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Home » Instant Pot

Instant Pot chickpeas Kapama

Published: Jul 11, 2021 · Modified: Dec 5, 2022 by Denise · 2 Comments

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Instant Pot chickpeas Kapama is a plant-based twist on a traditional Greek-style recipe featuring chickpeas cooked in a simple, savory tomato-cinnamon sauce.

A plate with pasta topped with chickpeas Kapama.

more chickpeas, please

Even a broadening repertoire of Instant Pot recipes hasn't curbed our love for creating more recipes using chickpeas as the main ingredient. This isn’t a cooking rut or lack of creativity. Maybe the designers of the Instant Pot didn’t have chickpeas in mind, but I always do.

I’ve learned that if you do a little prep work and vary the accompanying ingredients, quick recipes and satisfyingly healthy dinners that go well with pasta or as curry with rice are infinite in variety. Chickpeas Kapama is one such recipe.

Kapama, a Greek-style recipe with a rich tomato sauce infused with cinnamon, is traditionally served with chicken. I just changed a few letters, adjusted the flavors, ditched the oil, and here we go, another new recipe.

Ingredients for chickpeas Kapama are gathered.

shortlisted (the ingredients)

You’ll love this shortlist of easy pantry ingredients.

Chickpeas – I used 2 cups of dry chickpeas, and I’ve not tested it with canned using the Instant Pot.  My personal preference is to soak the chickpeas using a quick soak method. I find that they cook more evenly if they’ve been rehydrated first.

Onions and garlic – It’s easy to overlook the importance of onions and garlic in recipes. We use them so often, they become second nature. But these ingredients build the flavor that underpins everything else. As they cook, they release sugars that subtly sweeten food and add robustness.

Tomato paste – Because tomato paste is concentrated, it adds a sweet tomato flavor. It also helps to thicken the sauce as the ingredients cook. 

Canned tomatoes – By adding the tomato paste, you only need 1 – 15 oz. (400 gm.) tin (can) of diced or crushed tomatoes, ideally, in juice. Look for salt-free if this is important to you.

Cinnamon – It’s not overkilling, but there is a teaspoon of ground cinnamon followed by 2 cinnamon sticks in this recipe. Ground cinnamon provides an instant jolt of flavor. The cinnamon sticks infuse flavor with the tomatoes and water as they cook in the Instant Pot.

Oregano, bay leaves, salt, and pepper – Oregano is used in many traditional Greek recipes. You can use 1 teaspoon of fresh oregano if you have it, but I used 1 tablespoon of the dried stuff.

I rarely advocate using added salt, but for this recipe, salt helps to enhance the flavors. This is particularly true here because we are using water, not vegetable broth.

Red wine vinegar – Sweet and bold red wine vinegar livens up the tomato flavor and brightens the dish.

4 pictures demonstrate how to quick-soak chickpeas in the Instant Pot.

soaking chickpeas

After multiple tests, I’ve decided that it’s worth the time to quick-soak chickpeas before cooking them in the Instant Pot.

Good news! There’s a super-easy way to accomplish this using the Instant Pot.

  1. First, place 2 cups of rinsed chickpeas into the Instant Pot with 6 cups of water.
  2. Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the steam release handle to Sealing. Cook the chickpeas on High Pressure for 2 minutes.
  3. Allow the steam to naturally release for 15 minutes. Then, open then, unseal the steam release handle and remove the lid.
  4. Carefully remove the inner pot and drain and rinse the chickpeas.
  5. Job done!
The process for making chickpeas Kapama in the Instant pot in 4 pictures.

pro tips

  • Use the time while the chickpeas are soaking, actually, as the Instant Pot is naturally releasing, to prep everything else. It’s always good practice to gather, measure, and do any chopping before you start cooking. That’s the culinary art of mise en place, and it means that you won't get stuck on an ingredient while everything else burns.
  • In my book, mise en place includes doing a quick read of the instructions, so I’m ready to roll. This is particularly important when using the Instant Pot because adding ingredients is usually fast-paced until you reach the pressure-cooking stage.
  • Be sure to clear the bottom of the Instant Pot from ingredients that might be stuck to the bottom. This helps to prevent a false 'food burning' warning. Use a wooden spoon or another soft utensil to avoid marking up the bottom of the inner pot.
  • Once you sauté the onions for about 3 minutes, add the garlic, cinnamon, salt, pepper, tomato paste, and oregano. Pause for just enough time to mix all those ingredients.
  • I find it most practical to add the tomatoes, water, and red wine vinegar together. At this point, it’s easier to scrape the bottom before adding the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and chickpeas.
  • Once you have cooked the chickpeas on High Pressure for 35 and allow 10-15 minutes more for the pressure to naturally release. This allows the flavors to settle and the chickpeas to finish cooking.  
  • If you don’t soak the chickpeas, increase the cooking time to 45 minutes with 10 minutes of natural release.
A wooden spoon filled with chickpeas in Kapama sauce is held over the Instant Pot.

on the stovetop

To make this recipe on the stovetop, be sure you begin with soaked chickpeas. Use a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed larger pot and follow the instructions, except increase the water to 3 cups. Once you add the chickpeas, bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmering and cover the pot. Simmer the chickpeas for about 1 hour until they are tender. Be sure to check the cooking pot several times to give the ingredients a quick stir, and if necessary, add more water.

