15 Easy and Delicious Slow Cooker Chickpea Recipes

I love cooking chickpeas in the crockpot since it deepens the flavors and makes chickpeas way more exciting. It's also a pantry staple, in either the dried or canned varieties, that is a great source of protein, fiber, and vitamins.

Whether or not you have been a lifetime love of garbanzo beans or are just trying chickpeas for the first time -  these recipes will make you love these nutritional powerhouses.  

Let's talk about chickpeas for a minute. Some of us have loved these little legumes for a long time seeing their ability to take on flavor and work in so many different types of recipes. Other people may be trying them as try new ingredients that are shelf stable for the first time. Today, I am hoping you help you get the most out of your chickpeas with these yummy slow cooker recipes.

Not only can be chickpeas be cooked in the slow cooker from their dried or canned forms, they can be used to bulk up recipes and stretch your proteins. They are great additions to soups, stews, taco filling, chicken dishes, and more. They take on the flavors of whatever you are cooking, making them a great way to add protein and fiber to any dish. 

How to cook dried chickpeas in the slow cooker?

Cooking dried chickpeas in the crockpot is my preferred method by far since it doesn't require soaking or hanging out by the stove. All you need to do is add the washed chickpeas to the slow cooker with a liquid of choice. Plus one pound of dried chickpeas yields about four cans worth so it's more affordable by far. 

For every pound of chickpeas, you will want to add 7 cups of liquid. This can be water or broth. You can also add some flavor agents like salt (about 1 teaspoon), pepper, garlic, onions, bay leaves, or herbs, which I recommend to add flavor to the chickpeas. 

• Low: Cook on low for 7-8 hours until the chickpeas are soft and tender. Drain any excess liquid. (preferred)
• High: Cook on high for 3-4 hours until chickpeas are cooked through and tender. Drain extra liquid.

Optional: Some people recommend adding 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to the liquid when cooking in the slow cooker to help soften the chickpeas. I found it works with and without the chickpeas. 

Freezing slow cooker chickpeas: If you cook up a big batch of chickpeas and plan on saving them for later, make sure to freeze them with some of the cooking liquid. This will preserve the texture and taste. Then just drain when you defrost them.

Now let's talk about recipes! Most of these use canned chickpeas but you could cook up a big batch of dried chickpeas and then use them in these recipes. Additionally, there is information below about how and when to use dried chickpeas in these recipes. 

Slow Cooker Chickpea Recipes

1. Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chickpeas with Pineapple (259 calories, 3 Green, 0 Blue, 0 Purple): This simple chickpea recipe is packed with tons of flavor from a homemade sweet and sour sauce that uses pantry ingredients. Add fresh or canned pineapple to make it a recipe that the whole family loves.

2. Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chickpeas (288 calories,  5 Green, 2 Blue, 2 Purple): This recipe uses roasted red peppers and herbs to create tons of flavor in a simple dish. It's delicious served with polenta, pasta, or vegetables.

3. Slow Cooker Curry Chickpeas and Vegetables (289 calories, 6 Green, 3 Blue, 3 Purple): Curry is the perfect spice combination to add to chickpeas and it couldn't be easier since the curry paste brings all the flavor in just one ingredient. Add any fresh or frozen vegetables you have on hand. 

4. Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Chickpeas: (309 calories, 5 Green, 2 Blue, 2 Purple) This easy pantry sauce made with soy sauce, brown sugar, and Sriracha will quickly become something you use all the time. It makes the most addictive sauce that will have you licking your plate.

5. Slow Cooker Greek Chickpeas (272 calories, 6 Green, 2 Blue, 2  Purple): Use this recipe to create Greek style chickpeas combined with vegetarian crumbles, ground beef, or ground turkey. It uses a bunch of pantry spices and ingredients to add flavor. Top with Greek olives and feta cheese if you have it.

6. Slow Cooker Chickpea Tikka Masala with Cauliflower (273 calories, 5 Green, 2 Blue, 2 Purple):  This classic Indian chickpea dish is full of warm and comforting spices.  It's made with mostly pantry ingredients and you can use any vegetable (or leave it out) if you don't have the cauliflower.

7. Slow Cooker Chana Masala (262 calories, 4 Green, 1 Blue, 1 Purple): Another Indian dish that is perfect for pantry cooking. The chickpeas are cooked with tomatoes, spices, and jalapenos to create a savory, spicy dish that is really delicious with any whole grains.

8. Tomato and Coconut Curry Chickpea Stew (369 calories, 7 Green, 4 Blue, 4 Purple): Although this doesn't have to be made in the slow cooker, it can be. Just add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours.

9. Slow Cooker Italian White Beans and Mushrooms (269 calories, 6 Green, 1 Blue, 1 Purple): Although this recipe calls for white beans, it works great with chickpeas as well. The recipe uses canned tomatoes, mushrooms, and spices to create a deep, rich flavor. Fresh, frozen, or canned mushrooms will work. This  recipe also starts with dried beans.

10. Slow Cooker Italian Red Pepper Beans (252 calories, 7 Green, 1 Blue, 1 Purple): This is another recipe that  can be used for chickpeas and is a simple but super tasty combination of canned tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, and a touch of red pepper flakes.

11. Slow Cooker Quinoa and Bean Stuffed Peppers (269 calories, 7 Green, 5 Blue, 2 Purple): These stuffed peppers can be made with any beans you like, including chickpeas, and don't require cooking the quinoa ahead of time.

12. Slow Cooker Butternut Squash, Bean, and Barley Stew (220 calories, 4 Green, 2 Blue, 2 Purple): Make this hearty stew with chickpeas instead of black beans. It works with fresh or frozen butternut squash and is a delicious way to use barley, which is an often overlooked grain.

13. Sausage, Bean, and Spinach Soup (345 calories, 7 Green, 5 Blue, 5 Purple): I am obsessed with this simple soup recipe that can be made stovetop or in the slow cooker, just brown the sausage first. Use fresh or frozen spinach or substitute any hearty greens or veggies.

14. Chicken Chili (372 calories) This soup is a shortcut chili made with jarred salsa. You can easily use chickpeas in place of the white beans,

15. Slow Cooker Tomato Chipotle Chickpeas (196 calories): This is one of my favorite chickpea recipes to use for a taco filling. The chipotles add smokiness and spice that is so good in a taco. 

Do I have to soak dried chickpeas before adding them to the slow cooker?

After lots of testing, you do not need to soak chickpeas before making them in the slow cooker. However, make sure to clean the chickpeas before using it since dried chickpeas since they can contain debris and small rocks some times. 

Also just to note, whenever using canned chickpeas, make sure to rinse and drain them to remove the canning liquid which can add a tinny taste to the recipes.

How to substitute dried chickpeas for canned and vice versa?

Generally speaking, I recommend cooking dried chickpeas separately before using them in most recipes that call for cans. The reason for this is that it is hard to predict exactly how much liquid you need to cook dried chickpeas (there is extra when you follow the instructions above). This extra liquid will change the consistency of the recipe, creating a watery end product in most cases. 

If you still want to try to use dried chickpeas in a recipe that calls for canned chickpeas, you will want about 7 cups of liquid total for a pound of dried chickpea. However, you will probably need to keep these conversions in mind: 

Canned beans to Cooked Beans

• 14 oz can = 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
• 19 oz can = about 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 28 oz can = 3 cups cooked chickpeas

Dry beans to Cooked Beans

• 1 pound dried chickpeas = 6 to 7 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
• 1 pound dried chickpeas = about 2 cups dry beans
• 1 cup dry chickpeas = 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1/3 cup dry chickpeas = 1 cup cooked chickpeas

Can I make these recipes in the Instant Pot?

Most of these recipes will also work in the Instant Pot. Generally speaking, these recipes all have enough liquid that they will not burn in the Instant Pot. If you are using canned chickpeas, you will want to base the cooking time on the other ingredients. If the recipe doesn't call for ingredients that need to "cook," then you will want to cook for at least 10 minutes so the flavors have time to develop.