Roasted chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are chewy, a bit crispy firm yet with some give, and have a deeply nutty flavor. These roasted chickpeas have been one of the most popular snack recipes from The Mom 100 Coobook, for sure. My son’s friend actually had the caterer make them for his bar mitzvah party. “Ben,” I said, “are those the Chickpea Poppers from my book?” “Of course,” said Ben. I apparently had asked a stupid question.

This is the easiest way to make a fun, healthy snack from a can of chickpeas. Baking the chickpeas in the oven removes excess moisture from the beans and concentrates their texture and flavor. Drain the chickpeas and pat them dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels to remove excess moisture so they bake instead of steam.

High in fiber, full of protein, low in fat, a little chewy, and a little crispy, this is a snack that a mother could love. You can store them in a container or a jar for up to a week at room temperature.

Healthy Chickpea Snack

Naturally, kids like chips. Of course, they do. And, of course, they’d like it if you sat them down with a big bowl of potato chips every day and said, “Hey, Johnny (or Wendy), go ahead, munch up!” Frankly, when my kids whine about not being able to eat chips with impunity, I feel like shouting, “Don’t you think I want to eat chips all day long, too?” Of course, chips are fantastic (I’ve grown weary of the word moderation, though, of course, it’s all true, what they say). However, the ramifications of lots of chips are not fantastic.

So, what to give your kids to crunch on that you can feel good about? And I’m not talking about veggies — as Charlie said when he was a kid, after I handed him a bowl of carrot sticks, looking at me unsettlingly with that level gaze, “Mom, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I asked for a snack.”

Enter crispy chickpeas! But not straight from the can or box, instead these chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are toasted up in the oven with just the right amount of salt and possibly some light seasonings. In fact, these are an interesting and smart way to wiggle a touch of a new spice into your kids’ palate.

Toss the chickpeas with the olive oil and salt. Add any seasoning combinations you wish, and toss to evenly coat the garbanzos. Crispy roasted chickpeas are also vegan, delicious to eat on their own or tossed on top of Caesar salad or Creamy Rutabaga, Parsnip, and Cheddar Soup.

Ingredients

• Canned chickpeas – Drained and rinsed well.
• Extra virgin olive oil – To get them perfectly crisp.
• Salt – For flavor.

Yes, that really is all the ingredients.

Seasoning Variations

Change up the seasonings as you like. Here are a couple of suggestions. Along with the salt, add:

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• Give a few grinds of black pepper.

How to Make Roasted Chickpeas

1. Prepare the chickpeas: Pat the chickpeas dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel and toss the chickpeas on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt, or any other seasonings that you choose to add.

2. Bake: Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Cooking Tips

• Make sure the chickpeas are dry before tossing them with the olive oil.
• You want the roast chickpeas to have a crispy texture but not become too hard. Remember, they will firm up as they cool, so remove them from the oven before they are too crispy.
• Line the baking tray with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

Storage

Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

What to Serve With Roasted Chickpeas

Frisee, Radicchio, and Escarole Salad with Citrus Dressing

Chopped Winter Salad

Cream of Carrot Soup

More Chickpea Recipes

• Chickpea Salad
• Best Homemade Hummus
• Green Salad with Chickpeas and Spicy Honey Tahini Dressing
• Turkish Chickpea Salad