Roasted Chickpeas are a nutty little snack that is actually good for you! This Italian Roasted Chickpeas recipe is a spin-off from my super versatile Italian Marinated Chickpeas recipe. You can use those tasty little marinated tidbits in salads, on pizza, or as a filler ingredient in other recipes such as this Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats recipe. When you roast them, they can still be used as a topping for pizza or salad, or to just munch. Yum!
I was shopping for lunch box fillers one day and found some roasted garbanzo beans. They were tasty and crunchy but full of oil! I thought of my marinated chickpeas recipe and wondered if I could make my own – but oil free.
As it turns out, home made roasted garbanzo beans are indeed a thing. While you can certainly make them oil free, they will not be as crunchy as the store-bought variety. I found though, that I preferred the chewy texture of the home made roasted chickpeas better anyway.
I do use the canned garbanzo beans, but I do know that a lot of people like to make their own. Feel free and then measure out about 2 cups when you are putting together this recipe.
Speaking of garbanzo beans/chickpeas… have you every wondered why we call a garbanzo bean a chickpea and vice versa? They are truly just different names for the same thing! It seems that every language has its own word for what these legumes are called. Spanish speaking countries apparently call them garbanzos, while english speaking countries have traditionally called them chickpeas. Whatever…they are still magnificent little powerhouses of protein, fiber, and nutrients.
While this recipe is derived from my Italian Marinated Chickpeas recipe, there are two major differences: leave out the roasted red pepper, and add in some tahini paste. And that’s it! Let these little suckers marinade for a few hours.
Do drain them and roast at 400°. They won’t properly dry out and roast up nicely if they are too wet when you put them in the oven. I also recommend opening the oven halfway through and turning and moving the roasting chickpeas around some so that they won’t burn.
Enjoy as a snack or as a pizza or salad topping!
Italian Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon agave
- 1/2 Tablespoon tahini
- 2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt more to taste
- 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Drain chickpeas and add to a medium sized bowl. All all other ingredients.
- Cover tightly and let marinade for a couple of hours.
- Drain well and spread out onto a parchment covered baking sheet.
- Cook at 400° for 30 minutes, turning when it's half-way through.
- Take out of oven and let cook enough to handle. Store though you don't eat right away in an airtight containers for up to five days.