- Roasted chickpeas are packed with protein, fiber, and other nutrients.
- I tried making them with both sweet and savory toppings and they're all delicious.
Trust me on this one — stop what you're doing and get yourself some chickpeas, stat, because it's time to level up your snack game.
Roasted chickpeas are a cheap, easy snack you can make at home. They are packed with protein and fiber, and can be made to satisfy sweet or savory cravings.
I was blown away by how good they turned out, and roasted chickpeas are now a staple in my healthy snack roster. Try them with toppings like honey or your favorite seasoning blend for a crunchy, delicious way to get more beans in your life.
Why you should eat more chickpeas
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are my favorite legume because they're versatile, and also they look like they never skip glute day.
They also boast some impressive macros, with nearly 15 grams of protein and a whopping 12 grams of fiber per cup (close to half the recommended daily dose of fiber).
I was initially tipped off about the wonders of roasted chickpeas by dietitian Bonnie Taub-Dix, who also gave me the scoop on all the major nutritional benefits of beans. Some experts have even called beans a longevity superfood, since they're popular in regions where people live the longest, healthiest lives.
How to make roasted chickpeas
The basic recipe for roasted chickpeas is easy to follow and adapt. Drain cooked or canned chickpeas, rinse, and dry them well (don't skip this step if you want crunchy results). Then, coat with olive oil and salt, spread them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper Roast them in the oven at 400 degree Fahrenheit for 30 to 40 minutes or until crispy, tossing them every 10 minutes or so along the way. Once cooked, you can experiment by adding a variety of seasonings.
Roasted chickpeas have endless flavor possibilities
During a previous attempt at making roasted chickpeas, I opted for simplicity by finishing them off with a basic salt-and-pepper seasoning and a separate batch with honey (also a longevity superfood!) and cinnamon, both of which turned out incredible.
For this batch, I decided to go big and explore just how much flavor these little guys could handle. I used four 15.5-ounce cans of chickpeas, which is more than enough for some generous snacking (or sharing if I'm feeling generous). To help them crisp up more easily, I patted the beans off with a paper towel and let them air dry for a couple of hours.
For each batch, the beans went in the oven sans spices (since those would scorch in the heat), but got a generous coating of olive oil and sea salt. To shake things up, I used melted butter for one pan, since I thought the flavor would pair better with sweet toppings (and a little bit of butter is healthier than you think).
While the beans were roasting, I prepped my toppings. I decided to go big with six different flavors, half sweet and half savory.
For the savory, I used a taco seasoning packet — typically I make my own blend, but I usually measure with my heart and wanted to uphold scientific rigor today. I also mixed up a blend of oregano, basil, and grated parmesan from a canister (silently apologizing to my partner, who is half Italian). Finally, rounding out the savory trio is the holy grail of snack seasonings — ranch mix.
For the sweet side of things, I opted for maple black pepper (freshly cracked black pepper and a bit of maple syrup), spicy hot chocolate (with cocoa, natural sugar, cayenne, and cinnamon), and matcha lemonade (using matcha powder and lemon sugar).
I used about a tablespoon of each flavor blend per cup of chickpeas, but you should adjust amounts to your own taste preferences.
Once I finished setting up my flavor station (with the blends in little matching ramekin gift set I've been dying to find a reason to use), I shuffled the chickpeas around one more time, and saw that I had a few minutes left on the timer.
In total, they spent about 40 minutes in there before I turned the oven off and let them hang out a bit longer — maybe 10 minutes or so — for maximum crisp.
While the chickpeas were still warm (so the seasonings would stick), I divided them into six piles, transferred each into a reusable plastic container, added a flavoring, popped the lid on, and shook to coat them.
My favorite chickpea seasonings were savory ranch and sweet maple black pepper
The clear winner of the great chickpea cookoff in my household was the ranch seasoning — they didn't last long enough to take any pictures, since my partner and I both loved them. The taco blend was a close second, and the Italian seasonings also turned out delicious.
For dessert, the maple black pepper took first place. The spicy hot chocolate was also good but ended up tasting almost savory without a lot of extra sugar.
Despite my misgivings, the matcha lemonade was a surprise hit. The only challenge was that the mix didn't stick to the chickpeas so well, so next time, I'll use a food processor or blender to make the particles smaller.
All the chickpeas were great, and I'll definitely add them into my snacking rotation. However, they're not going to replace other treats in my diet — I'm a firm believer in balance and sometimes, a bean is simply not a substitute for a doughnut or Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
Regardless of what flavor blend you chose, I recommend eating the chickpeas warm when they're the most crisp. However, they develop a nice chewy texture as they cool, so it's a win-win.
The only problem with this recipe is how I'm going to finish all these beans — or my next article might be "6 side effects of eating too many chickpeas at once."