Simply Great Garbanzo Beans

Cooking dried garbanzo beans (aka chickpeas) couldn’t be easier. Ready to eat in under an hour when using the Instant Pot and no soaking required. Use these cooked simply great garbanzo beans to create some of the best homemade hummus, plant-based burgers, and even cookies! Yes, chocolate chip cookies – who knew? I can’t wait to share the recipe with you but lets start by preparing the beans. This has to be the simplest recipe ever!

All you need to cook dried garbanzo beans is water and an Instant Pot! They are ready in less than an hour with no soaking required. Once cooked they can be eaten whole – either hot or cold – on salads, added to soups, mashed for making plant-based burgers, or made into hummus with garlic, tahini, lemon, cumin, and olive oil. Not to mention they are a great source of vitamins, plant-based protein, and fiber. A single tablespoon of Garbanzo Beans contains 2.4 grams of protein!

Are Garbanzo Beans the same as Chickpeas? The answer is YES. The name Garbanzo Bean is typically used in the West, whereas they are called Chickpeas in the East. Basically, Garbanzo Bean is the English name and Chickpea is the Spanish name. The funny thing is – they are not a pea at all! They are a bean and fall into the nutritional category of legumes with other beans, lentils, and peas.

This recipe is so easy it barely needs a recipe card, however, I will provide one! All it takes is 1 cup of Dried Garbanzo Beans, 4 cups of filtered water, and an Instant Pot. Place dried beans directly into the Instant Pot with filtered water and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Let the Instant Pot naturally release for at least 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove Garbanzo Beans. That’s it. No other ingredients needed.

If you aren’t blessed with having an Instant Pot, you can bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add 1 cup of dried garbanzo beans, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook on the stove for upwards of 90 minutes. You will have to keep an eye on the water level and also make sure it doesn’t boil over. I prefer the Instant Pot for the time saving ability and simplicity of not having to watch the beans cook or worry about them boiling over on the stove. With the Instant Pot all you have to do is add the water, beans, lid, and push a button. You can walk away and multi task while the beans cook. So much easier!

Once fully cooked, enjoy the garbanzo beans hot or cold on a salad. For a crunchy snack, toss them in olive oil, your favorite spices, and bake in the oven until crispy. Mash and use for making plant-based burgers. Or create amazing homemade hummus that will beat the flavor of any store bought one (recipe coming soon)!

Not to mention cooked garbanzo beans can be used for making healthy, gluten free, Protein Packed Chocolate Chip Cookies!!! I didn’t believe it until I tried them myself. They were so good I made 2 batches. I can’t wait to share the recipe with you.

Looking for a way to support a US farmer that grows Garbanzo Beans??? There is a great small family farm in Montana called Living Sky Grains with a website that has reasonable priced garbanzo beans (along with wheat, flour, and flax) farmed with regenerative farming practices. Getting beans directly from the source is a win win for everyone. Garbanzo Beans contain more nutrients the fresher they are. When you purchase them direct from the farm you are getting the maximum nutritional benefits and helping out the farmer as well! Oh, I should mention I am not being paid to say this. Just sharing a local source I order quality garbanzo beans from:)

What is regenerative farming? In a nutshell, its when farmers focus on the quality of soil used to grow their crops. They don’t burn, till, or use pesticides in their fields. They do use crop rotation and bring in beneficial plants and nutrients for the soil. Basically, they feed the soil with diversity and in turn focus on having good soil for their crops. My logical brain loves this ~ a good crop starts with good quality soil!

Below you will find a simple recipe for cooking dried garbanzo beans. However, the fun part comes after you cook these. There are so many creations you can make with these beans. I look forward to inspiring you to create wellness in your kitchen!

Remember to be creative with your food. It doesn’t have to be complicated and there is inspiration all around you. If you haven’t tried making beans in your Instant Pot, what are you waiting for?

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