Crispy Smoky Roasted Chickpeas

Featuring just a few store cupboard ingredients, these crispy smoky roasted chickpeas make for a flavourful snack that's both vegan and gluten-free.

To make the roasted chickpeas extra crispy, pat them dry before baking and wait until the end of the cooking time before adding the seasoning. Simple and delicious!

Enjoy as they are, or throw them into a vegan Waldorf salad or Mediterranean couscous salad. For a similar snack idea, check out these crispy roasted lentils, roasted peas, and roasted squash seeds.

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Are roasted chickpeas good for you?

Chickpeas – or garbanzo beans – are packed full of protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Nutritious, cheap, and widely available, they play an integral part in many a plant-based diet.

While roasting the chickpeas involves a little bit of oil, you get all the great nutrients mentioned above while adding a delicious nuttiness and crispiness.

Which spices work?

This recipe uses smoked paprika and ground cumin (also great for roasted black beans), but you could use whatever spices you like. I've made crispy roasted chickpeas with chilli powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, curry powder, and various other spice blends.

Note: save the spices until later on in the cooking process. Roasting the chickpeas first with oil and salt helps them to crisp up, before then adding the flavour at the end.

Can you roast dried chickpeas?

If using dried chickpeas, these must be soaked and properly cooked before you roast them.

Once soaked and cooked, they're delicious roasted. Since they contain a little less moisture than tinned chickpeas, they may not need as long in the oven. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they don't overcook or burn.

Learn more about how to cook dried chickpeas.

How to make crispy smoky roasted chickpeas

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F). Drain the chickpeas well, saving the water (aquafaba) if you want to use this in other recipes.

Spread out the chickpeas across a baking sheet and pat them dry with some kitchen towel. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and then shake the pan to make sure all the chickpeas are coated.

Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, shaking the pan again a couple of times during cooking.

After 35-40 minutes, the chickpeas will have reduced slightly in size and started to crisp up. Sprinkle over the smoked paprika and ground cumin, shaking the pan well to coat everything.

Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes or until golden and crispy. Once crispy, remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly, and enjoy.

The roasted chickpeas are best eaten shortly after they've come out of the oven, as they will start to soften over time (although they're still really nice with a bit of a chew). Enjoy as a snack or sprinkled over salads.

More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Crispy Roasted Lentils
• Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
• Homemade Hummus
• Crispy Baked Falafel
• Cajun-Spiced Baked Potato Wedges
• Easy Vegan Chana Masala
• Vegan Pancetta
• Roasted Green Peas

You can also check out my full list of vegan dips and snacks.

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