Why Are My Chickpeas Still Hard After Soaking?
Find out why soaked chickpeas stay firm, how to cook them until tender and what affects their cooking time.
Soaking dried chickpeas hydrates them and can shorten cooking time, but it does not cook them. If your chickpeas are firm after soaking, drain them, add fresh water and cook them thoroughly until tender. For hummus, you'll usually want them softer still, so they blend smoothly.
If they have already been cooking for a long time and remain hard, the age of the chickpeas, hard water or an acidic cooking liquid may be involved.
What to do now
Keep the chickpeas covered with fresh cooking water and continue cooking at a steady simmer. Test several once they have cooled enough to handle: a properly cooked chickpea should be tender all the way through, not chalky in the middle. Add water as needed.
If you added a lot of tomato, lemon or vinegar before the chickpeas softened, they may take longer. Continue cooking and checking; moving them to fresh water may help, although it will change the dish and is not guaranteed to rescue a very old batch.
Why won't they soften?
- They are old or have been stored poorly. Very dry, older pulses can take a long time to soften, and some may never become pleasantly tender.
- Your water is hard. Minerals in hard water can interfere with softening. If this keeps happening, try lower-mineral water next time.
- They need more cooking. Timing varies with the chickpeas, soaking method and equipment. Soaking is preparation, not the finish line.
- Acid was added too early. Save substantial amounts of lemon juice, tomato or vinegar until the chickpeas are tender.
Can I eat them just soaked?
Don't treat soaking as a substitute for cooking when preparing chickpeas for a salad, stew or hummus. Some dishes use soaked, ground chickpeas and then cook the mixture thoroughly; follow a trusted recipe for that specific dish.
For your next batch, store dried chickpeas in a cool, dry place and label when you bought them. If you need dinner sooner, canned chickpeas are already cooked and ready to use.