Instant Pot Chickpeas and Microgreens Cakes

Most chickpea cake recipes start with a can, which is fair, but a pot of dried chickpeas costs less and gives you a better mash. These Instant Pot chickpeas and microgreens cakes start with dried chickpeas cooked under pressure until they are soft enough to crush with a fork, then folded with grated onion, breadcrumbs, an egg and a big handful of chopped microgreens. I will say this up front: they are tender, not crunchy like falafel, and they only hold together if you control the moisture.

What is documented and what is not: pressure-cooking dried chickpeas and pan-frying chickpea patties with an egg and breadcrumbs are both well-documented methods, and the pressure times, the chilling step and the pan times here follow published recipes I found. Microgreens in the mix, the exact quantities, and the 71°C (160°F) doneness check are my own variation, and I have not tested this exact version in a test kitchen. Use the cues in the steps and adjust.

Ingredients for the Cakes and the Yogurt Sauce

Chickpeas

• 200 g (1 cup) dried chickpeas, which cook to about 2 cups
• 480 ml (2 cups) water for the pot

Cakes

• The cooked chickpeas, about 330 g (2 cups), drained and cooled
• 30 g (1 packed cup) microgreens, plus a handful for topping
• 1/2 medium onion, grated (about 60 g or 1/2 cup)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 60 g (1 cup) panko or dry breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil for the pan (45 ml)

Lemon Yogurt Sauce

• 120 g (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• Pinch of salt

In a hurry, you can use two 400 g (14 oz) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, in place of the pot-cooked ones. For an egg-free cake, I have not tested a substitute, so I cannot promise it will hold.

Cooking the Chickpeas in the Instant Pot

Rinse the dried chickpeas well and put them in the pot with 480 ml (2 cups) of water, which is the 2-to-1 ratio a published Instant Pot method uses. Cook on high pressure with Keep Warm off. That same source gives 10 minutes for soaked chickpeas, or up to 15 minutes for softer ones, and 40 to 45 minutes for unsoaked ones, followed by a 20-minute natural release. A cup of dried chickpeas yields roughly 2 cups cooked.

For cakes, I go to the soft end: 15 minutes if soaked, 45 if not. A firm chickpea resists the fork and leaves a gritty, crumbly mash. Fill the pot only as your own model’s manual allows when cooking beans, because that limit varies.

Instructions

1. Cook the chickpeas. Pressure cook as described above, then natural release for 20 minutes and vent the rest. Pot time is not just the cook time, since the pot also has to heat up and build pressure, which adds a good 10 minutes in my estimate.
2. Drain and dry. Tip the chickpeas into a colander and let them steam off for 10 minutes. Spread them on a clean towel if they look glossy and wet. This step matters most, because wet chickpeas make a loose mix.
3. Prep the greens. Rinse the microgreens, pat them completely dry, and chop them roughly. Keep a small handful whole for topping.
4. Mash. In a large bowl, crush the chickpeas with a potato masher or fork until about two thirds are broken and the rest are rough pieces. Do not purée them. A source I read warns against over-mashing so some texture remains.
5. Mix. Add the onion, garlic, panko, egg, cumin, turmeric, zest and salt, then fold in the chopped microgreens last. Mix until no dry breadcrumbs remain.
6. Test the mixture. Squeeze a spoonful in your fist. It should hold its shape when you open your hand and leave your palm only slightly damp. If it slumps or sticks, add 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs and test again.
7. Shape and chill. Form 8 cakes, each about 7 cm (3 inches) wide and 2 cm (3/4 inch) thick, pressing firmly. Chill on a plate for at least 20 minutes, which firms them for the pan.
8. Heat the pan. Warm a large skillet over medium heat with half the oil for about 2 minutes, until a breadcrumb sizzles gently.
9. Fry. Cook 4 cakes for about 5 minutes per side without moving them, until deep golden brown and they release easily from the pan. Add the remaining oil and repeat. A thermometer in the center should read 71°C (160°F).
10. Make the sauce and serve. Stir the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic and salt together. Top the cakes with the sauce and the whole microgreens.

How Long Do Instant Pot Chickpeas Take for Cakes?

Soaked chickpeas need 10 to 15 minutes on high pressure, and unsoaked ones need 40 to 45 minutes, each followed by a 20-minute natural release. For cakes, cook to the longer end of each range so the chickpeas are soft enough to mash, then drain and let them steam dry before mixing.

The pressure times come from one published method, and chickpeas vary with age and brand. Taste one before you stop. It should crush easily between your fingers with no chalky center.

Working With Microgreens

Microgreens are delicate, and heat wilts them fast. Folding them into the mix adds green color and a fresh, grassy flavor, but they will not stay crisp inside a cake. The handful on top is what gives you the raw crunch. I picked a mild mix, such as pea shoots or radish greens. Strongly peppery ones will taste sharp once cooked, which some people like and others do not.

The bigger risk is water. Wet microgreens loosen the mixture, so dry them thoroughly before they go in. A salad spinner followed by a towel works.

Where These Cakes Go Wrong

• The cakes fall apart in the pan. Usually the mix is too wet or the cakes were not chilled. Dry the chickpeas, do the fist test, and chill for the full 20 minutes.
• The inside is gummy. The mash was a smooth purée, or the pan was too hot and browned the outside before the center set. Keep some chunks and lower the heat.
• The cakes are bland. The pot cooking here uses no salt, so the seasoning has to come from the mix. Taste a small fried spoonful before shaping all eight, and add salt if needed.
• Flipping too soon. The cake tears. Wait until the edges are brown and the cake lifts easily.
• Crowding the pan. The cakes steam and stay pale. Fry in two batches.

Serving and Variations

Serve the cakes hot with the yogurt sauce and a simple salad, or tuck one into a pita with sliced cucumber. They also work as a small burger on a toasted bun.

• Cheesy: One published fritter recipe adds 75 g (3/4 cup) of grated Parmesan to a larger batch. Add a smaller amount here and check the salt first.
• Extra herbs: Add 3 tablespoons of chopped parsley.
• Dairy-free sauce: Use tahini thinned with lemon juice and water.

Storing and Reheating

Cool the cakes, then refrigerate them in an airtight container. One published chickpea patty recipe says they keep 4 to 5 days in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer, thawed in the fridge before reheating. I have not tested those windows, so use your judgment. Reheat in a skillet over low heat with a little olive oil until hot all the way through, to 74°C (165°F), which is the figure foodsafety.gov gives for leftovers. Keep the sauce and fresh microgreens separate until serving.

Nutrition (Estimate)

These are rough estimates for one serving of 2 cakes with sauce, not lab-tested values. I did not calculate them from a nutrition database, and they vary with how much oil the cakes absorb and the brand of breadcrumbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to soak the chickpeas?

No. The method I followed gives times for both. Soaking cuts the pressure time from 40 to 45 minutes down to 10 to 15, but unsoaked chickpeas work if you plan ahead for the longer cook.

Can I bake the cakes instead of frying?

I have not tested baking this mix, so I cannot give you reliable times. Frying is the documented method here, and it gives the browned crust that holds the cake together.

Can I use canned chickpeas?

Yes. Use two 400 g (14 oz) cans, drained, rinsed and dried well, and skip the pressure cooker steps. The rest is the same.

Instant Pot chickpeas and microgreens cakes ask for patience at two points, the drying and the chilling. Get those right and you have soft, green-flecked cakes that reheat well and make a fine weeknight dinner.