Looking for a healthy, flavor-packed snack?! These easy roasted chickpeas are your ticket! Roasted in the oven, chickpeas are transformed into a nutty, crunchy, savory snack! Be sure to check out the tips and video below for how to roast chickpeas so that they maintain their crunch.
Are chickpeas good for you?
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are a regular item on my shopping list! They are satisfying and nutritious--a good source of plant-based protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. And those on heart-healthy, diabetic, and weight-loss diets can especially benefit from chickpea recipes as a healthier option to meat and soy-based proteins (source).
And it's not hard to find delicious ways to use chickpeas! I use them in my cooking all the time--from making creamy hummus (obviously) to warm-your-belly pots like Mediterranean bean soup, Greek braised eggplant, and Moroccan vegetable tagine. And on busy nights, it's something like Mediterranean couscous salad.
And If you're after a crunchy, savory, flavor-packed snack: roasted chickpeas! Roasted in the oven, chickpeas magically transform into an amazing crunchy, salty, savory snack. I like to eat them hot out-of-the-oven. Irresistible!
Roasted chickpeas make an amazing snack, but you can also throw them in salads or on top of your soups in place of croutons.
How to roast chickpeas
This easy, savory snack is very easy to make, all you need is a hot oven and three key ingredients: chickpeas, olive oil, and salt. Here is what you do:
- First, Dry Chickpeas very very well! In this recipe, I start with 2 cans of chickpeas. The most important step is to make sure the chickpeas are absolutely dry. So once you've rinsed the chickpeas, use paper towels to dry them very well. Then leave them in a colander for a while so that they would release any moisture. The dryer and less moist (not my favorite word btw!) the chickpeas, the crispier they will be once roasted.
- Coat with olive oil and a good pinch of kosher salt. And transfer the chickpeas to a large baking sheet, making sure to spread the chickpeas well so that they are in one layer.
- Roast in a high heated oven at 400 degrees F for 20 to 35 minutes or until the chickpeas turn golden brown and crispy to your liking. Shake the sheet pan on occasion (every 10 minutes or so).
- Season the chickpeas immediately after roasting. In this recipe, only kosher salt and olive oil are applied to the chickpeas before roasting. I like to wait until I pull the chickpeas from the oven before adding any more spices or seasonings. This way, the spices don't interfere with the "crisping" process. More importantly, spices have the tendency to burn and become bitter.
How to season them
There are so many ways to season ans spice up roasted chickpeas. The possibilities are literally endless.
This time, I went for warm Middle Eastern and Moroccan flavors.
I used a combination of two of my favorite blends: za'atar (made of Mediterranean wild thyme and toasted sesame seeds) and harissa (a unique North African blend of three types of chili along with warm cumin, coriander and more.) I also like to add a bit of sumac for tang. (By the way, you can find these spices at our online shop).
The beauty here is that you can play with all sorts of flavors to dress up your roasted chickpeas. Here are a few more flavor combinations you might like:
- Feeling something more herby and bright? Use finely minced fresh herbs like parsley, mint, or basil + sumac or lemon zest!
- For Greek or Italian, try adding a bit of thyme, oregano, or even piney rosemary (chop up your dry rosemary as it can be too hard.)
- Want something warmer or on the spicy side? Add cayenne or a bit of your favorite chili pepper (I like Aleppo pepper, which is not too hot but has a nice, easy kick!)
Roasted chickpeas from dried
I often use canned chickpeas in this recipe because that's what I buy more of, but if you have a bag of dry chickpeas and you're wondering if you can make this chickpeas recipe from dried chickpeas, yes you can! In fact, baked chickpeas from dried can be even more crunchy! You do not have to cook the dried chickpeas before you roast them. Here is how:
- When making this recipe from dried beans, start by soaking the chickpeas in plenty of water for about 24 hours. They will expand and at least double in size, which is what you want.
- Before you roast them, be sure to dry the chickpeas very well.
- Bake the chickpeas on a large sheet pan at 400 degrees F until they are nice and crispy (about 20 to 35 minutes).
- Season with your favorite spices just as they come out of the oven.
Why are my roasted chickpeas not crunchy?
