A delicious, healthy recipe with chickpeas made in the instant pot, with stovetop method included. Easy whole foods vegan recipe that’s family-friendly!
These stewed chickpeas began on the stovetop. Then, I realized I could more quickly reduce the onions and dates using my Instant Pot.
I’ve had a lot of requests for pressure cooker recipes. It’s taken me a while to post one. I just tend to just wing it with the instant pot. How about you guys? Don’t you find it’s the type of appliance where you chuck staples and seasonings in there and let it ‘do its thing’?
Despite my tendency not to record recipes with the instant pot, I’ve been trying to do so. For you!
My favorite use of the IP is cooking beans. #useyourbean 😬 I use the Instant Pot for grains as well, but most often in combination with beans for recipes. So, it’s probably no surprise that the first instant pot recipe I share with you is one using beans!
This stewed chickpeas recipe is one I will turn to regularly, even though I’ve finished official ‘testing’. Hearty, delicious, quick to pull together – just so darn easy!
I value that simplicity of preparation so much now. I thought once the girls became older, I’d delve into more intricate recipes again. Not so! As kids get older there is a different kind of busy. I have no interest in fussy food prep. Anyone with me? #ithinkso!
I also love the flavor and sauciness of this stewed chickpeas dish. The onions cook down with the dates into the tomato puree creating this saucy base with an underlying sweetness that offsets the smoked paprika.
It’s so simply delicious, I can eat it straight up. But, we usually have it over cooked quinoa or a brown rice. Any leftovers I freeze or use myself in a vegan lunch bowl. In fact, I’m quite happy to have leftovers, because they become my”lunchovers“!
Stewed Chickpeas in the Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2-3 tbsp water and more if needed
- 2 large or 3 small-medium onions chopped (about 3 – 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp rounded sea salt
- 2 cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 2/3 cup pitted dates chopped
- 1 24 oz / 680g jar strained tomatoes or 1 – 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Instructions
- Add water, onions, paprika, cumin, allspice, and salt in the pressure cooker on saute function. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, and adding extra water if sticking. Add chickpeas, dates, and tomatoes and stir through well. Turn off saute function, and put on lid. Manually set to pressure cook (high) for 20 minutes. Then, let pressure release naturally (or release manually). Stir through, taste, add seasoning if desired, and serve. Serves 4-6 with cooked grain or potatoes (see note).
Notes
- Serving Suggestion: Serve over a whole grain like brown rice, millet, or quinoa. Also try over steamed kale, roasted squash, or mashed potatoes.
- Stovetop method: If you don’t have a pressure cooker, simply use a large pot to cook on stovetop. Follow instructions to saute. After adding the tomatoes, chickpeas, and dates, bring heat to a boil, then reduce to low. Cover, and cook for 40 minutes, or until dates and onions are fully softened.
NEWS! If all goes well, I’ll be releasing my Oil-Free Salad Dressings ebook next week. I’ll post soon, here’s a sneak peek… (UPDATE: Now here!)
Enjoy! x Dreena
Food photos taken by Nicole Axworthy.
Cee Aye says
i can’t see the recipe. I just found this recipe on your site and was excited but when i open the recipe is gone
Dreena says
going to fix shortly, thx
Nancy Brady RN says
Just made this… exquisite and yet so simple! But… do NOT use an Instant Pot or it will stick! (unless…you have a secret). Don’t like smoky taste, so just used Berbere Spice… also I only had one package of tomato sauce so added one can of chopped tomatoes. Worked out great.. I added 1/2 cup red lentils to beef it up. It was absolutely delicious… oh, also added some asparagus tips at the end that I had.
Because it burnt on the bottom with the I.P,. I transferred it all to another s.s. insert and did a slow cook… turned out great. Thank you for this lovely recipe..
Dreena says
Hi Nancy, glad you love the flavors! Not sure why it sticks for you, I’ve never had that happen. I use crushed/pureed tomatoes, rather than tomato sauce, maybe that’s the difference. I’ll keep an eye/ear out for this with others though, I’d be interested to know if that’s happened for other folks. TY!
Nancy Brady RN says
I don’t know HOW you did this in the pressure cooker without burning with all that tomato sauce! But, I said to myself, well, if Dreena did it, then it must work..but, sure enough, it burnt big time and quite quickly! How did you all do it?
Jennifer says
Nancy, did you use actual tomato sauce like you wrote, or did you use crushed tomatoes? The recipe calls for strained tomatoes, but it sounds like drained tomatoes – they aren’t drained, they are quite liquidy. Maybe that is what went wrong? Tomato sauce is much thicker and not as liquid. Make sure you are using crushed tomatoes or tomato puree. not sauce (which is already cooked down).
