Dry roasted chickpea recipe makes healthy salad topping or snack

  Dry roasted chickpeas flavored with Kernel Season's Ranch Popcorn Seasoning. Photo: Leah West.

If you’ve tried the deep-fried, truffled chickpeas at Café of Love in Mount Kisco, you’ve already discovered their addictively crunchy appeal. Instead try dry roasted chickpeas as a low-fat alternative that still packs a flavorful crunch. They make a perfectly portable snack, as well as a healthy replacement for croutons in salads and soups.

The recipe below is easy and economical. Use your favorite savory seasonings to customize the flavor and create your own signature version. Remember: This recipe is merely a guide. It can be doubled or scaled down to use up leftover chickpeas you may have. Once cooled, dry roasted chickpeas can be stored in an air-tight container for up to a week. Make chickpeas a part of your healthy pantry and whip up this recipe any time cravings or company strike. 

Ingredients

• 15.5 ounce can of chickpeas
• Non-stick cooking spray or MISTO sprayer
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Your favorite dry seasonings, such as Bacon Salt, popcorn seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin and/or onion powder

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse chickpeas and drain well for 5-10 minutes. Blot with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.
3. Place chickpeas in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with non-stick cooking spray or olive oil.
4. Roast in the oven 35-45 minutes until golden, shaking every 10 minutes. Keep careful watch toward the end of baking. These can go rapidly from baked to burnt.
5. While the chickpeas are still warm, place them in a bowl and toss them with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and desired seasonings.
6. Serve warm or allow to cool for maximum crunch.