Here are a few tips to make sure your chickpeas are as crispy as possible:
How long will roasted chickpeas last?
You might wonder, how to store roasted chickpeas so that they at least maintain some crunch.
I love them right out of the oven. When they sit for a while and cool off, roasted chickpeas will lose a little bit of their crunch. BUT, they turn nutty, intense with flavor, and a bit chewy on the inside. In my opinion, still irresistible.
If you've used fresh herbs or lemon zest, I recommend you enjoy the chickpeas as soon as possible. But otherwise, if you just used some dry spices to give them flavor, you can store cooled roasted chickpeas in a glass jar. They'll last for 4 to 5 days. And as I said earlier, Leaving the storage jar lid a bit lose, allows the chickpeas to breath, keeping them crispy for longer.
And by the way, you can freeze roasted chickpeas for about 1 month!
More chickpea recipes
If you love chickpeas and are looking for more ways to use them, check these two articles out:
Browse Top 50 Mediterranean Diet recipes. Browse all recipes here.
Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas drained and rinsed
- Extra virgin olive oil, I used Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Seasoning of your choice, I used za'atar, sumac and harissa
Instructions
- Drain and dry chickpeas very well. Dry them up using some paper towels and leave them in a colander until they have dried as much as possible (OR you can spread them on a large baking sheet lined with paper towel for a while.)
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and position a rack right in the middle.
- Spread the chickpeas well on a bare baking sheet (do not line the baking sheet with parchment or foil.) Drizzle a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil and season with kosher salt. Toss chickpeas and make sure they are well-coated with the olive oil. Spread them out well on the sheet.
- Roast in heated oven anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. Don't rush it, make sure the chickpeas turn a deeper golden brown and the exterior is nice and crispy, that's when they're ready.
- Season roasted chickpeas. Once you take the chickpeas out of the oven, immediately season with spices of your choice. This time, I used za'atar, sumac, and harissa blend (up to 2 teaspoon each) for warm Middle Eastern and Moroccan notes. Play with the amounts to your liking, and change up the spices according to what you have. (see more flavor ideas up in the post)
Video
Notes
- Makes nearly 2 cups or 30 tablespoons. The serving size here is 1 tablespoon.
- Roasted chickpeas from dried: If you'd like to make this recipe from dry chickpeas, do not cook them! Simply soak the dry chickpeas in plenty of water for 24 hours. They will expand and at least double in size, that's what you want. Follow the same instructions for drying and roasting.
- How to Keep Chickpeas Crispy: roasted chickpeas are best warm right out of the oven, they are crispiest at this point. Once they cool off and are stored for a time, they will maintain some crunch, but they will soften a bit on the inside. Still a very tasty and additive snack. If you want to re-crisp them, you can put them in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes when you need to.
- Storage Tip: You can store cooled roasted chickpeas in a glass jar. They'll last for 4 to 5 days. And Leaving the jar lid a bit lose allows the chickpeas to breath, keeping them crispy for longer. You can also freeze them for later.
- Visit our online shop to browse our olive oil bundles and all-natural and organic spices used this recipe and more!
Nutrition
*This post originally appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in fall of 2019 and has been recently updated with new information for readers' benefit. Enjoy!
Linda says
I love the idea of roasting the chic peas. What about a sweet coating like brown sugar and cinnamon? And if so any ideas on how I could do that successfully? Thanks
Suzy says
Hi, Linda. I'm sure that would work and be delicious, I just don't have specific suggestions for you as I've never done it myself. If you give it a try, please stop back and share your thoughts.
Jamie Szklany says
You can roast them with olive oil and when they come out of the oven and still warm toss them with sugar and cinnamon
Suzy says
A healthier sweet treat... love it! Thanks, Jamie!
Renee says
I tossed mine in 2Tbl oil, 2 Tbl honey, 1 tsp cinnamon and a punch of nutmeg. Then put back in the oven 10 minutes or so to caramelize it. Yummy sweet treat!
Suzy says
Perfect! Thanks for sharing, Renee!
Kate says
These are so addicting! I made them exactly as directed and they turned out perfectly.
brunda says
24 hrs soak is very long , I think
overnight is good enough
24hrs maks them so smelly, I did that and trashed everything
will try this overnight soak and let know
Selena says
Thank you for sharing, Can't wait to try.
