Chickpeas: how long to soak them and how long they take to cook
A practical guide to soaking and cooking dried chickpeas: realistic times, conventional and pressure cooking, water, salt and the mistakes that leave chickpeas hard.
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Pulses
Guides to dried and cooked pulses covering soaking, cooking times, storage, digestibility and nutrition. We bring together specific answers about chickpeas, lentils and beans, as well as comparisons of protein, iron, fibre and other nutrients. You will also find explanations of soaking water, bicarbonate, hard water, pressure cooking and why skins sometimes split during cooking. This category is designed to understand pulses from a practical and technical perspective without turning every question into a recipe: how to buy, prepare, store and compare them with confidence.
Featured guides
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- When to add salt to chickpeas, lentils and beans: does salt make pulses tough?
- Do lentils need soaking? How long, and when it is worth doing
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39 articlesArticles about Pulses
Should you discard pulse soaking water or can you use it?
Soaking water contains compounds released by dried pulses. Learn when discarding it makes sense, what fresh cooking water changes and why soaking water is not…
Read the articleHow to make pulses cause less gas: what soaking and cooking really change
Gas from pulses is linked to fibre and fermentable carbohydrates. Learn which measures really help: soaking, fresh cooking water, thorough cooking, portion size and gradual…
Read the articleChickpeas in hot or cold water: what changes during soaking and cooking
Should chickpeas go into cold or hot water? We separate soaking from cooking, explain what really changes and how to avoid hard centres or damaged…
Read the articleBaking soda when soaking pulses: what it does and how much to use
Baking soda can help chickpeas, beans and other pulses soften faster, but too much damages flavour and texture. Learn when it helps, how much to…
Read the articleDo lentils need soaking? How long, and when it is worth doing
Most lentils do not need soaking to cook properly. Size, age, recipe and available time can still make a short soak useful. This guide explains…
Read the articleFoam when cooking chickpeas, lentils or beans: what it is and whether to remove it
The foam that appears when cooking pulses comes from soluble compounds, proteins, starch and tiny particles released into the water. Learn when skimming is useful…
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Can you freeze cooked pulses? How to preserve their texture
Cooked chickpeas, lentils and beans can be frozen, but the result is better when you control doneness, cooling, liquid, portions and thawing. This guide explains…
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How much dried pulses per person: chickpeas, lentils and beans
The right amount of dried pulses depends on whether they are the main dish, a side or one ingredient among many. This guide gives practical…
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How to build a useful pantry with pulses, preserves and EVOO you will actually use
A useful pantry is not measured by how many jars it contains. Learn how to combine dried pulses, vegetable preserves and EVOO around real cooking…
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Dried or cooked pulses: when each format makes sense and what changes in the kitchen
Chickpeas, lentils and beans can be bought dried or already cooked. Compare planning, texture, recipe control, storage and convenience to decide when each format makes…
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How to store dried pulses correctly in the pantry
Moisture, heat, light, insects and stock rotation affect chickpeas, lentils and beans. Learn how to store them for better cooking and less waste.
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