If you love BBQ and crispy roasted chickpeas, this is the recipe for you! We combined our go-to BBQ spice mix with our Actually Crispy Chickpeas method for the ultimate smoky-sweet, crunchy, portable snack.
Just 8 ingredients required and perfect for topping salads, bowls, and wraps, or enjoying straight from the pan! Let us show you how it’s done!
How to Make Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
If you want chickpeas that are oven-roasted (not fried) but still crispy, you’re in the right place! But there are a few key things to know to ensure success:
- Drain and dry the chickpeas well
- Peel the skins
- Season after baking
- Avoid overcrowding the pan
- And use the perfect temperature and time: 350 F (176 C) for 45 minutes
Keeping these simple tips in mind yields irresistibly crispy oven-roasted chickpeas nearly effortlessly. Peeling the chickpeas does take some time, but turn on some tunes and it might just be your new favorite stress-relieving activity!
How to Season Chickpeas
For this recipe, we went with a spicy, addictive, homemade BBQ spice blend made with smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Optional cayenne adds a little heat and maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness and balance.
But since chickpeas have a mild flavor, they go well with nearly any flavorful spice mix, including our curry powder, shawarma spice blend, and za’atar. Try this same method with all your favorite spices!
How to Store Roasted Chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are best eaten in the first day, but they will last at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. To keep them as crispy as possible, let the chickpeas cool completely and then transfer them to a jar, leaving the lid cracked so the chickpeas can “breathe” a bit. Store them in a cool, dry place as humidity and heat can cause them to soften.
Or, for longer term storage, keep them in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 1 month.
We hope you LOVE these BBQ roasted chickpeas! They’re:
Spicy
Salty
Sweet
Crispy
& Oh-so-snackable!
Enjoy them as a fiber- and protein-rich snack, or as a topping for kale salads, bowls, wraps, or our summer chopped salad.
More Flavorful Chickpea Recipes
- Harissa Marinated Chickpeas
- Chickpea Chopped Kale Salad with Adobo Dressing
- Crispy Miso Chickpea Bowls with Garlic Sesame Dressing
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Crispy BBQ Roasted Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (very well drained + thoroughly dried)
- 1 Tbsp avocado or other neutral oil (if avoiding oil, omit and don’t rinse chickpeas — just drain)
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and set out a bare (or parchment-lined) baking sheet (or more as needed).
- Drain chickpeas well. If using oil, rinse well with water and thoroughly drain. If omitting oil, simply drain well and skip rinsing with water.
- Once drained well, spread the chickpeas out on a clean, absorbent towel and use your hands to gently roll and dry the chickpeas. Some of the skins should start coming off. You can opt to peel all of the chickpeas — which can help for extra crispiness! — or simply remove the skins that come off. Either way, the chickpeas will crisp up. I just found that peeling them does yield slightly crispier chickpeas.
- Transfer the chickpeas to a mixing bowl and top with oil. Mix well to combine. DO NOT add the other seasonings at this point — they can interrupt the crisping process, so wait to add until after baking.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and dry/crispy to the touch. We like turning the pan around and shaking the chickpeas around the halfway point for even cooking. Note: Peeled chickpeas cook faster than unpeeled. If omitting oil, they will also cook faster.
- Remove your chickpeas from the oven and prepare your BBQ seasoning. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne (optional) until a paste forms.
- Pour in your still-warm chickpeas and toss gently to evenly coat them with the seasoning mixture. Place them back on the cookie sheet to cool fully and so the seasoning can dry/set.
- Enjoy as a protein-rich snack or use atop things like grain bowls, kale salads, or our easy and summery chopped salad! To store, place in a storage container or jar and DO NOT tightly cover. Instead, crack lid so they can “breathe” a bit. This helps them stay crispy longer. These are best the first day, but they will last for 4-5 days at room temperature. Alternatively, seal well and freeze up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
*We tested with coconut sugar in place of maple syrup but found it didn’t stick to the chickpeas as well.
Corelia says
Super crunchy, super delish, super easy!!! I used dried and then soaked chickpeas (so they were the same texture as canned) and it worked fine. I had to bake them for an extra half hour to get them crispy enough (not sure why, but I didn’t mind) and I tossed them with enough coconut oil beforehand that I just omitted it from the sauce. For the sauce, I (accidentally!) used paprika instead of smoked and I ran out of chili at some point I guess, so I used the smoked instead of chili because I didn’t want to lose that smoky flavor!
All in all, these are great! Definitely pretty spicy with the cayenne, so I would recommend omitting that and maybe halving the garlic for people with less tolerance for heat.
Will be making these again – they’re all gone by now, of course – thanks for another great recipe! :)
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Corelia! xo
Clarisse says
Obsessed with this. I followed Minimalist Baker’s instructions on how to soak the dry chickpeas then proceeded with the Crispy BBQ recipe. I attempted to peel off all chickpeas but was pressed for time so half had been peeled and half with skins intact. So easy and moreish! I ran out of maple syrup so had to sub honey, it was slightly trickier to ensure even coating than if you use maple syrup. I also had to leave it 5mins longer in the oven. I had to ration it out otherwise I would be able to finish it in one sitting. Highly recommended!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Clarisse! xo
Camila says
It looks delicious!!. However, I have a question in relation to the amount of chickpeas for this recipe. Here we don’t have cans, could you tell me in grams how much you need for the recipe?
