Leftover Cooked Chickpeas: What to Make With Half a Pot

The pot that was too big

Dried chickpeas swell to roughly two to two and a half times their dry volume once soaked and cooked. A 500 gram (1.1 lb) bag becomes well over a litre of cooked beans, more than most families eat in a sitting. Cooking in bulk is smart, but only if there is a plan for the second half. This post is about that plan: leftover cooked chickpeas, how long they keep, and what to turn them into.

Our general what can I cook with chickpeas post covers the dried versus tinned question. This one starts after the cooking is done.

Storage that keeps them safe

Cool the beans quickly. Spread them in a shallow tray or drain them and let them stand uncovered for no more than about an hour, then refrigerate in a lidded container. Leaving a deep pot on the stove overnight is the mistake that causes problems, because the centre of a big pot stays warm for hours.

Fridge life: use cooked chickpeas within about 3 to 4 days. Store them in a little of their cooking liquid, which keeps them from drying out. If they smell sour, look slimy or have bubbles in the liquid, discard them.

Reheat until steaming hot throughout before you serve them in any hot dish. If they are going into a cold dish like chaat, that is fine if they were kept cold the whole time and are fresh.

Freezing

Drain, pat dry, spread on a tray, freeze until firm, then bag them. They will not clump, and you can scoop out what you need. Frozen cooked chickpeas keep well for a few months and go straight into curries, soups and rice dishes without thawing. Their texture is a little softer after freezing, so they suit hummus, mashed fillings and curries better than a salad where you want bite.

Dish 1: chana chaat, the fastest option

Cold, boiled chickpeas with chopped onion, tomato, green chilli, chaat masala, lemon and a few coriander leaves make an instant snack. Our chana chaat recipe gives the proportions. Add boiled potato if you have it. It takes about five minutes and is a good use for the first day of leftovers, while the beans still taste fresh.

Dish 2: hummus, if they are soft

Overcooked, slightly mushy chickpeas make better hummus than firm ones. Take a look at our hummus recipe and the post on getting it smooth, not grainy. Use some of the cooking liquid in place of water, and peel off loose skins if you want a very smooth result. Without tahini you still get a decent bean dip with olive oil, garlic and lemon, but it will taste different from the real thing.

Dish 3: chana masala as a second-day dish

Cooked chickpeas turn into chana masala in about 20 minutes. Cook the onion, tomato and spice base first, then add the beans and a cup of their liquid, and simmer so the beans soak up the flavour. If the chickpeas are already well cooked, shorten the simmer so they hold their shape. Our recipe was written from dried beans, so scale down the liquid and time when you use pre-cooked ones.

Dish 4: mashed into patties or stirred into rice

Mash a cup of chickpeas with a boiled potato, chopped onion, green chilli, salt, cumin and a spoonful of besan or breadcrumbs to bind it. Shape small patties and shallow-fry them in a thin layer of oil, a few minutes a side, until browned. Serve in a bun or with chutney. Alternatively, stir whole chickpeas into khichdi or a plain rice pulao to give a vegetarian meal some protein.

Can you skip the soak next time?

Soaking shortens cooking time and gives more even beans. Overnight soaking in plenty of water is the standard method. If you forgot, a quick soak works: cover with boiling water, leave for an hour or two, then drain and cook. A pressure cooker handles unsoaked chickpeas as well, though it takes longer. See our whistle-count guide for timings.

Quantity cheat sheet

A tin of chickpeas, once drained, is roughly 1.5 cups (240 g, 8.5 oz). That is a handy comparison when a recipe quantity is given for dried beans.

A plan for the week

1. Cook the full bag on the weekend and cool it fast.
2. Eat a chaat that day or the next.
3. Make chana masala on night two.
4. Freeze the remainder in 2-cup bags.
5. Pull one bag mid-week for hummus or a pulao.

If you keep a log of what is in your fridge and freezer, the Degchi pantry can suggest recipes around the chickpeas you already have, so they do not sit forgotten behind the milk.