Best Crispy Oven Roasted Chickpeas – Easy Recipe

These oven-roasted chickpeas are a great option for a healthy snack or appetizer. They are packed with protein and fiber, seasoned with delicious savory spices and roasted to crispy perfection. Enjoy these crunchy chickpeas on their own or as a topping for salads and soups. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and totally addictive.

Oven-roasted chickpeas are the ultimate, crunchy, protein-packed snack that’s easy to make. They are perfect for satisfying your midday cravings or adding some crunch to your salads and soups. And the best part is that these snackable roasted chickpeas are simple to make at home with just a few basic ingredients and a little bit of oven time. 

In this post, I’ll show you my favorite way to make oven-roasted chickpeas and share some tips and tricks for getting them just right.

If you are short on time then try these air fryer chickpeas that come out just as crispy but cook a little faster. 

Roasting chickpeas in the oven is an inexpensive and simple snack the whole family will go crazy for! We love topping them on a big healthy salad, adding them to hearty Buddha bowls, or piling them into a wrap with some hummus and fresh veggies.

They are especially good as a last-minute plant-based protein since you can just grab a can of chickpeas from your pantry and roast them in no time!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE CRISPY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

• Simple ingredients – just a few simple pantry ingredients are all you’ll need.
• Quick and easy – ready in under 30 minutes!
• Budget-friendly – Made with canned chickpeas that are inexpensive, versatile, and readily available.
• Flavorful – The chickpeas are seasoned just right with the perfect blend of spices.
• Healthy snack – they make the best healthy snack, or for topping on salads, soups, sandwiches, or even pizza!
• Easily customizable – change up the seasoning and use your own favorite spice blends.

ARE CHICKPEAS GOOD FOR YOU?

Chickpeas are a great source of plant-based protein, are full of fiber, and iron, and are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. They are also great for weight management and aid in digestion. Here is some more information on the health benefits of chickpeas.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Chickpeas – canned, organic, low-sodium chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are best so you can control the salt. 
• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil that helps the chickpeas get nice and crispy and helps the seasoning stick to them.
• Seasoning – I used garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, and pepper. Or any seasoning blend you like.

*Check out the recipe card located at the bottom of this post for the complete list of recipe ingredients, instructions, and nutritional information.

How to make oven roasted chickpeas

You can make these roasted chickpeas in just a few simple steps. Here is a summary with step-by-step photos for how to make them.

1. Rinse the chickpeas with some water then dry them very well on a clean dish towel to remove any excess moisture. Then add them to a parchment-lined sheet pan. Let them sit on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes to dry out even more. Note: you want nice dry chickpeas so the oil and seasoning can stick to them. 
2. Mix up the seasoning by adding all of the spices + salt and pepper to a small bowl and stir well to combine. 
3. Toss the chickpeas with some olive oil, sprinkle on the seasoning, and toss to coat, then spread them out on the pan in a single layer. Don’t worry if some of the chickpea skins fall off.
4. Roast the seasoned chickpeas in a preheated oven at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, tossing them and shaking the pan every 10 minutes to get all sides nice and crispy and golden brown. 
5. Let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes once they are done so they can crisp up even more. Then serve and enjoy!

Expert Tip: Drying the chickpeas after rinsing them will also help them to get crispier faster. To dry the chickpeas just lay them on a dry, clean kitchen towel or paper towel and pat them dry. The dryer the better.

Recipe Variations

This oven roasted chickpeas recipe is very versatile and customizable. You can use any spices you like and make them sweet or savory. Play around with this recipe a bit to find your favorite version. Here are a few flavor variations you may want to try:

• Spicy – if you love a little heat, try seasoning them with cayenne pepper, chili powder, and smoked paprika for a smoky and spicy kick. Or you could even use taco seasoning.
• Garlic and Herb – If you’re a fan of garlic and herbs, toss your chickpeas with minced garlic, dried oregano, and thyme before roasting.
• Sweet and Savory -if you like a sweeter snack then try tossing the chickpeas in a mix of brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt.
• Lemon and Parmesan – try coating them with grated Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil before roasting for that lemony, salty, cheesy flavor.

