Roasted Chickpeas 101

Roasted Chickpeas 101
This is how you make the perfect batch of chickpeas every time.

Welcome to EATS, where we bring you plant-rich recipes and tips for flavorful, sustainable home cooking. Together, we will explore the world of plants, sharpen our kitchen skills, and help create a more just food system. EATS is not about what you can or can’t eat, or what you should or shouldn’t eat. It’s about eating (and cooking) more plants and enjoying every single bite.

Here’s what happens: The timer goes off. 32 minutes. Your chickpeas are ready! And yes, you’re excited even though this is the third batch you’ve made in a week. You grab oven mitts because what you’re not trying to do is burn your hand this time. A warm, fragrant plume wafts out as soon as you open the oven door carrying the scent of toasted garlic and cayenne.These garbanzo beans look good! You took a peek around thirty minutes, but they weren’t quite there yet. Two minutes later and they were this richer, toastier brown. You give the pan a shake. By now you know to listen for the sound of rolling marbles to tell they’re done, but the only real way to know for sure is to taste them. So you pluck one—almost too hot to touch—off the tray and toss it in your mouth. 10/10. Would make again and again. 

the basics

Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. In a bowl, toss together one 29 ounce can of strained and thoroughly rinsed chickpeas, ¼ cup avocado oil (we like this because the beans won’t smoke at high temperatures), 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt and fresh cracked pepper until the chickpeas are coated. If you want some heat, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Transfer the chickpeas to the baking tray and roast by following the cooking times listed below. 

Get the full recipe: Seasoned Roasted Chickpeas

how long to cook your chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas go through three distinct cooking phases depending on how long they’re roasted. Here’s what to look out for and how to roast them, perfectly: 

12 to 15 minutes:

The chickpeas are very lightly toasted and have super creamy centers. Add the warmed chickpeas to grain bowls or toss with roasted veggies and eggs for a lightning fast meal. If you’re looking for a plant-based protein to meal prep, these can’t be beat. 

20 to 25 minutes:

At this point, roasted chickpeas start to smell nutty and grow deeper in color and richer flavor at this point but they begin to lose that creamy texture. If you’re a fan of firmer texture in your beans, try roasting the chickpeas in this time range. Chickpeas cooked for this amount of time hold their shape and texture well in saucy salads or quick soups. 

30 to 35 minutes:

After thirty minutes in the oven, roasted chickpeas go from golden and toasted to light brown and crispy. At around 35 minutes they turn into an irresistible, crunchy snack. You know the chickpeas are ready when they roll like marbles on the pan. These chickpeas are already generously seasoned but if you want an extra kick, add another pinch of garlic while they’re still warm out of the oven. 

Storage Notes:

Chickpeas are good in the fridge in a sealed container for 7 days.