Roasted chickpeas are snack-worthy little protein-packed bites that make a fun appetizer alternative to nuts or a great salad topper. Use this simple tutorial and recipe to learn how to roast chickpeas and get them perfectly crispy and crunchy every time!
The video in this post shows you how to roast chickpeas 3 different ways:
- Basic roasted chickpeas – (also included in the recipe card below in this post)
- Maple cinnamon roasted chickpeas
- Spicy cinnamon roasted chickpeas
The seasonings can vary to your liking but the method remains the same.
Roasted chickpeas are a totally underrated snack in my opinion.
When they’re made correctly, they’re crispy and crunchy and rival any mixed nut bowl or Chex mix type of party appetizer all while being lower in fat and high in protein and fiber.
The seasoning options are endless too.
You can make them sweet like these cinnamon toast crunch roasted chickpeas, you can mix sweet, savory and spicy like these spicy cinnamon roasted chickpeas, you can even do BBQ roasted chickpeas and on and on.
Now I’m dreaming of a taco-seasoned roasted chickpea. Mmm….
Making roasted chickpeas is easy but there are a few simple tricks to get the absolute crispiest and crunchy result you can’t skip!
Let’s go through it all and learn how to roast chickpeas the right way.
What Do I Need To Make Roasted Chickpeas?
The ingredient list is simple. I’ve included a basic recipe for roasted chickpeas below but like I mentioned above, you can add any and all seasoning combinations you’d like so play around!
For basic roasted chickpeas you need:
- 1 (15oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- melted coconut oil
- salt and pepper
That’s it! I bet you have all those ingredients on hand, don’t you?
Can You Roast Canned Chickpeas?
Yes! I hardly ever use dry beans.
Unless I’m using my Instant Pot for something like this Instant Pot tomato white bean recipe, I tend to stay away from dried beans.
They just require too much time for soaking and too much forethought, I’m more spur of the moment in my cooking!
Canned beans are perfectly fine for roasted chickpeas and they make things nice and simple!
How Do You Make Crispy Roasted Chickpeas?
The most important question!
Crispy roasted chickpeas are not hard but you have to know the tricks! Here are the two most important parts of how to make crispy roasted chickpeas:
- Peel the skins off the chickpea
- The “pre-bake” and “post-bake” cool
Let’s go over each one of those.
Peeling the Skins Off the Chickpea
I know this part is tedious. I used to skip it and when you’re making things like this chickpea fall salad or this Moroccan lamb lentil stew with chickpeas, it’s not worth it.
But, when the recipe is solely focused on the crispy and crunchy chickpea itself, take the 10 minutes (that’s how long it took me – I literally timed it) and peel them.
Believe me, you’ll thank yourself when you taste the end result.
The Pre-bake and Post-bake Cool
Nothing complicated about this part of roasting the chickpeas either, just something a little different than what you’re probably used to when roasting something.
The naked chickpeas (aka- before you pour the oil and seasonings on them) get pre-baked. This helps them start their journey to crispiness before getting “wet” with seasonings.
You’ll pull them out half way through roasting, toss with the oil and seasonings of your choice and then continue roasting.
The post-bake cool is an exercise in patience. Instead of pulling them out of the oven and trying to devour them right away, turn the oven off, crack the door and let the chickpeas cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes. This helps them crisp up even more.
How Do I Store Roasted Chickpeas?
If you actually have leftovers (I’d put bets on this not happening though), the best way to store roasted chickpeas to maintain their crispiness is in a paper bag on the counter.
Don’t put them in an airtight container and don’t refrigerate them!
How Else Can I Use Roasted Chickpeas?
Besides eating them by the handful, I love using roasted chickpeas to top salads. Swap them for nuts next time and try it out!
You can also try them in something like these shrimp Caesar salad stuffed sweet potatoes, I love the added crunchy texture they bring to that dish.
Looking for even more recipes that use chickpeas? Try this chorizo chickpea skillet, this chickpea pesto sandwich or this chana masala.
If you enjoy simple roasted snacks like these chickpeas, try roasted squash seeds as well!
Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F convection roast or 425°F if you don’t have a convection roast setting.
- Spread drained and rinsed chickpeas out on a dry dish towel, gently pat dry.
- Peel skins off each chickpea. This will take about 10 minutes, it’s tedious but worth it and necessary for crispy roasted chickpeas – don’t skip this step!
- Spread peeled chickpeas out on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes, shaking the pan once so they don’t stick.
- Remove chickpeas from the oven and pour the coconut oil mixture over top. Season with salt and pepper and toss well to combine making sure all the chickpeas are evenly coated.
- Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast for an additional 12 minutes, tossing once half way through baking.
- Turn the oven off, open the door a few inches and let oven cool with the baking sheet still in the oven for at least 10 minutes.
- Once cooled, chickpeas will be crispy and ready to eat!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
This are super yummy! I season mine differently every time. They are a great snack (and I don’t feel guilty eating them).
I have only roasted chickpeas once, but when I did, they exploded all over my oven, sounding like a war zone and making a huge mess!! They were not peeled. Does that make a difference? I am scared to roast them again…
Oh wow, never heard of such a thing! I can’t imagine the peels would make the difference in something like that but I’ve never had anything remotely close happen. At worst, some burned chickpeas if left in too long but never an explosion.
For anyone who don’t get the crispiness they want: I baked them with skin and they were very crispy. I baked them “naked” for 30minutes (on 200degrees Celcius), then put the oil and seasoning on and then baked them for another 15minutes while keeping an eye on them so they don’t burn. I store them in an airtight container (not in the refrigirator) and 5 days after, they are still super delicious and crispy. So very nice for snackprepping ;)
Just made these and was very excited about them. I too followed the recipe exactly and they were not very crunchy. Any suggestions?
I tried some unpeeled and they were crispier than the peeled ones.
Loved these! Add dry ranch seasoning and no pepper but they are perfectly crunch! Thanks for showing me how to ACTUALLY make them crispy!