It’s no secret I’m a fan of chickpeas – they’re a great addition to soups, stews, salads, sandwiches, you name it. Not only are they a good vegetarian protein source, but they can also bump up the texture in a dish. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, though, you know that I’m not a fan of mushy food. Sometimes I’m craving something crispy in a salad, and chickpeas’ soft texture won’t satisfy me.
Enter: roasted chickpeas. They still have all the protein and heartiness of regular chickpeas, but they’ve become an irresistible salty, crunchy ingredient. Even better, they’re a great healthy vegan snack on their own!
How do I make roasted chickpeas?
Roasting chickpeas is simple! Start with three basic ingredients: cooked or canned chickpeas, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt. Then…
- Preheat the oven to 400 and drain and rinse your chickpeas.
- Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and gently pat them dry. It’s essential to make sure they’re totally dry before you toss them with the olive oil – damp chickpeas won’t crisp up in the oven. Discard any loose skins from the outside of the chickpeas.
- Transfer the chickpeas to a parchment-lined baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of sea salt. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy.
- Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices.
So simple! Your roasted chickpeas are ready to eat.
Tips & tricks for making the best roasted chickpeas!
Here are some of my favorite tips for making great roasted chickpeas.
- Eat them fast! Roasted chickpeas are best day-of, and they lose their crispiness as time goes on. I aim to finish up a batch by the second day for best texture and flavor.
- Store them at room temperature. Don’t refrigerate these guys. They become chewy quickly! I recommend leaving them in a bowl or jar on the counter, loosely covered with a piece of foil.
- Some brands are better than others. I’ve found that different brands of canned chickpeas are more tightly packed in their skins than others, making them easier to prep for roasting. My favorite brand is ALDI’s Dakota’s Pride.
- Spice them up! I like to toss my chickpeas with spices right as they come out of the oven. Try using a dash of paprika or your favorite spice mix. Chili, curry, or shawarma spices would all be great here.
I made roasted chickpeas! What should I do with them?
Enjoy them as a snack, toss them in a simple salad, or use them in any of these recipes:
- Roasted Cherry Tomato & Thyme Couscous Salad
- Chickpea Shawarma Wraps
- Rainbow Kale Salad with Carrot Ginger Dressing
- Spring Broccolini & Kale Quinoa Bowls
- Tahini Noodles with Carrots & Chickpeas
- Big Green Kale Quinoa Salad
- 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt
- Paprika, curry powder, or other spices (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the chickpeas on a kitchen towel and pat them dry. Remove any loose skins.
- Transfer the dried chickpeas to the baking sheet and toss them with a drizzle of olive oil and generous pinches of salt.
- Roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, or until crispy.
- Remove from the oven and, while the chickpeas are still warm, toss with pinches of your favorite spices, if using.
- Store roasted chickpeas in a loosely-covered container at room temperature. They are best used within two days.
Seriously one of my fav snacks.
I must roast mine crispier than you because mine keep in a mason jar forever. Also, I’m super lazy and it works to put them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes to dry them out and then put the olive oil on and stir them around on the hot pan. But if you forget to add the oil it’s very sad.
Hi Jill, it must be a personal thing – I think they’re best on the first day and I usually don’t have them around past day 3 (probably because they’re eaten by then). Agreed – the oil is necessary 🙂
I love roasted chickpeas, I use them in salads instead of croutons! 🙂
me too 🙂
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I had never thought to add roasted chickpeas to a salad for some crunch, but now I feel I have to! So simple as well, and thanks for the tip of not putting them in the fridge – noted!
Emily | Snippets of Emily’s Life xx
I made some today and they were simply wonderful. I could easily see this as my new favorite snack. Many thanks!
I have to admit I’ve overlooked chickpeas and forgotten that they actually have a decent amount of protein, so thank you for reminding and or educating me on this
I like the roasted chickpeas – like you, I adore chickpeas in most everything. And they play so well with others 😉
However, taking loose skins off every pea was tedious & a big time consuming task. Did I misunderstand or do you suggest alternative?
Thank you.
Hi Leeann, I’ve found that certain brands have skins that are very loose and others are tight. I only peel them if they are really coming off, I don’t try to force off the ones that are tightly adhered. For example, I’ve found that the Whole Foods’ brand chickpeas skins are super loose and they don’t crisp well unless peeled, and Aldi’s chickpeas are more firm (these are my favorite for roasting and I hardly peel any of the skins). There’s a brand called Omena that I find at whole foods that’s also very good. So finding a great brand is my #1 quickest tip to avoid any peeling.
However if you are going to peel, you could try rubbing them with a paper towel to help loosen the skins easier.
I hope that helps!!
hmmmm….20 minutes wasn’t nearly long enough for my chickpeas to roast. Took them out of the oven after 20 minutes and still soft and mushy. Popped them back in the oven for another 8 minutes and still not quite as crisp as to have a crunch. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!
I’d go a little longer – ovens can vary. Hope that helps!