Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are a simple and delicious way to add a healthy crunch to soups, salads, and many other dishes.

You can even have them as a mid-morning or post-workout snack.

They are packed with flavor and with nutrition, with a good amount of plant protein.

You can make our roasted chickpea recipe with three simple ingredients: olive oil, salt, and canned chickpeas.

Once baked, add one of your favorite spices, from curry powder to smoked paprika, from ground cumin to chipotle powder, to create your favorite roasted chickpea flavor.

Roasted chickpeas are easy, tasty, crunchy, nutritious, vegan, and gluten-free, and we are sure you will love them. Let us know your favorite spice in the comments below.

Ps. If you have an air-fryer, check out our air-fried chickpeas recipe. They are even crunchier and easier to make.

Chickpeas

You can use canned chickpeas or dry chickpeas, sometimes known as garbanzo beans. If you use canned chickpeas, you must rinse them well and pat them dry with a kitchen cloth.

If you use dry chickpeas, you need first to soak them in water overnight, then boil them for one to two hours till fully cooked. You can cook chickpeas in a regular pot, slow cooker, or instant pot.

Olive oil

Use extra virgin olive oil for extra flavor and nutrition. The oil coats the chickpeas and helps them get crisp and tasty in the oven.

You can replace olive oil with canola oil and avocado oil, although we think olive oil tastes better for this recipe.

Salt and Pepper

Salt makes the roasted chickpeas extra tasty. We like to add a pinch or two of sea salt or kosher salt. If you are on a low sodium diet, you can omit the salt and increase the spices.

Spices

You can use most spices as the seasoning for roasted chickpeas. They are optional; however, we do recommend using one spice or a spice blend to add extra flavor to your crunchy chickpeas.

Good options are smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, curry powder, ground cumin, chili powder, chipotle powder (Nico’s favorite because hot and smokey), cayenne pepper, lemon zest, lime zest, rosemary, and more.

Our tip is to add the spices after you roast your chickpeas because the spices might burn in the oven, rendering the recipe bitter and burnt.

Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain and rinse a can of chickpeas, then dry them with a kitchen cloth or paper towel.

If some of the chickpea skin comes off, you can discard it. It’s not necessary to remove all chickpea skins unless you want to.

Transfer chickpeas onto the baking sheet and season them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Toss them around to coat them evenly in the oil, then arrange them on a single layer.

Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until dry, golden, and crunchy.

Take them out of the oven and season them with your favorite spice (we use curry powder in this case) while still hot and in the baking tray. Toss, then taste and add more spice if you like.

Transfer to a serving bowl, or add on top of your favorite soups and salads.

Snack

Roasted chickpeas are a healthy snack to eat mid-morning or mid-afternoon. I also love them after a workout or while working at the computer.

Keep them in a bowl on your kitchen counter, ready to be eaten. They are like popcorns but tastier and more nutritious, packed with fiber and healthy plant protein.

Soups

You can use oven-baked chickpeas instead of croutons on top of soups of any kind. Our tip is to change the spices based on the soup you are serving.

For instance, use dried rosemary if serving them on a tomato soup. Try smoked paprika or chipotle powder for an eggplant soup or curry powder for butternut squash or zucchini soup.

Salads

Use them in pasta salads, Italian salad, or other salads, such as tofu salad or tomato and cucumber salad. They will quickly make your bowl of greens a complete meal.

Other dishes

Try the on top of stuffed veggies. Our favorite is stuffed roasted eggplant with avocado spread, Italian tomato salsa, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

They are also great on top of hummus or baba ganoush (eggplant dip); in this case, we spice them with ground cumin or smoked paprika.

You can even serve them on top of toasted bread or bruschetta with a delicious spread. We can recommend:

• avocado spread
• tofu cream cheese
• vegan ricotta
• artichoke pesto

More oven-roasted recipes

• roasted eggplant
• oven-roasted zucchini
• roasted bell peppers
• oven-roasted brussels sprouts
• roasted vegetables
• oven-roasted asparagus

More chickpea recipes

If you love cooking with chickpeas, take a peek at these wholesome garbanzo bean recipes:

• Chickpea salad
• Vegan tuna with chickpeas
• Easy Chickpea stew
• Quinoa salad with chickpeas
• Chickpea pasta salad
• Italian Rice salad
• Couscous salad
• Eggplant salad

Or see our best vegan chickpea recipes list with tips for how to cook with chickpea flour as well.