Kapama sauce is traditionally served with noodles, although this dish is equally tasty with rice, quinoa, or another grain. It's also mighty fine in a bowl on its own. Parsley makes a nice garnish, although it is not integral to the flavor.

Pasta and chickpeas in tomato sauce a scooped up with a fork.

common questions

What can I substitute for red wine vinegar?

The best substitutes for red wine vinegar are white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar. Neither will have the intense flavor of red wine vinegar, so you may want to add a drop of two extra. You can also use rice wine vinegar or sherry vinegar if you have those available.

Can you use canned rather than dry chickpeas for this recipe?

Although it is possible to substitute 6 cups of cooked chickpeas for dry, we’ve not tested this process in the Instant Pot. You can use a stovetop method, reducing the water to 1 cup. Cook the chickpeas on the stovetop for at least 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.

What kind of cinnamon stick should I use and can I substitute ground cinnamon?

The most common kinds of cinnamon sticks are Ceylon and Cassia. You can use them interchangeably for chickpeas Kapama. Use ½ a teaspoon of ground cinnamon for every cinnamon stick.

Chickpeas in tomato Kapama sauce with cinnamon sticks in the Instant Pot.

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Instant Pot chickpeas Kapama

A plate of chickpeas in tomato sauce with pasta.
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Instant Pot chickpeas Kapama is a plant-based recipe featuring chickpeas cooked in a simple Greek-style cinnamon-infused tomato sauce.

  • Author: Denise
  • Prep Time: 20 min
  • Cook Time: 60 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: one-pot
  • Cuisine: Greek
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked (see instructions)
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. oregano
  • 4 Tbsp. tomato paste
  • 1- 15 oz. (400 gm.) can of diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks

Instructions

  1. To quick-soak the chickpeas, rinse them and then add them with 6 cups of water to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid, set the steam handle to Sealing, and cook the chickpeas on High Pressure for 2 minutes. Once the time has gone off, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release the steam for 15 minutes. Drain the chickpeas and set them aside.
  2. Heat the Instant Pot to High Saute. Add the onions cook them for 3 – 4 minutes until they start to soften. Stir them often.
  3. Add the garlic, ground cinnamon, salt, pepper, oregano, and tomato paste. Stop to stir everything, then add the tomatoes, 2 cups of water, and the red wine vinegar.
  4. Use a wooden spoon to clear away any food stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot. Then, hit Cancel to stop the sauteing process. Add the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and chickpeas.
  5. Mix everything, then place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the steam handle to Sealing, and set the Instant Pot for 35 minutes on High Pressure.
  6. Once the beeper goes off, allow the steam to naturally release for 10-15 minutes. Fully open the steam release handle, then carefully remove the pot lid.
  7. Stir the chickpeas and serve them warm over pasta, rice, quinoa, or another grain. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. 

Notes

  • This recipe was created using a 6-quart Instant Pot.
  • We recommend soaking the chickpeas first. If you prefer, soak them overnight or add 6 cups of boiling water and soak them for 4 hours.
  • To make this recipe on the stovetop, use a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot. Increase the water to 3 cups. Once you add the chickpeas, bring the ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmering. Cover the pot and cook for about 1 hour until the chickpeas are tender when you bite into one. Be sure to check the cooking pot periodically in case more water is needed.
  • Freeze chickpeas Kapama by placing them in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. It’s best to thaw them in the refrigerator before reheating them.
  • If you do not have red wine vinegar, use white wine or sherry vinegar. They will not be as strong, so you may want to add an additional ½ teaspoon. 

Keywords: Instant Pot chickpeas Kapama

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a êêêêê star rating in the recipe card and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback J. You can follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram. Thanks for your support!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debra Allison

    January 21, 2022 at 9:27 pm

    Looks so great!
    Definitely trying this. Plan on leaving out vinegars (we just don't do any vinegars). Do you suggest I replace with lemon juice?

    Reply
    • Denise

      January 21, 2022 at 9:35 pm

      Hi, I think lemon juice will work as a substitute and balance out the spices. Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply

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Howdy, I'm Denise, a plant-based lifestyle enthusiast, recipe creator, coach, and Food for Life certified instructor. I'm certified in plant-based nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Institute and completed training as a Well Start coach.

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