Make a healthy ingredient swap with Banza chickpea pasta and take the guilt out of pasta night. Banza chickpea spaghetti is a high protein, lower carb, gluten-free alternative to traditional pasta that tastes great. Take the mess out of boiling it on the stove and cook it in the Instant Pot.

Can I pressure cook chickpea pasta?

Yes, I actually recommend it over the traditional cooking method. If you’ve ever cooked Banza or chickpea pasta on the stovetop and had it boil over making a huge foamy pasta water mess on your stovetop then you know why I have set out to figure out the perfect formula to cook chickpea pasta in the pressure cooker. No more babysitting, stirring or unwanted messes.

What are chickpeas?

Chickpeas are a type of legume in the same family as kidney beans and peanuts. They’re also called garbanzo beans. They have a buttery, nutty flavor and creamy texture. In the U.S., we often see the Kabuli variety, which is tan, round, and slightly larger than a pea. In the Middle East and India, the Desi variety is more common. These are smaller, darker, and less round than Kabuli chickpeas.

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Chickpeas and garbanzo beans, are they the same thing?

Yes, they are the exact same thing. While they may be commonly referred to as chickpeas, they are also known by their Latin name, garbanzo beans. If you are standing in the grocery store wondering what’s the difference, nothing. 

Are chickpeas healthy for you?

Chickpeas are packed full of vitamins, such as iron, phosphorus, folate, and vitamin C as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, aka “good” fats. Chickpeas are unique in that they’re packed with protein, and fiber according to the USDA one cup of chickpeas has 15 grams of protein and 13 grams of fiber, making them a healthier gluten-free plant-based option when used as pasta over traditional pasta. Banza is also a low glycemic food and is certified Non-GMO.

Where do I buy Banza chickpea or legume pasta?

My friends and family that live in larger cities have had Banza widely available at their local grocery stores for quite a while now. Here in Idaho, I am now finding it at my local Albertsons grocery store, Costco now has a limited variety and it’s also available through Walmart grocery 2-day delivery. If you’re not sure where to find it you can go here.

Let’s make Banza pasta in the instant pot

There is an easy formula to follow for cooking chickpea pasta in the pressure cooker. You’ll need to use 1- ½  cups of water and ½ Tbsp. of fat like EVOO or butter for every 4 oz of pasta and ½ a tsp. of sea salt max.

Here’s the formula:

4 oz. of Banza pasta + 1 ½ cups of water + ½ Tbsp. oil or butter + ½ tsp. sea salt.

8 oz. of Banza pasta + 3 cups of water + 1 Tbsp. oil or butter + ½ tsp. sea salt.

12 oz. Banza pasta + 4.5 cups of water + 1 ½ Tbsp. oil or butter + ½ tsp. sea salt

Cook time formula

Take the lowest recommended cooking time and round it down to an even number, and divide that by 2. That will be your pressure cooking time.

Here’s an example:

Cook time 9-11 minutes. Round down to 8 minutes and divide by 2. That gives you a 4 minute cook time. The Instant Pot will take 8-10 minutes to come to pressure and when the cook cycle is complete you’ll need to quickly release the pressure to avoid overcooking. Banza pasta has starchy foamy water so to ensure you don’t have that foamy pasta water spraying out of the vent knob you can try releasing the pressure in spurts. Move the vent knob from open to closed multiple times until all the pressure is released. Some models like the Instant Pot Max that I have will do this for you with the touch of a button.

Immediately after it’s safe to remove the lid rinse the pasta with cool water to remove the foamy water and stop the cooking process. To prevent the noodles from sticking together toss them in a little bit of EVOO. This is especially necessary if you are meal prepping and preparing them in advance.

The best types of pasta for the pressure cooker

Short pasta does best in the pressure cooker. Long pasta like spaghetti has a tendency of sticking together unless you are very strategic on how it’s placed and fanned out and even still may have an issue with it sticking. Pasta I have successfully cooked include Chinese egg noodles for Garlic Sesame Beef, Wide egg noodles for Stroganoff, tri-colored rotini for Pasta Salad, and chickpea pasta.

Favorite Chickpea Pasta brands

Banza

Barilla

Easy Banza Chickpea Pasta Recipes

This recipe was inspired by my other popular Banza chickpea pasta recipes. Banza Chickpea Pasta Bake, Banza Penne and Italian Meatballs, Air Fry Range Chicken Parmesan with Banza Spaghetti and Banza Cajun Chicken Pasta.

Easy Instant Pot Recipes To Make Tonight