Roasted chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) are another one of those recipes that is more of technique than an actual list of steps and measurements.
And it’s been posted in some form or another all over the food blogs.
But I’m going to put it here at SuzerSpace, too, because it’s a staple in our house.
It ticks all the boxes – super simple to make, inexpensive, tasty and good for you.
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a sheet pan with foil.
Empty a can (or two) of chickpeas into a strainer and rinse well.
Spill the beans on the foil lined sheet pan and add olive oil – enough to coat them but not so much that they get goopy and fry in the oven.
Add spices to taste – I like Cumin, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Chili Powder (note I’ve said “powder” after each one of these, not Garlic or Onion Salt.) The amount of each is a personal choice, but remember than the beans are pretty neutral tasting so don’t be afraid to go big with the seasoning.
Toss/scoot the beans around in the oil and spice mixture until everything is evenly coated and your hands are so messy that you almost don’t want to touch the sink faucet handle to rinse them. But do, because if you grab the pan edge now, you’ll leave behind a spicy bunch of fingerprints that will burn in the oven.
Once the oven is preheated, put the pan in and check every 10 minutes or so to see if they need to be stirred. They become really fragrant as they heat up. In my oven, it takes about 30-40 minutes until they are brown and crispy on the outside (but still soft inside). You can keep going to make them really crunchy, or pull them now.
These are great hot/warm in a tortilla filled with cheese and topped with lettuce and tomatoes. They are great as a snack instead of chips. They make a good topping for salads (better carbs than croutons).
They do keep in the fridge, but they get softer, so plan on using the leftovers where texture isn’t as important as taste.
