I’m a self-confessed snack junkie. It’s just that bit of crunch that is so satisfying. Do you feel that way, too? The problem is, so many of those yummy things are lousy for you. Refined carbs, saturated fats…blah. It’s going to be OK, friends. I have something even better, just for you.
These crisp, crunchy, spicy, salty nuggets of goodness. Yeah, I know. You’ve seen these before. I’d bet money that any healthy blogger worth their salt has a recipe for these on their site. Buuuut, did they test and retest five million times to get them as perfectly crispy as a chickpea could possibly get? Exactly.
I really have made a lot of these over the past few years. The problem with roasting chickpeas in creating a nice crunchy snack, is…well, ending up with a nice crunchy snack. I’ve tried so many different techniques and even did a side-by-side experiment to see how they compared. This is what I’ve found:
- After rinsing and draining your beans, lay them out in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel on the counter for at least one hour. They’ll dry out a bit…this is a good thing.
- I’ve tested both methods of adding olive oil before beginning roasting and adding it halfway through roasting. The latter is the ideal method. You’ll end up with a much nicer crunch and crisper texture. You can achieve crispness if you use olive oil beforehand, but you’ll have to roast much longer and the beans won’t store as well as they do with the other method.
- Avoid adding your spices at the beginning of roasting. Add them after the chickpeas are completely roasted. Spices burn when roasted this way and become bitter.
So, there you have it. Now go get those chickpeas laid out on a towel so you’ll have something crunchy to snack on while you catch up on your favorite shows!
- 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- After draining and rinsing your beans, lay them out in a single layer on a clean kitchen towel on your counter. Allow them to sit for at least one hour.
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Pat any remaining moisture from the chickpeas and lay them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Place them in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and drizzle the olive oil over the beans. Add a few pinches of kosher salt and black pepper, to taste. Shake the pan well to get the chickpeas coated.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Give the pan a shake a couple of times during roasting.
- Remove the chickpeas once they are deeply golden and are crisp and crunchy.
- In a small bowl, combine the spices, from the chili powder to the onion powder and give them a whisk.
- Sprinkle the spices onto the chickpeas and give the pan a nice shake to distribute the mix.
Experiment with your favorite flavors. Use this method as a base.
These make more than a snack! Use them to dress up your salads and soups!
MORE CHICKPEA LOVE…
THE CANNED CHICKPEAS USED IS IT THE COOKED ONES
Yes, Anju, the canned chickpeas are cooked.
I totally need your tips! I love crunchy chickpeas and I’m always discouraged after I attempt them. I’ve yet to master these and I always spend way too much money buying them at the store. Never even thought to wait to add the olive oil- such a genius idea. Thank you, Caroline!
Thanks dear friend! Yes…try them this way…I hope you love them!
Thank you for solving my burning question about chickpea snacks. I’ve even deep fried them, and even though they’re wonderful when hot they lose their snappiness once cooled. It makes sense that drying out their surface completely will help.
One question: Have you other made them with chickpeas you boiled yourself?
So glad you found this helpful, Lynne! Yes…I have used chickpeas that I’ve cooked myself and they are just as crunchy and tasty.
Roasted chickpeas- My favorite snack of all times.
It is funny, because I just made some yesterday and they were not as crunchy as I would have liked. I am going to try it again with your tips.
Thank you for sharing.
Lovely photos. <3
Ahhh…yes, I have had many fails with roasting chickpeas, Aysegul. I think these tips will help! You’re kind words are so sweet…I’m blushing…such a fan of yours!
I’ve done this before a few times and it is always so satisfying! I’ll have to try your spice mix though, sounds like it has a real kick!
It really is satisfying, isn’t it? Yes, Mary, let me know how you like it!