking them. This also takes 1.5 to 2 hours - so it makes no difference, except that you use more energy and water.
In pressure cooker
If you like, you can use a pressure cooker. To do this, triple the amount of water and close the pot tightly. The chickpeas will be cooked in 45 minutes. Without the one-hour break that you need in a normal saucepan.
If you don't have a pressure cooker yet, I can recommend this one:
I wouldn't want to be without it. These saucepans are used for preparing meat dishes, soups, stews, but also rice, quinoa or pulses of all kinds. Wherever you want to cook food in a much shorter time.
In the pressure stove
If you want to cook chickpeas without soaking them, you can use a slow cooker. Mix the chickpeas with three times the amount of water. Depending on the type of cooker, the process can take up to 4 hours.
Do you know these delicious chickpea recipes?
- Fritters with sweet potatoes and chickpeas
- Veggie vegetable balls
- Chickpea salad with tuna
- Mmmhh: Chickpea fritters with pumpkin
- This is how easy you make hummus yourself!
Tips and tricks for cooking chickpeas without soaking them
There are a few more little things to keep in mind when you're cooking dried legumes until soft. With these methods and ideas, chickpeas will soften quickly and naturally without soaking.
Cook chickpeas in salted water
Legumes that are cooked in salted water from the start take longer to soften. This warning is often found on legume packaging.
However, scientific studies have proven that salt or other salty additives such as granulated broth can reduce cooking time. The belief is based on the fact that salt raises the boiling point of water. However, as it lowers it so much that it has no effect on the cooking of the chickpeas, this misconception has been debunked.
It is worthwhile to salt the chickpeas immediately. The sodium and chloride ions in the salt or broth cause the pectin bonds in the shells to loosen. This makes them more permeable to water and the whole pea cooks faster and more evenly.
Lime water
If your water is particularly chalky, it can take a long time for the chickpeas to cook. Limescale can clog the membranes of the legumes and often settles on the food.
This means that the chickpeas take longer to cook. A good alternative is Baking powder*, which reduces the hardness of the water and makes it easier to cook the chickpeas.
Perfect cooking time
The cooking time depends on the intended use of the chickpeas. Chickpeas for a salad or rice dish may be firmer to the bite and take less time to cook than those used in a stew.
In a soup or made into hummus, they need a little longer. You can check the firmness of the chickpeas by gently pricking them with a knife between the two halves or simply taking a taste.
Soak and cook chickpeas: here's how to do it right
You can save significantly more electricity if you soak the chickpeas overnight. I'd like to tell you how to do this properly for next time.
- Put the chickpeas in a bowl with double to triple the amount of water.
- Let them soak overnight - a rule of thumb is 8 to 12 hours.
- Pour away the soaking water, rinse the legumes with clean water.
- Cover with twice the amount of water and bring to a boil.
- Turn down the temperature and let it simmer gently for about 50 minutes.
If you regularly tend to forget to soak chickpeas overnight or for spontaneous recipes, it is always worth having at least one or two cans of the legumes at home.
Our conclusion
Cooking chickpeas without soaking them can work if you have patience. If you forgo soaking the dried legumes, you will extend the cooking time many times over. If you're under a lot of stress and forget to soak the peas as a result, stock up on a few cans. The canned chickpeas are ready to eat immediately.
Good luck and enjoy your chickpeas recipe!
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