Canned Chickpeas
Welcome to your go-to guide for cooking canned chickpeas like a pro! If you’ve ever been baffled by firm or gritty chickpeas straight out of the can, fret no more. In just a few simple steps, we’ll have you mastering the art of perfectly cooked chickpeas for any recipe.
Do Your Chickpeas Need Further Cooking?
If you’re adding canned chickpeas straight into a soup or stew, they’re fine. They’ll cook further with the other ingredients. The same is true when you’re making my air fryer falafel recipe. It’s actually perfect that the chickpeas are firm!
But what if you’re adding them to a salad or making a chickpea “tuna” salad?
Sometimes canned chickpeas are too firm, making them difficult to mash and resulting in a gritty texture. That’s when a little extra cooking comes in handy.
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Canned Chickpeas – Not all cans of chickpeas are created equal. Some, I’ve found, are perfectly soft right out of the can. Others are quite firm and unusable in some recipes. See below for what to do if your can of chickpeas is too firm.
Quick Check: Squish Test
To ensure your canned chickpeas are ready for any recipe, give them a quick squish between your fingers. If they’re super firm and hard to squish, they need some extra cooking.
Soft enough to squish? You’re good to go!
Simple Solution: Add chickpeas to boiling water to soften them.
Why boiling water? Adding chickpeas to boiling water (versus adding them to the water before it comes to a boil) prevents the legumes from becoming waterlogged and soggy, ensuring the ideal texture for using them in your recipe.
Storage Tips
Transfer cooked chickpeas to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can freeze them for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. To thaw them, transfer to the fridge overnight.
More Chickpea Recipes
Here are more ways to use chickpeas in your favorite recipes:
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Canned Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 15 oz can chickpeas
Instructions
- Add 1 ½ cups of water to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add chickpeas boiling water and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Recommended Equipment
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The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.