XOXO, Camila.
Hi Camila, yes! 1 can of chickpeas is ~1 1/2 cups. That should be ~300 grams cooked chickpeas.
Patti M-M says
Loved this recipe. I did peel most of the chickpeas, and I used an airfryer for 20 minutes, shaking the basket a few times throughout the process. They came out great! The barbecue seasoning is fantastic. Thank you for a great recipe!
Yay! Thanks for the lovely review, Patti, so glad you enjoyed!
Sarah says
Delicious! I am enjoying them as I write. Perfect blend of spicy and sweet. I like mine a little more on the soft side so they are a great mix of crunch and buttery. Thank you for such great recipes.
Aw, thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Sarah! We’re so glad you enjoy them! xo
Coby says
What a delightfully crunchy, spicy-sweet snack! I love that I could make it oil-free, and that it’s a protein-rich snack!
We’re so glad you liked it, Coby! Thank you for the lovely review!
Jennifer Rinaldo says
This recipe is awesome! So easy to follow. I did add 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder (omitted the cayenne) and it had a lovely warmth to it. Love the slightly sweet from the maple syrup. The only problem is that I can’t stop eating them!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Jennifer. We are so glad you enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Sarah says
These are so yummy! I’ve made them a bunch of times now and they are a winner each time. Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Sarah! Thank you for sharing! xo
Hillary says
What a win! Made these for my partner who needs a tasty high protein snack when working late – amazing!! Only thing I did differently was use dry chickpeas so it took longer to soak and cook them but it was definitely worth it — they’re amazing! I’m going to have to make these again!
Woohoo! Love to hear this. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Hillary!
Danette says
Omg! These are the most flavorful little bits I’ve had. I love chickpeas so I’m always looking for all types of chickpea recipes. I used a spicy Hatch chili powder plus the cayenne pepper so it was very spicy but in a good way. Thank you for your delicious recipes and look forward to trying many more. :)
Ooo, love the addition of hatch chili! Thanks for the lovely review, Danette!
Janna says
I’ve made double batches now twice and I believe these are the best roasted chickpeas I’ve had! They are good on salads, rice, soups, toppings for sweet potatoes and regular potatoes… obviously I like a little sweet, spicy and crunchy to go on pretty much everything!
Woohoo! We love to hear this. Thanks for the great review, Janna! xo
Faith V. says
This recipe is a winner! I’m actually eating some right now. This is the PERFECT BBQ taste, with a mix of sweet, smoky and a little spicy! Delicious!
Yay! So glad you enjoy it, Faith. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Christine says
These turned out so good. I made a double batch; only i used a frying pan, because it is 95 degrees in Canada right now and super humid….no way i was turning the oven on haha. And they turned out amazing, the flavor was great, and they were crispy, but not dry. Perfect :)
Amazing! We’re so glad they turned out well. Thanks for sharing your method, Christine! xo
Val says
I make roasted chickpeas to go on salads about once a week using different spice mixtures, and this one was a keeper! Addictive even! I cooked them about half as long as directed because we don’t like them too crunchy–but that was enough to have them crispy on the outside with a little softness left on the inside.
Ooo – yum! So glad to hear this is a keeper for you. Thanks for the lovely review, Val! xo
Kat - the other 1 says
Sounds delish!
I will probably substitute the garlic powder with onion (allergy), and skip the maple syrup, but sounds good!
I’m also picturing adding lime juice and maybe some nutritional yeast…. Hmmm… ;)
Someone mentioned hickory salt, I have some hickory finishing salt, maybe I’ll grind some up… Ooo!
Sounds wonderful! Only thing is if you’re omitting the maple the spices might not stick as well? In testing we found that oil alone didn’t do the job. Perhaps just reduce the maple slightly? Regardless let us know what you think when you give it a try! xo
Mary Martinez says
Could I use an airfryer for this recipe?
Hi Mary, We haven’t experimented with an air fryer, but it should work well. On our actually crispy baked chickpeas, another reader mentioned using an air fryer at 350 F for 15 minutes. Let us know if you try it!
Karina Santos says
Definitely going to make this recipe during the weekend! I just have a quick question. Would there be a difference in taste if I use Agave instead of Maple Syrup?
Hi Karina, That should work well! Let us know how you like it!
Beans says
Last night I was thinking about dinner for today and thought. I should try making crispy chickpeas as a side dish and BOOM here is my recipe I’ll use later! Thank you
Woohoo! Amazing! Let us know how you like them =)
Beans says
They tasted amazing! My boyfriend went for seconds and then at the end of dinner he looked at me and said “you going to eat the rest of those chickpeas?” Lol
I made double as I used a 29 oz can. We ate them hot out of the oven and cooked for about 40 mins. If I were going to make a it as snack I would have cooked longer for the crunch but they were pretty crunchy as I had them. I didn’t cook in oil, just dabbed them with paper towel. I didn’t peal all of them just picked out what came off.
To the sauce I added a tablespoon of coconut aminos and lots more smoked paprika and used hickory smoked sea salt.
Will for sure be making these again! Thank you so much you and your team are my favourite cooking channel to follow. I have so many recipes of yours I’ve made or have saved for the future :) today recipe was just perfect cause it was all stuff I have on hand and it’s crazy how I was thinking of trying something like this just last night for dinner today! You were already working on a recipe for that feels like it was just for me lol i hope many other try these so good!
Aw, love everything about this! Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo