Canning chickpeas is a fantastic way to make this versatile ingredient more accessible and convenient to use in various recipes.
Canning is a time-honored tradition used to preserve food for centuries.
While many people are familiar with canning fruits and vegetables, only some realize it’s possible to can legumes, such as chickpeas.
Whether you want to add them to salads, stews, or hummus, canned chickpeas are an excellent pantry staple that saves time and money. We’ll explore the benefits of canning chickpeas, the step-by-step process, and some creative ways to use them in your cooking. So, let’s check out how to preserve chickpeas in a can!
What are chickpeas/ chick peas?
Chickpeas, or chick peas or garbanzos (garbanzo beans), are a type of legume cultivated in warm regions. And they have been for thousands of years in the Mediterranean regions and the Middle East.
They are round, beige-colored beans with a nutty, creamy flavor and a firm texture.
They are a key ingredient in many cuisines, including India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. Chickpeas can be purchased dried or canned and used in lots of recipes.
Why can chickpeas at home?
Canning chickpeas at home has several benefits, including:
- Convenience: Having canned chickpeas on hand makes meal prep and cooking more convenient, as they are already cooked and ready to use. You can easily add them to soups, salads, and other dishes without cooking them from scratch.
- Cost savings: Canning chickpeas at home is often more cost-effective than buying canned chickpeas at the store. You can purchase dried chickpeas in bulk and can them yourself, which can be a more affordable option in the long run. They cost just about $2.50 per pound. One pound of dry beans will yield about 4 pints of canned beans. So one pint costs about sixty-five cents.
- Health benefits: Canning chickpeas at home allows you to control the ingredients and avoid added preservatives and sodium in store-bought canned chickpeas. Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein. They’re high in fiber, and other essential nutrients, such as; iron, folate, and magnesium. This makes them a healthy addition to any meal.
- Sustainability: Canning chickpeas at home is a more sustainable option than buying canned chickpeas at the store because it reduces packaging waste and energy used in transportation.
- Preserving the harvest: You can grow chickpeas or purchase them dried. Canning them allows you to enjoy them throughout the year and avoid waste.
- Single-serve portions: Canning them at home allows you to make different-sized jars for different applications. If you’re canning pint jars, they are great for a batch of hummus; however, they’re too big to use for topping salads. You can use the whole jar if you put them in half-pint jars.
What you need
- Dried chickpeas: You can purchase dried chickpeas for much less than canned ones. We suggest organic chickpeas.
- Salt: We use kosher salt, sea salt, or canning salt.
How to make them
Step one
Add dry chickpeas to a colander or strainer. Carefully pick through them and remove any debris or small stones.
This is fairly common, so don’t skip this step.
Step Two
Add them to a large pot. Cover them with fresh, cold water.
Step Three
Be sure to add a lot of water because they will soak up a lot.
Step Four
See how they plump up overnight?
Drain the water off and add fresh water.
This will eliminate some of the starch and make them easier to digest.
Step Five
Cover the pot. Bring the water to a boil. Partly remove the lid after they boil so that they don’t spill over and make a mess of your stove.
Step Six
Add salt to jars. This isn’t strictly necessary but recommended.
Step Seven
Fill warm jars with garbanzos, leaving 1-inch headspace.
Add more of the cooking liquid to cover the peas totally with the liquid, if necessary.
Step Eight
Remove air bubbles with a bubble tool or a wooden or plastic knife or chopstick.
Sten Ten
Wipe the rims clean with a damp paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
Load jars into the canning pot.
To fit more jars in your canning pot, use a rack to separate the layers.
Place jars that are the same height in your bottom layer and top them with mismatched-sized jars.
Cover the pressure canner with the lid. Secure. Bring the water in the pot to a boil. Let steam vent from the venting hole for a full ten minutes.
Add the pressure regulator. Bring the pot up to the specified pressure (psi) for your altitude. Start the timer. Process pints or half pints for 75 minutes. Process quarts for 90 minutes.
Once time has elapsed, remove the canner from the burner. Allow pressure to release naturally.
Once all of the pressure has been released, carefully open the lid and move it partially off the top of the canning pot. Let it rest like that for 5 minutes.
Then remove the lid and allow the jars to rest another 5 to 10 minutes in the canning pot.
After resting, remove the hot jars to a kitchen towel placed on your counter and let them thoroughly cool for 12-24 hours, undisturbed.
Check the seals. Press down in the middle of the lid. If it flexes up or down, the jar is not sealed and should be refrigerated and used first.
Then remove the bands. Gently pick the jar up by the lid to further check the seal. Again, if it is not sealed, use it first.
Label jars with contents and the date. Store in a cool, dark space.