I love these chickpeas – it’s similar to a chickpea curry that I make, but this one has almost a Jamaican or Caribbean flavor profile to it.
Heather says
We don’t have a pressure cooker so i made it on the stove top. it came out gorgeous–the long slow cook made all the onions and dates just melt into the sauce. i also added 2 roasted, cubed sweet potatoes I had left over from a previous meal and it was lovely. Will feed the two of us again tonight. Thanks!
Dreena says
So glad to hear that, Heather! I sometimes make it stovetop as well. The addition of the sweet spuds = fabulous!
Kathy says
I tried this recipe today for the first time. It is DELICIOUS! I cooked dried chickpeas for 20 minutes before adding to this recipe. Worked very well. I love the slight sweetness that the dates give the sauce. Excellent recipe and I would proudly feed this to meat eaters.
Dreena says
Wonderful!! So pleased, thanks for sharing that Kathy. It’s become one of my new favorites, glad you feel it’s one you could easily serve to meat eaters as well.
Shellie says
Absolutely delicious. Leftovers just as good over rice. Can’t wait to have it again. 🙂
Georgianna says
This sounds amazing! I’m always looking for one pot vegetarian meals, and love chickpeas! Do you think you could make this in the slow cooker?
Chrystal @ Gluten-Free Palate says
These chickpeas sound so comforting. I will definitly make these!
amanda -runtothefinish says
ok i’ve been super curious about an instapot and now you’ve got me thinking maybe this needs to be on my wish list!
Alisa Fleming says
I’m so intrigued by the spice and flavor combination in this dish Dreena. So simple but it sounds so complex.
Lindsey Willson says
I am plant powered as well! This looks great and hearty! We’d love this in my house. The pressure cooker looks so helpful.
Kelly @ TastingPage says
Love the ease of throwing this in a slow cooker. Tasty and easy to make meal!
Alexa says
Dreena, I know that when I visit your site that I will leave inspired with delicious plant-based recipes. I want to do more than imagine the savory with a touch of sweet in these stewed chickpeas. I want to make to make it! Looks delish as always.
Dreena says
<3 thank you Alexa
Cricket Plunkett says
I love that you added dates to this! I don’t have an instastop, but I’m going to try the stove top method!
Elizabeth DiBurro says
Are the dates used to naturally sweeten the dish? I’ve notice more and more recipes calling for dates! I’ve never tried it.
Dreena says
sure are! They add a beautiful base sweetness, I just love it.
Amanda says
I just got an insta pot . I can’t wait to try this. It looks so yummy!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
So delish! Gotta get an instant pot soon! (Too many appliances!)
Patience says
Thanks for sharing — looking forward to trying this in my Instant Pot, sounds delicious! I’ll be using batch-cooked chickpeas (from dried) — what do you think, about 3 or so cups cooked chickpeas for the two cans…..?
LaJuana says
I too will be using chickpeas I soaked myself. I wonder if they need to cook much ahead of time since this is 20 minutes under pressure.
Patience says
Hmmm, that is a good question– just throwing in soaked beans would devoutly save a lot of time. Maybe Dreena will have an answer (I myself rarely cook with canned beans)…
Dreena says
When I do dried beans in the IP, I always do them in batches. But they do cook for sure in 20 minutes, so you could – but would need to add the water to adjust. I prefer cooking, freshening with rinsing, then using from there. Not sure if that helps.
Dreena says
Great! 1 can of chickpeas is almost 2 cups – not quite, about 1 3/4 cups for a 14 oz. So, 2 cans about 3 1/2 or 3 3/4.
shahar says
Hi Dreena,
The link to print/share” (under picture) does not work 🙁
Dreena says
OH, thanks, will fix that!
Judee@gluten freeA-Z Blog says
My working mother always used a pressure cooker,and it made her life so much easier. Of course we were all afraid of it! I understand the new Instant Pot is really safe- I’ve been thinking about getting one. Your recipe is enough to convince to have a healthy meal like that in 20 minutes!! Can you use soaked dry beans in the instant pot or just cooked beans?
Margaret says
Why do you need to cook it for so long at high pressure? 20 mins plus NPR?
Dreena says
it breaks down the sauce really well, like a very long stovetop simmer to develop texture/flavor. You don’t *have* to do NPR, can do manual at that time.
Margaret says
Okay, so the time isn’t for cooking, as beans already cooked — time is for the flavors and sauce to develop.
Dreena says
exactly – so you can def reduce time if you need/want, for speed! Prob 10 mins minimum.