Crispy Roasted Chickpeas Recipe (2024)

Learn how to make oven roasted chickpeas that are actually crispy and stay that way! All you need is a can of chickpeas, a tiny bit of oil and seasoning of your choice. | Gluten Free + Vegan

Originally shared this recipe on June 29, 2015 – Updated July 1, 2022 with improved photos, recipe, tips and ingredient explanations.

I’m currently on a mission to make gluten free vegan vanilla cake using aquafaba instead of eggs. I feel like I’m close, but I still need to do a few more tests before the recipe is fully ready.

So as you can imagine – I’ve been going through a LOT of canned chickpeas.

Fortunately, I’m a big fan of chickpeas (as you can see from the many chickpea recipes I’ve shared). They’re cheap, filling and highly versatile – just like these roasted chickpeas.

How to Make crunchy roasted chickpeas

Altogether this is a very basic recipe made with basic ingredients in a few simple steps.

1. Drain and dry the canned chickpeas.
2. Spread the chickpeas across a large rimmed baking sheet.
3. Dry roast until golden-brown and crunchy.
4. Season with your preferred spices.
5. Enjoy!

The key to truly Crispy Chickpeas

Dry Chickpeas = Crispy Chickpeas

The main challenge I see people run into when roasting chickpeas is that they can’t seem to get them crunchy enough OR they lose the crunch too soon.

Residual water or too much moisture left on the chickpeas or under the chickpea skin before roasting will delay and prevent them from properly crisping up.

If you want your chickpeas to get crispy and stay crispy then I recommend you go the extra mile here and try to remove as much of the chickpea skin as possible.

I found that the chickpeas that I skinned then roasted stayed crunchy for days. The chickpeas that I left the skins on were more varied in their texture and lost their crunch after a day.

At the very least you want to try to get rid of the obviously loose skins just to keep them from popping off in the oven.

Spread the dried chickpeas over one half of a clean dish towel, fold the other half over and gently rub. The friction will help loosen up the skin making it easier to separate.

You won’t be able to get all the skin off this way, but it will help with the more obvious loose skin.

To remove the more stubborn skin, take a single chickpea and gently pinch the sides. The skin should stay in your grip while the chickpea itself slides out. It’s a tedious task for sure, but will make for a longer lasting crunchy snack later.

Don’t feel like you need to do this to every last chickpea. I just recommend removing the skins from the ones that you can see are a bit loose already at the very least.

Dry Roast

The next major tip for crunchy chickpeas: dry roast them! Don’t add oil until after they cook.

Spread the chickpeas across a large baking sheet and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Make sure it’s rimmed so the chickpeas can’t slide off as you move them in and out of the oven.

I like to rub the chickpeas with a paper towel one last time before roasting just to really make sure they are as dry as can be.

When you’re ready, place them in your preheated oven and cook for about 15 minutes in a high temperature. After 15 minutes, take out the pan and give it a good shake then return for another 15 or so minutes. Since oven temperatures can vary quite a bit, you’ll need to keep an eye on your oven in the final 5 minutes of cooking.

Season After Roasting

Tip the chickpeas into a medium sized mixing bowl as soon as you take them out of the oven. Toss with 2-3 teaspoons of oil to coat the chickpeas then follow up with your choice of spices.

The amount of spice you need will depend on the kind of spice you choose. I recommend you start with 1-2 teaspoons of spice, taste and then add more as you see fit.

There are so many different flavors you can choose. Here are a few ideas you can yourself:

Pre Made Spice Blends that can be made or bought:

• Za’atar Spice – Za’atar spice and chickpeas go hand in hand and the sesame seeds add some extra crunch. This is currently my favorite way to enjoy these.
• Ras el Hanout – a Moroccan spice blend
• Taco Seasoning
• Curry Powder
• Everything Bagel Seasoning

Instead of using a pre made blend you can also mix up your own spices based on what you have in and what you enjoy. Mix and match garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, nutritional yeast, salt, lemon zest, parmesan, etc.

I recommend you use extra virgin olive oil for savory flavors and melted coconut oil if you’re trying to make a sweet snack.

Chickpeas are naturally earthy and savory so they take on savory spices more easily than they do sweet/sugary flavors.

What can you do with roasted chickpeas?

So many things! Here are a few different ways you can enjoy your chickpeas:

• Enjoy a salad topper.
  • Instead of croutons, add chickpeas! Crispy roasted chickpeas make a great addition to so many different types of salads.
• Enjoy as a healthy, savory snack.
  • Chickpeas are a great source of plant protein that are also high in fibre. They’re filling, delicious and good for you!
• Add to soups for addition crunch/texture.
  • Add some crunchy chickpeas to a smooth/puréed soup (like this Curried Butternut Squash Soup) for a bit more texture.
• Add to dips and sauces for extra crunch.
  • Crunchy chickpeas take homemade hummus to the next level! They look great and they add a welcome crunch to balance out the creamy texture. Lean even harder into the chickpea theme by serving it with socca or panisses (made with chickpea flour)

Final Tips

• Dry the chickpeas completely before roasting. Remember: dry chickpeas equal crunchy chickpeas!
• If you can tolerate the tedium – remove the chickpea skins.
• Cook the chickpeas directly on the baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with foil (no parchment paper). The direct contact to the heat helps them get crispier.
• Add oil and seasoning after they cook. Oiling them first adds too much moisture which delays the crisp and the spices will likely burn in the oven.
• Preheat the oven fully before roasting.
• Store leftovers at room temperature loosely covered with foil.
• If you find your chickpeas lose their crispiness after a few days, cook them again in a hot oven for 2-3 minutes to crisp back up.

What to do with leftover aquafaba?

• Aquafaba Chocolate Mousse – Vegan
• Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Cake (Aquafaba Cake)
• Vegan Meringue Made With Aquafaba
• Easy Aquafaba Vegan Mayo (With Hand Mixer)
• Gluten Free Sugar Cookies (Vegan + No Chill)
• Vegan Royal Icing (Egg Free)