Roasted chickpeas, with their nutty texture and satisfying crunch, are a healthy alternative to other snack foods. They provide plant-based protein, fiber, and important vitamins and minerals, all wrapped up in cute little nuggets of flavor. How long it takes: 35 minutes Equipment you’ll need: small sheet pan, mixing bowl, clean kitchen towel Servings: 4 Wondering what to do with roasted chickpeas beyond snacking? Add them to salads for a flavorful protein boost or to your favorite soups. Kids love them too. Chickpeas are just the right size for little fingers to pick up. Crisp roasted chickpeas are a great addition to an after school snack board. Roasted chickpeas get delightfully crispy and are a great snack for when you’re craving something crunchy and salty. If you have an air fryer, try crispy air fryer chickpeas. Here’s a fun story that I just had to share with you. I was making these crispy chickpeas. It was an afternoon when I was trying to get far too much done. My parents and my sister and her family were coming over for a belated Christmas celebration. They had been sick, and then we were sick, and we were celebrating Christmas over a week later than we had originally planned. I was working on my banana chocolate chip cake for dessert and I was also making bacon wrapped dates because they’re so dang good. And then there was the Brussels sprouts salad I wanted to get prepped. So I thought, why not squeeze in making yummy crispy chickpeas, too? They’d be a great topping for my Brussels sprouts salad. It totally makes sense to do this all, right? Why not? There was a glass of wine waiting for me at the end of the tunnel! I got the chickpeas peeled and then scooted them into the oven while I began to prep the salad. As you’ll see in this recipe, you need to give the pan of chickpeas a little shake every ten minutes or so while they bake so that they crisp up evenly. So here’s the thing. Make sure you have a good grip on that pan, okay? Don’t be like me. I was shaking the pan, lost my grip on it, and dropped it. I wasn’t doing this on the countertop which would be the sensible way. Of course not! I was shaking the pan in the oven, with the oven door three-quarters of the way open. The chickpeas fell into the crack where the oven door meets the oven. So instead of falling into the oven (actually really glad about that) or falling onto the floor, they fell right into this crack, and then subsequently into the drawer under my oven. The “warming drawer.” Does anyone use this drawer for its intended job? Or do you all store your grilling tools in it like I do? So into the drawer go all my chickpeas, the chickpeas that I peeled one-by-one. That was a long story. Hopefully you gleaned a bit of wisdom from my experience. I do want to say that making crispy roasted chickpeas is really quite easy and they are good tasting and good for you.
What You’ll Need
How to Make This Recipe
This is a pretty basic recipe that uses olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder as seasonings. You can have fun choosing different flavors for your roasted chickpeas and I’ll give you a few ideas in the Make It Your Own section. Here’s how to do it: Begin by preheating your oven and getting out a small rimmed baking pan. Open the can of chickpeas, dump them into a colander and rinse them under running water. Drain them well, and spread them on a clean lint-free dish towel. Paper towels are fine too. Lightly dry them by rubbing them between a couple of layers of towel. Some of the skins will have fallen off by this time. Go ahead and slip the skins off the rest of them. If you choose not to do this step, that’s okay but your roasted chickpeas may not be as crisp as they could be. Totally up to you! Put the chickpeas into a mixing bowl and add the oil and seasonings. Stir well to coat them and then arrange them in a single layer on the baking pan. Roast for 25-30 minutes, carefully shaking the pan every ten minutes so that all sides can get toasty brown. Try not to overbake them in an effort to get the most crunchy chickpea ever. They should have a dry crispy exterior but still be nutty inside. That’s it! Pretty easy, right? Roasted chickpeas are best served the same day but keep reading for more storage hints.
Tips for the crispiest chickpeas
After having made these quite a few times, I have a couple of tips for the best success and highest levels of crispiness.
Peel them. I know, it’s a bit of a pain. It’s worth it though. Rub them lightly with a clean lint-free dish towel or a couple of paper towels. That will get a lot of the peels off, and then just tackle the rest one by one. It’s monotonous but it’s also oddly satisfying popping those little buggers out of their peels. Dry them. Dry them well with a paper towel or a lint-free (and clean) kitchen towel (tea towels work well). You can also spread them on a towel and let them air dry for 30 minutes or an hour. Roast, shake, roast, shake, etc. The longer you cook these, the crispier they will get. Carefully shake the pan every 10 minutes to ensure they roast evenly.
Make It Your Own
Add any type of seasoning you like to the chickpeas: spicy, savory or sweet. We love these cinnamon roasted chickpeas! Try chili powder, pumpkin pie spice, curry powder, or my all purpose seasoning which is similar to seasoned salt. Dried herbs are great too, like rosemary, thyme, or sage. Add a bit of Italian seasoning and toss a spoonful of grated Parmesan cheese in too. Looking for more ways to eat chickpeas? Try homemade hummus or this tahini-free hummus with parsley. Chickpeas are so good in stews and chilis. One of our favorites is Moroccan stew with butternut squash and chickpeas. And this quinoa salad with chickpeas, blackberries, and candied pepitas is out of this world good. Rather have nuts? Try olive oil roasted almonds or sugar-free cinnamon almonds.
Storage Tips
You would think that storing the chickpeas in an airtight container would be the best way to retain the crispiness. Not so! They are best stored in an open container on the counter with a paper towel laid lightly over the top. They’ll stay crisp for a day or so. If you’re not ultra-concerned about how crunchy they are, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure they are completely cooled before storing.
More Healthy Snack Recipes
Isn’t time to think outside of the box (or bag) and look for snacks that are good for you? I know, there’s a time and place for everything but why not snack on something that’s tasty and healthy? Try:
Air Fryer Zucchini Chips Cranberry Oatmeal Energy Balls (nut-free) The Best Cauliflower Nachos Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Sweet Potato Wedges with Chinese Five Spice Easy Potato Skins (shortcut no-waste method!) Spinach Balls – whole wheat! Homemade Cheez-Its (cheddar cheese crackers) Vegetable Cream Cheese Roll Ups Air Fryer Tofu – perfectly crispy!
