Citrus Free Instant Pot Chickpeas
Dried chickpeas cooked from scratch are on a completely different level from the canned version — creamier, meatier, and far more satisfying in everything from grain bowls to hummus. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting here, turning a pound of dried legumes into perfectly tender, fully cooked chickpeas without any overnight soaking required. Smashed garlic, a bay leaf, and a touch of ground cumin infuse the beans as they cook under pressure, so they taste seasoned all the way through rather than bland and one-dimensional. For anyone avoiding citrus, this recipe is naturally a safe bet — there's no lemon juice, zest, or citrus-derived ingredient anywhere in the process, which is more than you can say for a lot of store-bought hummus or prepared bean dishes. The 40-minute high-pressure cook followed by a natural release is the key to getting that ideal texture without blowouts or mushy skins. Don't skip saving the cooking liquid — it's deeply savory and works beautifully as a base for soups or stews. Make a big batch, cool them on a sheet pan, and freeze in portions so you always have a citrus-free protein ready to go.
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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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