Black Pepper Free Instant Pot Chickpeas
Tender, creamy chickpeas from scratch used to feel like an all-day commitment, but the Instant Pot makes it genuinely effortless. A handful of aromatics — smashed garlic, a bay leaf, and a touch of ground cumin — give these legumes a subtle, savory depth without relying on any peppery heat. That makes this recipe a natural fit for anyone who needs to keep black pepper out of their kitchen, since the seasoning is clean and completely intentional. The high-pressure cook followed by a natural release means the chickpeas come out uniformly soft all the way through, no chalky centers in sight. Once they're done, you can use them immediately in salads, grain bowls, hummus, or soups, and the reserved cooking liquid is liquid gold for adding body to stews. Spreading them on a sheet pan to cool before storing keeps them from getting mushy, so they hold up beautifully all week long. Batch-cooking a full pound at once means you'll have a versatile, pepper-free protein base ready to go whenever you need it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 1 lb dried chickpeas
- 5 cups water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Sort through the dried chickpeas and discard any shriveled ones or small stones. Rinse under cold running water in a colander until the water runs clear.
- 2
Add the rinsed chickpeas, water, kosher salt, smashed garlic, bay leaf, ground cumin, and olive oil, if using, to the Instant Pot insert.
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