Chickpeas or garbanzos should be a staple in everyone’s kitchens.  Lo mejor is that this legume is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. This means that it can help in weight management, digestion, and regulating your health. 

On top of that, it is high in protein, meaning that it is vegetarian or vegan friendly if you’re into that. If that’s not your route, you can still include them in your menu for Meatless Mondays. Que rico!

But gushing about garbanzos is one thing, and another is cooking them.

Chickpeas can be cooked in various ways. Some people opt for canned chickpeas, whereas others (como yo) prefer to make them from scratch. Whichever method you choose, knowing how to make them as flavorful as possible is the goal. 

Since I’m in a giving mood (especially since the holidays are here!), I’m sharing three tips for cooking chickpeas. 

Take notes, Amigas!

Wash them

With legumes or any type of beans, you always want to make sure you wash them well. These items are prone to getting small bugs in them, so you want to avoid that. 

If you buy canned chickpeas, drain them well and run them through warm water. If you are making them from scratch, wash them with warm water until the water turns clear and leave them sitting for at least 12 hours. 

Season them

I’m weird, so I love the taste of unseasoned chickpeas. But they are definitely more enjoyable cuando tienen un poco de sazón. 

Now, the type of seasoning you want to use is up to you — everyone has their own signature in their kitchen. However, adding a pinch of salt goes a long way. 

And, if you’re like me, and love flavorful foods, add some achiote, garlic powder, onion powder, and all-purpose seasoning if you have some around. 

Since garbanzos are known for sucking in all the flavor, I’d be mindful of how much spice you are sprinkling. If you want something lightly seasoned, then stew them with broth instead of water (a little salt, of course.) You won’t be disappointed — I can promise you!

Cooking times

The amount of time you must cook chickpeas is related to which type of chickpeas you’re using. If you got yourself a can of chickpeas, then the time is much shorter — let’s say 15 minutes (on medium to medium-low heat), so the flavors have time to marry into the chickpeas. 

However, it depends if you are cooking them on their own. 

If you’ve added meat, potatoes, yuca, or anything else in the stew, then add more time (about 15 more minutes or so.) If you are making them from scratch, you know you have to add more time to it. 

Now, make sure only to start cooking raw chickpeas after they’ve soaked overnight. If you skip this step, they will be too hard to eat. But if you’ve soaked them, count on an hour to cook them well. My preferred method is a pressure cooker, but it can be done with a regular pot, too. 

Do you have a specific chickpea dish in mind that you’ll be making soon? Leave pictures in the comments when you make it!