Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas make a great protein-packed vegan snack! Enjoy them on their own, or add them to your favorite healthy dishes for crispy texture.

Roasted Chickpeas

If you like chickpeas, you’re going to LOVE this roasted chickpeas recipe!

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 textural contrast 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 to make roasted chickpeas

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…

  1. Preheat the oven to 425° and drain and rinse your chickpeas.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Transfer the baking sheet to your preheated oven and roast until crispy. I start checking at 20 minutes, but it can take up t0 30 minutes for them to become really crisp.
  5. 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.

Spiced roasted chickpeas

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.
  • 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. They’re also delicious with Everything Bagel Seasoning!

Chickpea Recipes

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:

For more snacks and appetizer ideas, check out this post!

More Plant-Based Proteins

If you love this recipe, try making Crispy Baked Tofu, Marinated Baked Tempeh, or protein-rich lentils next!

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Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

rate this recipe:
4.96 from 263 votes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves 1 1/2 cups
Make crispy roasted chickpeas for a protein-packed vegan snack. I also love them in salads or on sandwiches and bowls!

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F 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 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Ovens can vary, if your chickpeas are not crispy enough, keep going until they are!
  • 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.

 

 

176 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it)




  1. Nicky
    06.22.2020

    How many calories would this be ? 😊

  2. Jeanine Donofrio
    06.17.2020

    I think every oven might be different, this is what works for me.

  3. Ronnie
    06.16.2020

    5 stars
    Nice simple recipe. 30 minutes at 400 F did it for me. 20 minutes is way less time to get to crunchiness.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.30.2020

      I’m glad you loved them!

  4. Michelle
    06.07.2020

    5 stars
    Made these, my partner and I love them! Thank you very much, I’d never thought of roasting them before! Like someone else suggested I put them in the oven for five minutes to dry and then added the oil and salt and cooked for another twenty-five minutes and they were perfect. I like them with roasted red pepper and garlic seasoning and some paprika!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.09.2020

      Hi Michelle, I’m so glad you loved them!

  5. Jeanine Donofrio
    04.16.2020

    Hi Suzanne, that’s so odd, I’ve never had popping happen. Ovens can really vary, I’d say you could turn the temp down a little since it sounds like yours runs hot.

  6. Sharon
    03.16.2020

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! I could eat these every day.. Quick question, where do you get your cute spoons from? They aren’t on your webste..
    Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.16.2020

      So glad you loved it! I collect tiny spoons wherever I see them, especially when I’m traveling… I think I got one at a now-closed ceramics shop in Austin, I think the other two I picked up in Japan. I realize that’s not helpful! Recently, the Magnolia line at Target has started carrying cute tiny wood bowls and things, I peruse their stuff often!

  7. Sophie
    03.11.2020

    My chickpeas were dry but even after 20 mns they didn’t crunch up!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      03.12.2020

      Hi Sophie, I’d give them more time – oven heats can vary.

  8. Jenna Travels
    02.17.2020

    5 stars
    These actually looks pretty good. They turned out well. Thanks!

  9. Kinda Thomson
    11.21.2019

    These came out mushy for me. Could have easily doubled the cooking time

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.21.2019

      Ovens can vary – also, make sure they were dried well after rinsing.

  10. Michelle
    08.02.2019

    5 stars
    Hi love the chickpea recipe . I was wondering have you try it with other Beans ( mung , aduki, ) instead of chick peas

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      08.03.2019

      HI Michelle, hmm… I’m not sure. Chickpeas are a more firm bean, so I’m wondering if the other’s wouldn’t get crispy.

  11. jennifer from www,toxicfreecricket.com
    06.25.2019

    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!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.25.2019

      I’d go a little longer – ovens can vary. Hope that helps!

  12. leeann lavin
    02.23.2019

    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.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.23.2019

      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!!

    • Louise
      06.05.2021

      I rolled mine around on a bath towel to dry and the husks fell off

  13. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    02.20.2019

    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

  14. Tiffa
    02.19.2019

    5 stars
    I made some today and they were simply wonderful. I could easily see this as my new favorite snack. Many thanks!

  15. Emily
    02.19.2019

    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

  16. Paras Ram
    02.19.2019

    Natcher Is a Good Purchasing System

  17. Paras Ram
    02.19.2019

    Natcher is a Goystem
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  18. Sarah | Well and Full
    02.18.2019

    I love roasted chickpeas, I use them in salads instead of croutons! 🙂

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.19.2019

      me too 🙂

  19. Jill
    02.18.2019

    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.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.19.2019

      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 🙂

      • Karen
        02.12.2021

        What happens if you don’t add oil? I’m searching for potential snacks for a specific diet that doesn’t use oil and I thought roasted chickpeas could be a good option

        • Katie
          04.17.2021

          Certain oils are good for you, so I wouldn’t eliminate the oils for dietary purposes.

        • Shawn
          04.21.2021

          I make them without drying and without oil, I rinse, drain, and add seasoning. Baked at 400 for about 40 mins. We like ours really crunchy.

          • Michele
            05.12.2021

            Thank you!!

    • Jenna
      08.22.2020

      I love this! I am in college and looking for snacks I can premake. Do you have the mason jar lid shut?

    • Debbie
      02.19.2021

      5 stars
      Great Idea! Thanks! 👍😀

    • Susan Johnson
      03.10.2021

      Super idea. Thank you. I used my hair dryer
      Your idea so much better

  20. Gaby Dalkin
    02.18.2019

    Seriously one of my fav snacks.

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.