How to Soak Garbanzo Beans

Soaking garbanzo beans speeds the cooking process.

Garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas or ceci, are the most widely consumed legume in the world. A staple in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines for centuries, garbanzo beans make a healthy, low-calorie and fiber-rich addition to salads, soups and stews. Garbanzo beans are a good source of protein and alternative to meat. To speed the cooking of dried beans, you can rehydrate them first by soaking them overnight or during the day for several hours.

Things You'll Need

• Stockpot and lid
• Water

Instructions

1. Pour 1 lb. of dried beans into stockpot and add 10 cups of cold water.

2. Place a lid on the stockpot and refrigerate the beans for six to eight hours or overnight.

3. Drain and rinse the beans.

Tips & Warnings

• For a quicker soak, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 lb. of dried beans and return the water to a boil for two to three minutes. Turn off the heat, let the beans stand for one hour, rinse and drain them.

• To cut down on the indigestible sugars in the beans, boil the beans for two to three minutes before soaking them overnight.

References

• Centers For Disease Control And Prevention: Fruits And Veggies Matter: Fruit And Vegetable Of The Month: Beans
• United States Department Of Agriculture: MyPyramid.gov: Inside The Pyramid

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• 101 Cookbooks: Garbanzo Bean Recipes