Roast Chickpeas

This is something you may not have noticed, but there are very few recipes for bean dishes on this blog.  That’s because beans in general are not one of my favorite foods.  Sure, I include beans in soups where I like eating them, or I enjoy baked beans at a cookout, but for the most part I’m not a big fan of beans, and most especially I don’t use chickpeas.  I think it has to do with their mealy texture.  Therefore it has come as a hugh surprise to me that I LOVE these Roasted Chickpeas.

A crunchy and nutritious snack.

Say hello to my new favorite snack.  I could eat these almost every single day, one by one out of my hand, or added to salads.  They make everything so much more crunchy.  Besides the pure enjoyment of eating them, there’s the nutritional value of chickpeas:  good quality carbohydrates by way of their fiber, and valuable proteins, plus, not a fat or sugar anywhere except if you add some.  So how about getting on the bandwagon with me and trying out these healthy, nutritious, snacks.  This is how I make them….

First, I want the oven to be HOT.   Partly because I have no patience waiting for them, but also because I want them to be as crispy as I can get them.  So crank that oven up to 425*F.  Hot, hot, hot.

Most of the time I use canned chickpeas, but I have also soaked and cooked them myself.  So the chickpeas are always cooked to start with.  If using canned, be sure to rinse and drain them well.   Then place them in a dish towel or paper towel and really dry them off.  Roll them around to get them super dry. This may loosen the skin on some of them.  No worries, just pick off what’s loose and continue.

Drain well, roll in a towel and pat dry.

Next I spread them on a baking sheet that is lined with foil, because—it just makes life a little easier.

Pour onto foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer.

Then I give them a quick spray of olive oil.  Olive oil in a spray can or a misto works best, but if you don’t have either, a teeny, tiny bit of olive oil sprinkled on works too.  Toss to coat well.  Using a very small amount is key.

Spray lightly with olive oil.

After that, I season the beans with whatever I feel like.  My first version included salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sweet paprika.  This has become my go-to standby.  I don’t measure anything, just do a few shakes of each, then toss them around to coat.  Other seasonings have included cinnamon, nutmeg,  dried herbs, chili powder, and whatever else is in your spice cupboard.  It’s fun to play around with the flavors!

Sprinkle on seasonings of choice.

If you would like a sweeter version you can add some sort of sugar ( brown sugar, white sugar, honey) and it will make a caramelized outer layer.

Anyway, after seasoning, toss, toss, toss.  Make sure they are in a single layer while baking.  Bake for 15 minutes, remove and do a quick mix-around with a spoon or spatula, and bake for another 15 minutes or so till crispy.

Roast till crispy.

My gosh, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love these chickpeas.  Unfortunately, they don’t stay real crispy for more than a day or so, so what I do is make 2 cups at a time ( 1 can of chickpeas), eat about half of them right away, and store the rest in a small plastic container lightly covered with foil, on my counter.  We then eat them for dinner in salad, or I give some to my husband in his lunch.  He loves them as a afternoon snack when he’s starting to feel lethargic.

HOW TO ROAST CHICKPEAS

Yield:  2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (if canned, rinse and drain)
• 1-2 tsp. olive oil, or olive oil spray/mist
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 425*F.   Line a baking sheet with foil.

2.  Place chickpeas on a paper towel or dish towel and pat completely to dry.  Remove any loose skins.

3.  Place on the prepared baking sheet and mist with olive oil.  Roll around to coat.  Sprinkle with seasonings of your choice and toss well to coat.  Make chickpeas are in a single layer.

4.  Bake for 15 minutes, toss well and flip, then bake for about 15 minutes more.  Let cool and eat.  Enjoy!

And that’s all there is to it.  😀

Roast Chickpeas, you gotta love them.