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Spicy Roasted Chickpeas with a touch of sweetness will become your favorite healthy snack! Satisfy your need to crunch with this easy recipe made in the oven (or an air fryer.)
I've had a love of roasted garbanzo beans since I was introduced to them on the South Beach diet many years ago. Luckily, they're still part of a low-carb diet if you don't eat too many of them!
And that's not easy! Once you bake them, garbanzo beans become irresistibly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. That's why they're one of our top healthy alternatives to chips!
Are you having a party or watching a ballgame? You'll never regret making roasted buffalo chickpeas and this sweet and spicy chickpea snack on the appetizer table!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It uses pantry staples so you're pretty much guaranteed to always have what you need on hand.
- It's a great plant-based addition to a low-carb diet because chickpeas are high in fiber and protein.
- It's easy to make and most of the cooking time is hands-off.
- You can turn them into a meal! They're perfect on salads and buddha bowls too.
Once you have the basics down, you'll be ready to customize the seasonings to suit your fancy and the occasion.
Ingredients and Variations
Here's what you'll need:
- Chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans) - Look for a can that is low in salt. Either way, they'll be rinsed which helps reduce the sodium content. If you are starting with dried chickpeas, then you'll need to cook them first.
- Cajun Seasoning - Use any Cajun, Creole or other blend you love. We included our DIY blend in the recipe card so you can make your own.
- Olive Oil helps the spices stick. Canola or avocado oil may be used instead.
- Sweetener - To offset the heat, sprinkle a dry sweetener over the cooked chickpeas and/or mix into the glaze while they bake. We used a stevia sugar/erythritol blend. Brown sugar or cane sugar are fine if you're not concerned about carbs. Wet sweeteners such as honey, agave nectar, or liquid monkfruit drops may be used to sweeten the coating as well.
Top Tip
If you love chickpeas, be sure to check out this chickpea cookie dough balls recipe.
Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.
How to Make Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Below you'll find directions to make this recipe in the oven or an air fryer. Either way, the initial preparation is the same.
Prepare the Beans
- Drain and rinse chickpeas in a colander. This will eliminate some of the sodium.
- Thoroughly dry beans. Spread them out on a paper towel and pat them dry. The drier the chickpeas, the crunchier they will be. If you have a little extra time, allow them to air dry for a bit too.
- Remove loose pieces of skin if desired. Or, leave them on for a little character.
- Roast chickpeas in a single layer in the oven or air fryer until they're very firm, tossing halfway through.
COOK TIMES
Oven - It takes about 20 minutes in a 400°F for the chickpeas to dry out and become quite firm.
Air Fryer - It takes about 15 minutes in a 390°F air fryer to get the same crispy result as an oven.
The exact amount of time varies with the make and model of your appliance. Check the progress frequently until you're familiar with how chickpeas roast in your air fryer. You do not need to preheat the air fryer!
CUSTOMIZE THE CRUNCH!
How long you roast garbanzo beans is up to YOU and how crispy you like them. Knock time off 5-10 minutes of the initial cooking time for a firm, but less crispy outside at the end of the entire process.
Coat with Glaze
Once the chickpeas are completely dried out, they're ready for the sweet, spicy outer coating.
- Mix olive oil and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. You can add the sweetener now or sprinkle it over the top at serving time. If using a liquid sweetener then stir it into the glaze now.
- Remove the chickpeas from the oven or air fryer to a bowl. They'll be very hot so be careful removing them. Pour the glaze over the top and stir well to coat each bean.
- Return the chickpeas to the oven or air fryer and roast about 10 minutes more. They should "rattle" when you shake the pan.
- Sprinkle sugar over the top and enjoy!
FAQ
Roasting the chickpeas without the glaze dries out the beans and the glaze sticks better. However, you'll still get a tasty result if you skip this step.
No. After 2 hours we recommend storing them in the refrigerator.
Storage/Reheating
Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas are best enjoyed right away!
Refrigerator: Store in airtight container for 3-5 days.
Reheat: If desired, reheat in the oven or air fryer for 3-5 minutes.
More Snack Recipes Using Chickpeas
Would you like more easy, healthy, carb-conscious recipes?
📋 Recipe
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 15.5 ounce Garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Cajun spice blend
- ⅛ teaspoon sweetener see alternatives in notes below
DIY Spice Blend
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Oven: Preheat oven to 400 °F.Air Fryer does not need to be preheated. It will be set to 390 °F when cooking starts.
- Rinse chickpeas in a colander and pat dry.
- Place chickpeas on a baking sheet or in the basket of an air fryer.
- Cook to desired crispiness, shaking or moving around halfway through. If using an oven this usually takes about 20 minutes. For most air fryers, it takes about 15 minutes.
- While chickpeas are baking, combine seasoning and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Remove chickpeas from oven or air fryer and coat with spice mixture.
- Return chickpeas to oven and cook for 10 minutes more or until chickpeas "rattle" in pan.
- Remove from oven or air fryer, sprinkle with sweetener and enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: Best when eaten the same day. If you have any leftovers, store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a covered container.
- Sweetener Alternatives: Sprinkle a dry sweetener over the cooked chickpeas and/or mix into the glaze while they bake. We used a stevia sugar/erythritol blend. Brown sugar or cane sugar are fine if you're not concerned about carbs. Wet sweeteners such as honey, agave nectar, or liquid monkfruit drops may be used to sweeten the coating as well, but should be mixed into the glaze.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on 1/30/13 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.
Sarah says
I love these!! So great to have as a snack while on the go, definitely a recipe to save 🙂
Linda says
OMG! These sound amazing! I found you on Pinterest and I'm so glad I did!
Marjory says
Thanks for stopping by. These are one of my favorites too!