Crispy Chickpea Snack (Printable Version)

Crunchy oven-roasted chickpeas with smoked paprika, cumin, and garlic. Vegan, gluten-free, and ready in under an hour.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas (about one 15-ounce can), drained and rinsed thoroughly

→ Coating and Seasonings

02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
02 - Pat the drained chickpeas very dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Remove any loose skins that come off naturally for extra crispiness.
03 - Place the dried chickpeas in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until evenly coated.
04 - Sprinkle in the smoked paprika, ground cumin, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and black pepper. Toss vigorously to distribute the spices evenly across all chickpeas.
05 - Spread the seasoned chickpeas in a single, even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Avoid overcrowding to ensure proper crisping.
06 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan or stirring the chickpeas every 10 minutes to promote even browning. The chickpeas should be golden brown and visibly crispy when done.
07 - Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. The chickpeas will continue to crisp as they cool. Serve immediately as a snack or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These chickpeas satisfy that intense craving for something crunchy without the guilt that follows demolishing a bag of potato chips.
  • They're endlessly customizable with whatever spices you happen to have in your cabinet, meaning they never taste the same way twice unless you want them to.
02 -
  • Drying the chickpeas thoroughly before roasting is non-negotiable - I once skipped this step and ended up with semi-soft beans that never crisped properly.
  • They will seem slightly soft when first removed from the oven, but develop their true crunchiness during the cooling period, so resist judging them too early.
03 -
  • For extra crispiness, leave the chickpeas in the turned-off oven with the door cracked after roasting, allowing them to dry out completely as the oven cools.
  • Always start with room temperature chickpeas rather than cold ones straight from the refrigerator, as they'll roast more evenly and achieve better crispiness.
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