Renee J says
I love your recipes. I’m curious why you say not to use a parchment paper or foil lined sheet pan. How would using either adversely effect the outcome?
Suzy says
Hi, Renee! I've just found that the chickpeas turn out crispier if they are directly on the sheet pan.
Katie says
So crunchy so good. Better than Cheetos. I just made them for the first time & I used tons of pepper, extra hot chili powder, crushed red pepper & sumac
Barbara Gill says
how long do you roast them @ 400 degrees? It does not say
Suzy says
Hi, Barabara! Here are our instructions from step 4 of the recipe: "Roast in heated oven anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. When chickpeas turn a deeper golden brown and the exterior is nice and crispy, they are ready." Hoppe you enjoy them!!!
Kenna says
Yes it does at how long and what temp. Read carefully
Lori Smith says
If you've only got dry chickpeas but you can't wait 24 hours for these, you can boil them for two minutes in a BIG pot (6 cups water to 1 cup dry chickpeas), then take them off the heat, cover the pot, let them soak in the hot water for an hour. You get the goodness of fresh chickpeas without waiting 24 hours for them, AND they don't have that "can" taste. 🙂
Susan Santoro says
I always made chick peas with salt and pepper, just another thing Suzy taught me to bring my game up a level. I also appreciate your detailed instructions. Thank you for ALL of your wonderful recipes, you are becoming my "go to." The products are also fantastic!
Suzy says
Awwww! Thank you so much, Susan! I'm glad you are enjoying the recipes and learning some new things!
Best Guy says
Another winner babe. I used dry chickpeas and seasoned with Zaatar, salt, pepper and your Private Reserve EVOO. I burnt a few, but even those weren't bad.
Suzy says
Thank you!!!
Natasha says
I now have a favorite healthy snack for when I get the munchies! These roasted chickpeas are to die for especially when still warm from the oven! The spice blend has just enough tanginess from the Sumac, heat from the Harissa spice, and earthy citrus from the Za'atar. Will definitely be making these again. You can't go wrong if you follow Suzy's tips. I took the time to peel my chickpeas and let them air dry for part of the day. The Mediterranean Dish website has now become my go to for recipe ideas. I've just finished juicing fruits and vegetables for a month. While this allowed my body to detox and reset, I now have Suzy's recipes to keep me on a mainly vegetarian way of eating. I'm discovering new spices and I love the weekly recipes sent to my inbox, which really helps with planning meals when you need new ideas. Thanks, Suzy, for all of your wonderful recipes!
Suzy says
Thanks you so much for your kind words, Natasha!
Lama says
Loved this! Can't wait to make it again soon.
Suzy says
Thanks, Lama!
Kathy Klingenberg says
These are so delicious and easy to prepare! I season with a blend of Italian seasoning and smoked paprika.
Saba Karadsheh says
Awesome, Kathy! love the Italian seasoning idea as well
Dimitra Alexakos says
HI, when I prepare chickpeas for roasting I mix them with the olive oil and salt/spices in a bowl then put them on a sheet pan, that way I know they are well coated and none of them run away :-)) . Sometimes I also "roast/Toast" them in a hot non stick pan, Season as per your method then place in a hot non stick pan, make sure they are single layer and stir every so often . Same result in about 25 minutes. Best snack to be enjoyed in many ways.
Suzy says
Thanks for sharing your tips 🙂
Catherine Washabaugh says
These were absolutely delicious! My kids were actually fighting over chick peas! MIND BLOWN! This recipe is a keeper!
Suzy says
Yay! That's so great to hear! Thanks, Catherine!
Charlene Peters says
I just tried making roasted chickpeas for the first time. For seasoning I used a mixture I made for french fries that my family loves. It is a mix of garlic powder,onion powder,tumeric,and smoky paprika,and a pinch of salt. Love it.
Suzy says
That sounds wonderful, Charlene. Thanks for sharing!
Susan Kay says
D’you think it would be wrong to add these chickpeas to Greek salad?
I do enjoy your recipes particularly in the lockdown in the UK!
Suzy says
Totally not wrong! Go for it!