I’ve never been a huge fan of chickpeas. I credit my non-fandom to white beans, with which I have been having a love affair for years. Generally speaking, I have limited experience with chickpeas as an adult and never touched them as a child. The only time can remember eating chickpeas has been when they were mixed together with something or “hidden” — like in a veggie burger or hummus.
And while I love hummus, I ditch chickpeas for white beans (cannellini beans) any chance I get. I swear white beans make a creamier hummus. So when my friend Bethany mentioned that she’s been making roasted chickpeas recently and that they are addicting, my first thought was Meh. I won’t be addicted.
The thing that appealed to me about the recipe that Bethany sent me was the easiness of the recipe. It uses canned beans. I’m not so much a fan of canned beans usually but they do serve their purpose (like in veggie burgers) and of course they are easier to cook with. Cooking with dried beans is a process. So after seeing this easy recipe for roasted chick peas I decided to at least try the recipe and if I didn’t like it no big deal. I’m not usually one to waste food but it’s not like cans of chickpeas cost a ton of money.
Turns out the recipe wasn’t a waste of chickpeas and roasted chickpeas really are good and maybe even addicting. They taste amazing right out of the oven. Aside from just eating them out of the oven you can toss them in salad to give it a crunch if you don’t want to use croutons (or heck go really crazy and use croutons and roasted chick peas). I also feel like they would be a good addition to a healthy snack mix.
The recipe I adapted slightly (below) is from The Kitchn, which offers plenty of tips about roasting chickpeas. Like do not season prior to roasting or the seasoning could burn and make the chickpeas taste gross and that roasted chickpeas taste best right out of the oven and have a different texture when eaten cold. (It’s true. They’re just not as good!)
After I made this recipe I wondered where roasted chickpeas had been all my life. But at least I found them now. Thanks, Bethany! I look forward to making more chickpeas with a variety of flavors for a healthy snack in my future.
ingredients.
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 2 to 4 tsp. spices or finely chopped fresh herbs (chipotle chile powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, smoked paprika, rosemary, thyme, basil, etc.)
directions.
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F.
- Open the cans of chickpeas and pour the chickpeas into a strainer in the sink. Rinse thoroughly under cool running water.
- Pat the chickpeas dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. They should look feel dry to the touch; if you have time, allow them to air-dry for a few minutes.
- Toss the chickpeas with olive oil and salt. I did this in a ziplock baggy which is my go-to for mixing things like nuts and salads. Spread the chickpeas out in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional salt, if desired.
- Roast the chickpeas for 45 to 60 minutes. Roast, stirring the chickpeas or shaking the pan every 10 to 15 minutes. A few chickpeas may pop – that’s normal. The chickpeas are done when golden and slightly darkened, dry and crispy on the outside, and soft in the middle. Or you can roast them longer so that they are crispy and crunchy throughout.
- If using spices, once the chickpeas have been removed from the oven and cooled enough to handle, toss the chickpeas with the spices in a bowl. Serve while the chickpeas are still warm and crispy. They will gradually lose their crispiness as they cool, becoming chewy.
Recipe rating:
Food Snob 