WAYS TO USE OVEN ROASTED CHICKPEAS

There are so many different ways you can use these oven-roasted chickpeas! I love to add them to salads, on top of soups, to rice bowls, or even as a topping on pizza! My family just loves them as a crunchy snack that we sometimes mix in with some popcorn and pretzels, which is so good! I find that they give you that nice salty, crunchy taste and texture that is sure to beat any nighttime craving!

Here are some ways to use them:

• Add them as a topping on these Sausage and pepper twice baked sweet potatoes.
• Use as a protein in this vegetarian Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
• Top on this  Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.
• Layer them in a buddha bowl for a crunchy, protein-packed treat!

Recipe Tips and Tricks For The Best Results

• Buy good quality, low-sodium chickpeas. I like to buy organic, low-sodium chickpeas since some canned beans can be loaded with extra salt.
• Drain and rinse the beans well for at least 30 seconds under running water. I like to drop mine into a small strainer and swish them around a little bit under the water. This will also help remove extra sodium from the beans. 
• Dry them really well. It is important to dry the chickpeas on a clean towel before you season them. This will help the seasoning stick to them much better and allow them to get crispy when you roast them. Dry them a little bit more by allowing them to sit on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before adding the oil and seasoning.
• Season them generously. Once the chickpeas are nice and dry, coat them generously in the oil and the seasoning blend for the best results.
• Cook the chickpeas at high heat. 400° F is the ideal temperature since they get nice and crispy without drying out at all. I have tried roasting them at higher temperatures (425 F or 450 F) and it did not turn out too well. They become dry and lose some of their flavor.
• Enjoy them right away! Roasted chickpeas are best right out of the oven after they have cooled for 5-10 minutes. They will crisp up more as they cool.

HOW TO STORE CRISPY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

These crunchy cooked chickpeas are best if eaten right after you cook them since that is when they are the crispiest and the most flavorful. If you do have leftovers, you want to let them cool completely then transfer them to a mason jar or some sort of container that is not airtight so the air can circulate. This will help them maintain some of their crispiness and flavor. Keep them in a cool, dry place and they should be good for about 3 days.

Reheat them in the oven at 375°F on a baking sheet until warm and crispy or in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes.

Recommended tools for making this recipe

• Mixing bowl
• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper

FAQs

Do I need to use canned chickpeas?

Yes, canned chickpeas are the best option since they are already cooked and are so easy to work with. Also, once they are rinsed and dried well they soak up all of the seasoning and crisp up very nicely in the oven as they roast.

Why are my roasted chickpeas not crunchy?

Here are a few reasons why your chickpeas did not get crispy:

• They were too wet. It is important to drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas very well before you add any oil. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness so the drier they are before you add the oil, the crispier they will become.
• Your oven wasn’t hot enough. Ovens vary and so do cooking times and temperatures so make sure you know your oven and roast the chickpeas at least at 400°F in a preheated oven. Increase the oven temperature if they are not becoming crispy.
• The pan was overcrowded. You want to spread the chickpeas in an even layer on the baking sheet so they get crispy on all sides. Some overlapping is okay but make sure they are spread out so they can become exposed to the heat. Tip: Shake the pan a few times during the cooking process to get them even crispier.
• You didn’t allow them to cool long enough. Roasted chickpeas will crisp up more as they cool, so wait 5-10 minutes before serving them. It will make a big difference.

Why do chickpeas pop in the oven?

Chickpeas release moisture as they cook, so you may hear some popping sounds while they are roasting, which is totally normal.

Do chickpeas lose their nutrients when roasted?

Chickpeas actually retain most of their nutrition when roasted as opposed to boiling them. A reason why this recipe is such a wonderful nutritious snack!

More chickpea recipes

• Simple Chickpea Chicken Salad (Vegan)
• Crispy Chickpea Kale Caesar Salad
• Easy Hummus Wrap with Crispy Chickpeas
• Kale Quinoa Salad With Chickpeas

Did you make this oven roasted chickpeas recipe? If you did, then please leave a rating and comment below. I would love to hear how yours turned out!

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