Crispy Roasted Chickpeas (Air Fryer or Oven Baked)
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These Crispy Roasted Chickpeas are a versatile snack to serve to guests or keep in for a handy snack for the family. Seasoned simply and easy to make in either the oven or air fryer.
This Roasted Chickpea recipe is super simple, made with just a tin (or two) of chickpeas, seasoning and a drizzle of oil for cooking. You can make in the oven or the air fryer (I’ve given instructions for both) with no texture/ flavour difference between either method. Although the air fryer is quicker at just 15 minutes. They taste ridiculously moreish and actually keep quite well so you can make them ahead of time without any drama.
Our local tapas bar offers bowls of these incredible roasted chickpeas to snack on whilst you are waiting for the dishes to arrive. It’s one of my favourite bits of the meal but I had never thought to make them myself at home, until I opened a tin of chickpeas just for the aquafaba (the liquid from a tin of cooked chickpeas) in one of my vegan recipes (see my Vegan Ice Cream recipe). I immediately knew I could turn to these Crispy Roasted Chickpeas for a quick and easy way of using up my chickpeas whilst treating myself to an incredible snack to boot.
This is definitely a recipe to have in your back pocket to serve to guests as a crunchy appetiser (or at a party!) or to keep in as a handy snack rather than reaching for a bag of crisps after a long day of work.
Why You’ll Love These Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
- Easy to make in either the air fryer or in the oven.
- Tinned chickpeas are an easy larder ingredient meaning you have no excuse not to make these when snacking strikes!
- Naturally gluten-free.
- Vegan / dairy-free.
- Satisfying snack. Plus very versatile to flavour how you like.
- Perfect for topping salads, soups or in lunchboxes.
Ingredients Needed
Honestly, it’s so simple.
Chickpeas. Just regular tinned cooked chickpeas. Drain them from the tin / jar and away you go. I like to use 2 tins worth but you can easily half the recipe if you just want to use 1 tin.
Olive oil. You just need a little and I recommend using it in either the oven or air fryer scenario.
Everyday seasoning. Oh, I’m very annoying as I’m about to direct you to another recipe (my Homemade Everyday Seasoning) for you to find out how to season these chickpeas. However, if you don’t fancy flicking over to it (think paprika, coriander, garlic, mustard powder and salt and pepper) then I also recommend a shop bought Mild & Smoky BBQ Seasoning, Chicken Seasoning or Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning if you are in the US. I’ve also got 3 more homemade seasoning ideas below.
Sea salt. This is for extra seasoning after the chickpeas have had their time in the oven or air fryer – a little extra over the top really makes a difference.
How To Make Homemade Crispy Chickpeas
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Drain the tinned chickpeas and rinse under cold water. Pat the chickpeas thoroughly dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper.
Toss with the everyday seasoning and olive oil until evenly coated.
Oven Baked. Spread the chickpeas evenly on a lined baking tray. Shake the chickpeas halfway through so they cook evenly. They are ready when they are golden and crunchy.
Air Fryer: Air fry at 200°C for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crunchy.
Season to taste. sprinkle over the extra sea salt or some extra Everyday Seasoning if you like.
Tips & Troubleshooting
It’s crucial to pat the chickpeas dry as well as you possibly can which will mean your end result is deliciously crunchy. You want to remove as much moisture as possible.
Spread the chickpeas into a single even layer whether you are using the oven or air fryer.
You can tell the crispy chickpeas are ready when they are golden brown and look dry. Taste one to see if it’s crunchy or still has a bit of a chalky texture. If it’s the latter then put them in the oven for 5 more minutes. Sometimes some of the chickpeas take longer than others, if that’s the case then remove the crunchy ones and continue cooking the ones that aren’t quite ready.
As the chickpeas cool they actually get more crunchy so sometimes it can help if you cool them slightly before testing for crunch factor. Don’t worry you can still put them back in the oven if they are not crunchy enough when cool.
Taste for seasoning – you can always add more sea salt or even more of the everyday seasoning once cooked.
Cool the chickpeas completely before storing.
FAQs
You can make this recipe ahead of when you want to serve it. However, make sure to allow the chickpeas to thoroughly cool before storing in an airtight container. If you find they have gone a little soft after storing then you can re-crisp in the oven / air fryer for 5 minutes.
