How to Take Skin Off Chickpeas

Cold water shocks or blanches boiled chickpeas, releasing the skin.

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Taking the skins off chickpeas can make the difference between a coarse and soft texture for dishes such as hummus, veggie burgers, chickpea soup and chickpea curry. Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are fiber-rich legumes that consist of an outer layer called the seed coat or skin and the legume itself called the cotyledon. While both parts of the chickpeas are edible, removing the skin improves the outcome of dishes that call for a creamier consistency.

Related Searches:Difficulty:Moderately EasyInstructions Things You'll NeedColanderWaterBowlPotIce (optional)Slotted spoonSuggest Edits1

Place dried chickpeas in a colander and rinse them with cold water. Pour the chickpeas into a bowl and fill the bowl with water until the chickpeas are submerged. Place the dried chickpeas in the refrigerator to soak for at least four hours to soften their texture.

2

Drain the presoaked chickpeas in a colander and pour them into a pot. Add 3 cups of water per 1 cup of chickpeas. Bring the water and chickpeas to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer the chickpeas for about one hour.

3

Remove the pot from the heat. Pour two to three glasses of cold water or ice to the pot to shock the chickpeas. The cold water causes the outer skin to crack and release from the chickpeas. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the skins out of the pot as they float to the top.

4

Drain the chickpeas in a colander. Inspect the chickpeas for remaining skins. Rub chickpeas with skin attached between your fingers with light pressure to remove the skin.

ReferencesWhole Foods: Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)National Center for Home Food Preservation: BlanchingVegetarian Cooing Recipes: Removing Chickpea SkinPhoto Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty ImagesRead Next:

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