How to use canned chickpeas
Canned chickpeas are a versatile and convenient ingredient used in various dishes. Here’s how to use them:
- Drain and rinse: Open the can of chickpeas and pour them into a colander or strainer. Rinse them under cold running water to remove excess liquid or canning residue.
- Optional: Remove skins: You can remove the skins from the chickpeas for a smoother texture in some recipes, like hummus. Pinch each chickpea gently between your fingers; the skin should come right off. This step is optional for most recipes.
- Use in your desired recipe: Use canned chickpeas in many dishes, including salads, soups, stews, dips, and more. Here are some popular ways to use canned chickpeas:
- Hummus: Blend chickpeas with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and spices to make a delicious and healthy dip or spread.
- Salads: Toss chickpeas with vegetables, greens, and your favorite dressing for a hearty salad. You can also roast them in the oven with spices for a crunchy salad topping.
- Soups and stews: Add chickpeas to soups and stews for extra protein and texture. They work well in Mediterranean, Indian, or Moroccan-inspired dishes.
- Curries: Cook chickpeas in a flavorful curry sauce with vegetables, tomatoes, and your choice of protein for a satisfying meal. This Rabbit Curry is an excellent example.
- Roasted chickpeas: Toss chickpeas with olive oil, salt, and your favorite spices, then roast them at 400°F (200°C) for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy and golden. Enjoy them as a snack or salad topping.
- Falafel: Mash chickpeas with herbs, spices, and flour, then form into balls or patties and fry or bake them for a tasty vegetarian dish.
- Veggie burgers: Combine mashed chickpeas with vegetables, grains, and seasonings, and form patties to make vegetarian burgers.
- Pasta dishes: Add chickpeas to pasta dishes for extra protein and texture.
- Aquafaba: When straining them, save the canning liquid. It is a versatile ingredient, as well. See below for details.
Adjust your recipe’s seasonings and cooking time, as canned chickpeas are already cooked and may require less heating than dried chickpeas.
What is aquafaba?
Aquafaba is the viscous liquid that remains after cooking legumes, such as chickpeas, in water. It is most commonly associated with the fluid found in a can of chickpeas. However, you can make it by boiling and cooling chickpeas or other legumes at home.
The term “aquafaba” comes from the Latin words “aqua” (water) and “faba” (bean).
Aquafaba has unique properties that make it an excellent egg substitute, particularly in vegan cooking and baking. Whipped aquafaba can create a stable foam similar to whipped egg whites, making it suitable for use in recipes like meringues, mousses, and mayonnaise.
Additionally, it can act as a binder in recipes like veggie burgers, fritters, or baked goods.
To use aquafaba as an egg substitute, follow these general guidelines:
- For one egg white, use two tablespoons (30 ml) of aquafaba.
- For one whole egg, use three tablespoons (45 ml) of aquafaba.
It’s important to note that aquafaba is a direct substitute in many recipes. Still, not all recipes will work and may require some experimentation. However, it has become an increasingly popular and versatile ingredient in vegan and egg-free cooking.
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I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Canning Chickpeas | Garbanzos
Ingredients
- 3 lbs dried chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon salt per jar
Instructions
- Rinse and sort beans well. Small rocks and foreign debris from the fields are common finds in a bag of beans.3 lbs dried chickpeas
- Cover beans in a large pot with cool water. Soak beans 8 hours to overnight.
- Drain beans.
- Add fresh water, to cover beans. Add salt.
- Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Peas should be very plump and tender.
- Add salt to jars. Fill warm jars with beans. Add cooking liquid to cover, leaving 1″ head space.½ teaspoon salt
- Remove any air bubbles with non metallic tool. I use a chopstick.
- Wipe rims clean with damp towel. Apply lids. Affix bands. Tighten fingertip tight.
- Prepare pressure canner according to manufacturer’s recommendations and heat water. Load jars into canner.
- Place lid on canner securely according to manufacturer’s recommendations. Allow steam to release for 10 full minutes before adding weights. Process jars allotted amount time at allotted pressure for your altitude. See graph below.
- Once your processing time has passed, remove pot from heat. Allow it to cool naturally and release pressure.
- After pressure has released, open canner carefully. Cock the lid on the pot and let the jars rest 5 minutes. Then remove the lid and let the jars rest in the pot for another 5-10 minutes. Remove jars and place them on a kitchen towel on the counter for 24 hours.
- Check seals. Press down in the center of the lid. If it flexes that jar did not seal and must be refrigerated or reprocessed with a new lid, if desired. Use up any refrigerated beans within 3 days.
- For quart jars, see notes.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
Nutrition
Originally published March 19, 2023.
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