Store the chickpeas in an airtight container in a cool dark place and they will keep well for up to 2 weeks.
This recipe is based on cooked chickpeas as your chickpeas need to already be soaked, cooked and tender before you begin.
You can change the Everyday Seasoning suggestion for a shop bought generic bbq or chicken seasoning or try some of the suggestions given below.
Some recipes prefer to season after roasting so the spices don’t turn bitter. However, I didn’t notice a difference using my Everyday Seasoning. It did make the seasoning more pronounced after though.
If the roasted chickpeas are still soft then they might still have too much moisture. Either they were not patted dry enough at the beginning of the recipe or they were not in the oven/air fryer for long enough. Put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
Don’t throw the aquafaba away, instead keep it in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months. You can thaw at a later date and use it for making vegan versions of ice cream, meringues, swiss meringue buttercream, mayonnaise.
Seasoning Variations
This recipe was developed using my Homemade Everyday Seasoning. However, if you don’t fancy making up a batch or just want to switch things up then why not try these seasoning ideas:
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Chilli Lime Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 ½ teaspoons Tajín
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried onion powder
You probably won’t need any extra salt but season to taste after cooking.
Lemon Pepper Roasted Chickpeas
Just add a little salt and pepper to your chickpeas for the oven and then remove from the oven and dust over:
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper (add gradually to taste)
- 2 teaspoons dried lemon powder
Serving Ideas for Roasted Chickpeas
As well as serving in a bowl as a delicious snack you can also use the chickpeas as ingredient components in the following recipes:
- Sprinkled over soup as a texture and nutrition boost.
- Tossed in a salad like in this Garbage Salad or in this Easy Chopped Salad.
- Topping grain bowls.
- Topping a dish of houmous.
- Included in lunchboxes instead of a bag of crisps.
More Appetisers You’ll Love
These Sweet and Spicy Nuts are great for bringing out to a party. They are a smoky, spicy, sweet and salty snack which can be made with any combination of nuts.
Whipped Butternut Squash Dip is a deliciously simple vegan appetiser If you are looking for a break from the usual houmous option.
This Perfectly Sweet n’Salty Popcorn is quick to make with 5 easy ingredients.
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Crispy Roasted Chickpeas (Air Fryer or Oven Baked)
Ingredients
- 500 g cooked chickpeas - from 2 x cans 400g chickpeas
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon everyday seasoning - homemade seasoning recipe
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Drain the tinned chickpeas in a colander or sieve (reserving the aquafaba for an alternative use if you need) and rinse them well under cold water. Leave the chickpeas to rest for a few minutes in the sieve, then spread them out onto a clean tea towel or kitchen paper.
- Pat the chickpeas thoroughly dry. Removing as much moisture as possible will help them become extra crispy.
- Toss with the chickpeas with the everyday seasoning and olive oil until evenly coated.
Air Fryer
- Air fry at 200°C on the air fry setting for 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until golden and crispy.
Oven Baked
- Spread the chickpeas evenly on a lined baking tray. Bake at in an oven pre-heated to 200°C / 180°C fan assisted / gas mark 6 / 400°F for 30-35 minutes. Shake the chickpeas halfway through so they cook evenly. They are ready when they are golden and crispy.
- Once the chickpeas are ready then sprinkle over the extra sea salt.
- Allow to cool before serving.
Notes
- This is my recipe for Homemade Everyday Seasoning. You can use a shop bought everyday seasoning. Trader Joe’s version is my favourite but since I can’t get it all the time as I’m in the UK then I usually use my homemade version. A shop bought BBQ seasoning or chicken seasoning also works very nicely.
- This recipe uses cooked tinned chickpeas. It needs 2 tins but the exact weight of chickpeas I have found varies from tin to tin. Just use 2 drained tins and it will be fine.
- Pat the chickpeas as dry as you possibly can, moisture is the enemy in this recipe.
- If your chickpeas are still a little soft or chalky in flavour when you give them a taste test after cooking then put them back in the oven for 5-10 minutes.
- Taste for seasoning. You can always add more salt or everyday seasoning after roasting if the flavour isn’t as pronounced as you would like.
- Cool completely before serving or storing. Store in an airtight container in a cool dark place for up to 2 weeks. You can re-crisp in the oven / air fryer for 5 minutes if they are a little soft after storing.
