Roasted chickpeas make a delicious, high-protein snack that’s easy to make at home. Many of us crave something salty between meals, but potato chips and pretzels don’t provide much nutrition. Chickpeas, on the other hand, are high in protein, fiber, iron, and folate. A half cup of cooked chickpeas has about 7 grams of protein, which is more than many other snack options. These are great to add to your snack rotation.
You can purchase chickpeas in a can, but I prefer to make them myself. They cost $.17 per cup when you start with dried chickpeas, but they’re $.50 or more per cup when you buy the canned version. Also, canned chickpeas often contain preservatives and high sodium levels.
To cook chickpeas, soak them for at least 8 hours (or overnight) in a big pot of water. They will double in size after soaking. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then return them to the pot. Add enough water to cover the chickpeas by at least 2 inches, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, depending on how tender you want them. For roasted chickpeas, soups, or salads, they should be tender but not mushy. Follow the recipe below to make a surprisingly addictive new snack.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chickpeas
¾ tsp. salt
½ tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. cumin
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Stir together the seasonings in a small bowl. Pour them over the chickpeas in a large bowl and stir to coat evenly.
- Place the chickpeas in a single layer in a roasting pan or on a cookie sheet with sides.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. They’re done when they’re dried out, but not hard as a rock.
- These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The recipe yields 1 1/2 cups of roasted chickpeas, and they’ll keep for several days. You may want to put them under the broiler for a minute or two to make them crispy again if they’ve lost their crunch over time.
Adapted from this Savory Roasted Chickpeas recipe.
What healthy snacks get you through the day? Please tell us in the comments. We could all use some new ideas!
