No fry, crispy chickpeas (to snack on or add to your favorite salads)
If you’re a regular on the blog, then you know how much I love chickpeas. They’re a staple in my plant-based diet and I use them in dishes whenever and wherever I can.
As much as I love the nutty taste and grainy texture, it’s their nutrient profile that I love the most.
Chickpeas are rich in vitamins and minerals, and are a great source of fiber and protein - so adding them to dishes will really help keep you full for longer as well as aid in digestion and elimination.
What I didn’t know about chickpeas until a few years ago is how good they are crunchy. I’ve often ordered them at restaurants - either as a spiced appetizer or in a caesar salad as croutons - and they are freaking delicious.
Every time I have them, I’m inspired to try to make my own version at home but they never turn out quite the same.
Until now.
What I’ve finally learned is that to get your chickpeas crispy without deep frying them, you’ve go to do two things: allow them to fully dry after rinsing them and remove the skin from each individual one (tedious, I know, but worth it).
If you don’t do those two things, it won’t really work.
The recipe below is simple and done up two ways. One, as an unseasoned version that you can snack on or throw on top of a salad for extra protein, fiber and crunch. Two, as a seasoned snack using everyone’s favorite ‘Everything But The Bagel’ seasoning from Trader Joes.
If you don’t have a Trader Joes where you live, you can make the seasoning at home using a combination of white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried minced onion, dried minced garlic and sea salt flakes.
But keep in mind that you can season crispy chickpeas anyway that you like! In fact, I plan to make a spicy lime and cumin version next.
One final note to help you maximize each batch: as you bake your chickpeas, be sure to remove chickpeas that are browning as you go. This way you don’t end up with a batch of perfectly cooked and perfectly burnt chickpeas.
Go ahead and give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. And definitely let me know your favorite ways to make them!
No-fry crispy chickpeas
Prep Time: 2-3 hours | Cook Time: 35-40 minutes | Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
(1) 822g can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp honey or maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp ‘Everything But The Bagel Seasoning’ (optional)
Directions
Layout dry dish towels and put the rinsed chickpeas on them to dry. Remove white skin from chickpeas, which will help make them crispier. Allow to dry for a couple of hours (the drier you allow them to get, the crisper they’ll be)
Heat oven to 420 degrees.
Toss the chickpeas in the avocado oil, honey or maple syrup, salt (and seasoning if you choose to use it) . Lay coated chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Use two baking sheets if necessary, as space should be left between the chickpeas to help them get as crispy as possible.
Roast for 25 minutes. Remove baking sheet and toss chickpeas. Place back in the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes. Check the chickpeas every few minutes after 5-10 minutes and remove any that are getting dark (so that they don’t burn).
Once the majority of the chickpeas are perfectly browned, remove the tray from the oven and let them cool.
Eat them on their own as a snack, or use them as croutons on your favorite salad.
Can be stored in an air-tight container on the countertop for a few days.
If you liked this article, be sure to sign up for my newsletter to receive this type of content and more delivered to your inbox every month!
