A Bit Of Baking Soda Is The Secret To Soft And Creamy Canned Chickpeas

If you're a lover of chickpeas (and the many delicious recipes that rely on them), yet frequently find yourself low on time, you may be the ideal candidate for the convenient and readily available canned version. This simple product makes life easier without sacrificing flavor. In fact, tinned chickpeas are even on the list of canned foods that are just as good as fresh, according to chefs.

That said, you may have noticed that the texture of these legumes isn't quite the same as their prepared-from-scratch counterparts. It's often difficult to achieve the creaminess that's integral to classics like hummus, using the canned stuff. Luckily, there's a trick to getting these beans to become even more appetizing, and it requires only a common item you likely already have on hand: baking soda.

Even though baking soda can help tenderize steak, opting for an ingredient that's typically used as a leavening agent (or even as a cleaning product) may seem like an odd strategy. But this trick has some real science to back it up. Like most packaged foods, canned chickpeas often contain a preservative — in this case, it's calcium chloride. This ingredient keeps your little legumes from plumping up with the canning liquid which can result in pesky splitting. But while this additive keeps them firm and aesthetically pleasing, it can stand in the way of a smooth and creamy puree. That's where the baking soda comes in.

Baking soda is an alkaline ingredient which breaks down sturdy calcium ions by introducing softer sodium ions, weakening the chickpea's natural pectin structure. Translation? You get more pliable 'peas. All you need to do is boil your standard-issue 15-ounce can of beans with about ½ teaspoon of baking soda (and enough water so they'll be fully submerged) for 5 to 40 minutes — depending on how soft you'd like them.

If you're concerned about whether baking soda will impact the flavor of your beans, it's a good idea to save your canning liquid on the side and then return the strained, softened chickpeas to it after you've completed this process. That step will help restore their natural deliciousness. Thanks to this scientific trick using a bit of regular baking soda, you can avoid sorting through the best and worst hummus at the grocery store. Instead, rest assured that you can create silky chickpea-based dishes — without sacrificing the convenience of a can — right at home.