Roasted Garbanzo Beans: Nuggets of Goodness

Roasted Garbanzo Beans. a crunchy, nutty-flavored treat fresh from the oven.

Ahh.. . . Mediterranean food! I love it. The hummus, baba ghanoush, lentils, olives, couscous, feta, yogurt, pasta salads, and eggplant dishes. No wonder these roasted garbanzo beans caught my eye. They’re nutritious—packed with fiber and protein and when roasted and seasoned they’re an addictive munchy. What’s more, the crispy, salty, savory snack is a breeze to make.

Dry Well for Punch and Crunch

Cook your own dried garbanzo, a.k.a. chickpeas, or open a few cans, rinse, and dry well on towel. Cook at 400 degree for about 40 minutes until crispy before seasoning.

The first time I tried these, I didn’t leave them in the oven long enough, so I put them back—twice—until they got crispy. The seasoning is best added after roasting, because it can burn if cooked with the garbanzos.

Seasoning is where the art comes in. See list at bottom of page.

Use one or more cans of garbanzo beans and try different seasonings.

These golden nuggets of goodness are crunchy and ready to serve. Use as a snack or an addition to salads, soups, pastas, or vegetable bowls.

These golden nuggets of goodness are crunchy and ready to serve. Use as a snack or an addition to salads, soups, pastas, or vegetable bowls.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

Ingredients:

2 cans cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed, if canned
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil or cooking spray
Seasonings (NYT suggested using Za’atar spice blend or select from those shown below)
½ tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Spread rinsed chickpeas on a dish towel. Pat dry with paper towels or dish towel. Let dry an hour or more. Preferably, overnight. The idea is to get them extremely dry.
Remove as many white skins as possible.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the chickpeas evenly on a rimmed sheet pan. (Parchment paper or foil can be used, but they crisp up better without it.) Roast in the center of the oven until crunchy, about 40 minutes, stirring and rotating every 10 minutes.
After 40 minutes, turn off oven, remove baking sheet, and coat chickpeas lightly with oil or cooking oil spray, preferred seasonings (below), and salt.
Return to still warm (but turned off oven) for 5-10 more minutes, or leave in longer for more crispiness.
Store any cooled leftovers in container with loosely covered lid. (Adapted from New York Times)

Seasoning Suggestions:

1 Tbs. taco seasoning (from packet mix)
1 Tbs. Za’atar spice mix (dried thyme, sumac, sesame seeds). Use less, if unfamiliar with spice flavor.
2 tsp. smoked paprika +1 tsp. cumin
3 tsp. sugar +1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. turmeric +1 tsp. ginger
1 lime (juice and zest)+ 2 tsp. cracked black pepper