Roasted Chickpeas

Finally, a healthy snack with plenty of protein that is so simple to make in the oven! These crispy roasted chickpeas are insanely delicious! You can eat them straight as a snack, add them to salads as a healthier crouton, or mix them into a trail mix. The recipe for these baked crispy chickpeas makes ultra crunchy beans that stay crispy--even when stored for weeks.

If you ask me about my favorite salty snack, you would probably assume that my snack is going to involve beans, wouldn't you? A few years ago, crispy chickpeas started appearing in bags at my local grocery store. The nutrition labels are pretty amazing: plenty of protein, low in fat, and with a crisp, satisfying crunch. Roasted chickpeas have officially replaced potato chips for me. But wow, have you seen the price of those things at the store? They're a bit high, so we're making our own today. For the price of a can of beans and a few pantry staples, we can have our own.

You didn't ask me about my favorite sweet snack that involves beans, but I will tell you it's my black bean brownies. Will I ever run out of ways to eat beans? Rest assured, I will not! 

Ok, back to salty bean snacks: this method for roasting chickpeas in the oven yields beans that are crisp all the way throughout. No soggy centers, I promise! Also, these beans are so fully crisp that you can store them in a sealed mason jar in your pantry for months.

I like to make big batches of these, and have them on hand for sprinkling on salads or for grabbing a handful for a quick snack. I have successfully convinced one of my kids to snack on roasted chickpeas, but my other child doesn't have enough teeth yet.

To remove the skins or not?

The method for making this recipe is very important and must be followed exactly. Do not start with dried beans; we are using canned chickpeas that have been drained and rinsed. After draining and rinsing the beans, use two large kitchen towels to dry the beans very well. Excess moisture on beans will hinder the crisping process. While drying the beans thoroughly, you will be removing most of the skins on the beans. It's great--keep going. You don't have to remove every single outer layer skin on every bean, but even just half is fine!

You can use my instant pot chickpeas recipe here, too.

Another rule you must follow: use a very large baking sheet so that the chickpeas are spread out enough. If the beans are crowded, they will steam and become soft, not crisp. You also want to make sure that your sheet pan for roasting has an edge on it, so the beans don't go rolling everywhere in the oven. This is a good sheet pan that I like. 

Other ways to season roasted chickpeas:

The crispy chickpeas as-written contain smoked paprika and salt. It's truly my favorite flavor combination. However, you have other seasoning options:

• fresh rosemary sprigs and salt: Use whole fresh rosemary sprigs, and strip the leaves from the stems after roasting to toss with the chickpeas.
• lemon pepper: You can buy dried lemon pepper in a shaker (the easiest), or make a fancy version with fresh lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper. Use the zest of two medium lemons and about 30 grinds of black pepper.
• Buffalo seasoned: Dried Buffalo seasoning is incredible on these chickpeas. Sometimes, I like to toss them in the wet Buffalo sauce just before serving to make a salad topper. Crispy Romaine, saucy crispy chickpeas, sliced celery and a blue cheese dressing is a vegetarian way to satisfy a Buffalo wings craving.
• Garam Masala: Toss the beans with olive oil and two teaspoons of garam masala spice mix. Sprinkle this over hummus just before serving.

If you think of any more ways to season these crisp chickpeas, leave a comment below so we can all try them!

Ingredients:

• Chickpeas. We need two 15-ounce cans of chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans). Rinse and drain the beans, and then dry them very well between two heavy-duty kitchen towels. As you roll the beans between the towels to dry them thoroughly, you'll notice a thin skin comes off the beans. The more skins that are removed, the crisper the beans will be.  You don't have to try to get all of the skins off, but just as many as you can. One final note:  Organic canned chickpeas are slightly smaller and more uniform in shape, and therefore roast up better, in my opinion.
• Olive Oil. We're roasting chickpeas at a moderately low heat (375-degrees F) for a long time, so regular olive oil is fine (extra virgin not required). You can also use vegetable oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, or avocado oil. The choice is yours, but note that olive oil does contribute a lovely flavor to the beans, while the other oils are flavorless.
• Smoked Paprika. This spice is entirely optional, but it gives the beans a smoky, savory flavor. I omit for my kids, and simply make salted ones instead.

How to make roasted chickpeas:

1. Gather the ingredients, and preheat the oven to 375-degrees Fahrenheit. You need two cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Have your baking sheets ready.
   
2. After rinsing and draining the chickpeas, place them between two heavy-duty kitchen towels, and rub them dry. As you do this, you'll rub off a thin outer skin on the chickpeas. The more skins you rub off, the better, but don't obsess over it. Just rub until around half of the chickpeas lack skin.
   
3. Finally, toss the chickpeas with ½ teaspoon of the salt, olive oil, and paprika. Ensure they're coated evenly.
   
4. Spread the chickpeas on the baking sheet, and ensure that they're as spaced out as possible. You really don't want them touching.
   
5. Roast for 20 minutes. Shake the pan, and roast for another 20 minutes. At the end of 40 minutes, taste the smallest and largest chickpea you can find on the pan. Both should be crispy and crunchy throughout. If they're not, return to the oven for 5 minutes and test again. When they're done, sprinkle over the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt, shake and serve.

How to store:

As mentioned, the low and slow method for roasting these chickpeas creates beans that are truly crisp all the way throughout. No moisture remains in these beans, so you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature and they will not become soggy. I keep mine in mason jars in the pantry for quick snacks.

How long do these roasted chickpeas last?

I have made large batches of these and have snacked on them for weeks, right out of the pantry. They last until they're gone!

Roasted Chickpeas

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

How to make perfectly crispy roasted chickpeas in the oven that last for a long time!

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Ingredients

• 2 15-ounce cans of chickpeas
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon salt, divided use
• ½ teaspoon smoke paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375, and have ready a large baking sheet with 1-inch edges and the ingredients.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Spread the chickpeas out on a clean dish towel. Place another dish towel on top, and gently rub to dry the chickpeas and remove some of the skins. It’s not essential to remove all of the skins, just as many as you can by rubbing between two towels.
3. Place the chickpeas in a bowl, and add the olive oil, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the smoked paprika. Stir to coat all of the chickpeas evenly in the oil and spices.
4. Spread the chickpeas on a large baking sheet with a rim. Roast for 20 minutes. Shake the pan, and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. After 40 minutes, taste a small chickpea and a larger chickpea to ensure they’re both crispy all the way thorough. If the larger chickpea isn’t crispy, return the pan to the oven for another 5 minutes.
5. When the chickpeas are crispy and they make a loud sound when you shake them on the pan (because they’re dry and crispy), sprinkle over the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and shake again and serve. Serve any temperature, but leftovers may be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one month.

Notes

Chickpeas: Aso called garbanzo beans. If possible, I recommend buying organic canned chickpeas becasue they're smaller and roast more evenly.
Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil not required, just regular olive oil. You could also use vegetable oil, canola oil, grape seed oil, or avocado oil.
Smoked Paprika. Entirely optional; see post for other spice suggestions.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 275mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 11gSugar: 7gProtein: 13g