Table of Contents

This article will take you through everything you need to know about storing chickpeas, whether they’re dry, canned, soaked, cooked, or roasted.

In a hurry?

Here’s the quick answer.

To store leftover cooked or soaked chickpeas, make sure they’re completely dry and cool before putting them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to six months. Keep roasted chickpeas at room temperature in a container with the lid slight ajar.

How to store cooked chickpeas

To store cooked chickpeas follow these steps:

Rinse and drain the chickpeas, drying them as much as possible.
Put the chickpeas into an airtight container, making sure not to transfer too much excess liquid along with them.
Drizzle a little oil over the chickpeas (optional) before sealing the container.
Store the chickpeas in the fridge for 2-3 days.
You can also freeze the cooked chickpeas for up to 6 months.

Some people also like to keep the cooking water, which lasts for 2-3 days in the fridge if you keep it in a covered container (separate to the chickpeas of course!).

The reason I suggest drying the chickpeas before storing them is that liquid in the container can make them mushy and will shorten their shelf life.

If you’re concerned about the chickpeas drying out, the drizzle of oil will help.

Pro tip: if you’re batch cooking chickpeas to store and reheat them later, then it’s best to undercook them slightly. That way, when you warm them up, they won’t become soft and overcooked.

If you’ve already incorporated your chickpeas into a delicious curry or you’ve pureed it to make hummus, you can still store them!

Simply transfer your dish to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. The only extra consideration here is the other ingredients in your dish and how well they’ll keep.

How to store roasted chickpeas

Keeping the lid ajar helps keep the chickpeas crispy

To store roasted or air fried chickpeas follow these steps:

Make sure the chickpeas are cooled to room temperature.
Place the roasted chickpeas in an airtight container and leave the lid slightly ajar. This means that air can circulate, which helps the chickpeas to retain their crunchy texture.
Keep the airtight container in a dark place at room temperature.
The roasted chickpeas will last for up to 3 days (but it’s better to consume as soon as possible).

For maximum crunch, roasted chickpeas are best consumed right away.

As soon as you take the chickpeas out of the oven they’ll start to lose their crisp. If you do need to store them, it’s all about how to prolong the crisp.

And this means you need some sort of air circulation.

You can also use a bowl and cover the chickpeas with a paper towel. The paper towel will protect the chickpeas from bugs and dust, while also letting air pass through.

If you’re less concerned about the crunchiness of your chickpeas and just want to store them for as long as possible, keep them in an airtight container (with the lid closed) where they’ll last for up to 2 weeks.

The roasted chickpeas will become softer and lose their crunch using these methods, but will still taste just as good.

Pro tip: before you put the chickpeas in any container, make sure they’re completely cool. Otherwise, they can sweat, which will produce moisture and reduce their shelf life.

Do you need to refrigerate roasted chickpeas?

The reason we refrigerate food is to prevent mold (caused by bacteria) from growing on it. Bacteria need moisture to be able to survive, which foods like dry rice and pasta don’t have. Therefore, mold isn’t an issue, and they can be kept at room temperature.

Roasted chickpeas have been dried in the oven and contain very little moisture. This means bacteria won’t be able to survive on the chickpeas, and you don’t need to refrigerate them. The only time I would advise refrigerating roasted chickpeas is if you’ve used a seasoning that you’d typically keep in the fridge (such as butter).

How to store soaked chickpeas

To store soaked chickpeas, follow these steps:

Drain all the water and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly.
Dry the chickpeas with a paper towel.
Put them in an airtight container in the fridge where they’ll keep for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze the chickpeas in a sealed container where they’ll stay at their best for up to 6 months (more on this below).

Learn More: How To Store Soaked Beans

Try to get the chickpeas as dry as possible before you store them.

Pat them dry with a paper towel or leave them to air dry for a few hours before putting them away. This will prevent them from absorbing excess moisture and becoming soggy while in storage.

Related: How Long Does Seitan Last

How to store canned chickpeas

If the can of chickpeas is sealed, then you should store them according to the instructions given on the can. There will usually be a best before date that indicates how long the chickpeas will stay at their best for.

If the can has any signs of leaks or has any sizeable dents, then it’s likely the seal has broken, and you should throw the chickpeas away.

Once opened, cover the can of chickpeas with plastic wrap or tin foil and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days. Alternatively, you can empty the chickpeas into an airtight container and put this in the refrigerator.

If you need to keep them for longer, you can freeze the chickpeas for up to two months.

How to store aquafaba

You can keep aquabafa in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. It also freezes really well. Before you freeze it, make sure to portion it up because once it’s defrosted, you can’t re-freeze it. An easy way to portion it out is to use an ice cube tray.

Aquafaba can be poured into ice cube trays for super easy portioning

One ice cube is approximately equal to one tablespoon of aquabafa, which is equal to ½ an egg white.

Once the cubes are frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag for more convenient storage.

How to store dried chickpeas

You can keep dried chickpeas at ambient temperatures in a cool, dry place for up to a year. After a year, the chickpeas can start to become stale which affects the texture once cooked.

It’s not advisable to put dried chickpeas in the refrigerator because they can absorb moisture in the fridge. And this will dramatically lower their shelf life because you’re risking mold!

Can you freeze chickpeas

You can freeze most types of chickpeas, the only exception are dried chickpeas. Roasted chickpeas also don’t freeze that well because they’ll lose their crunch. Cooked or soaked chickpeas freeze well and will last for up to 6 months in the freezer.

If you’re freezing cooked chickpeas, it’s best to slightly undercook them. This will prevent them from getting too mushy after defrosting.

How to freeze chickpeas

To freeze chickpeas follow these steps:

Rinse your chickpeas (if needed) and then make sure they’re as dry as possible.
Lay the chickpeas out in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze them for around an hour. Pre-freezing them means the chickpeas won’t stick together as they freeze and you don’t have to worry about portioning them out.
Transfer the partially frozen chickpeas into an airtight container or bag.
Place the chickpeas into the freezer for up to 6 months.

If you want to store the chickpeas along with their cooking or soaking liquid, then simply pour the whole mixture into an airtight container and freeze it.

I prefer to store my chickpeas dry because I find keeping them in the liquid makes them slightly too soft, which becomes an issue if you want to use the chickpeas in a dish where you’ll notice the texture (like a salad or a wrap).

If you’re planning to use the chickpeas for something like a soup or a stew, it doesn’t matter so much if the chickpeas are a little soggy. And there are benefits to keeping the cooking liquid – it makes good substitute for stock and it’s got nutrients in it!

If you decide to dry the chickpeas, you have to make sure they’re super dry! Any leftover moisture will turn into ice as it freezes and cause the chickpeas to become soggy.

To thaw the frozen chickpeas keep them in the refrigerator overnight, or if you forget to take them out in advance you can defrost them in the microwave.

If you defrost them in the fridge, the chickpeas will stay good for another 2-3 days. However, the chickpeas should be used immediately if you’ve defrosted them in the microwave.

How to store black chickpeas

Black chickpeas are similar to normal chickpeas except they’re slightly smaller and have a nuttier taste.

They can be used in a lot of the same ways as regular chickpeas, and the storage instructions are also the same.

Dried they should be kept in the cupboard
Canned you should follow the instructions on the tin
Soaked or cooked you can keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze