Simple Roasted Spicy Cajun Chickpeas

Crunchy. Spicy. Savory. These chickpeas will be your new favorite go-to snack! Roasted to create the perfect crunch, these chickpeas are out of this world when combined with the Cajun seasoning. Eat on their own or use as part of a charcuterie board, these chickpeas will never go to waste! Makes approximately 2 cups.

I love snacking, especially when it’s healthy! Garbanzo beans, better known as chickpeas, are used in many traditional Mediterranean dishes and are extremely versatile! They can be ground into hummus, added to pasta, or used in a salad.

Since chickpeas are a good source of protein, I decided to try and roast them with lots of herbs to transform them into a day-to-day snack! Instead of using canned chickpeas, I decided to experiment with dried chickpeas. Yes, you read that right, dried chickpeas!

The night before I wanted to cook the little balls of delight, I took a half a pound of dried chickpeas and submerged them in water. I added coarse pink Himalayan sea salt and let them soak overnight. In the morning, I drained the chickpeas and re-submerged them in water for a half a day.

At this point, I could see the chickpeas start to absorb the water because they were starting to almost double in size. Some of them didn’t change in size, but were still soft. These will be the extra crunchy ones once they are roasted. YUM!

TIME SAVER

I am all for saving time in the kitchen and having a phenomenal end result. Its the best of both worlds, right?! If you find that you are really crunched for time but want to still to have these awesome chickpeas for a snack, use canned chickpeas instead of dried chickpeas and ensure you rinse and dry before mixing with the ingredients listed.

That afternoon, I drained the chickpeas and transferred them to sheets of paper towels. I used another paper towel sheet to pat the chickpeas dry. Once they were dried, I transferred them to a large mixing bowl so I could add the rest of the deliciousness!

I let the oven preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while I continue prepping the chickpeas. The Cajun spice blend, extra virgin olive oil, and salt get poured over the chickpeas in the large bowl. Using a wooden spoon, I mix everything together until all of the chickpeas are fully coated.

LETS TALK SPICES

I love experimenting and creating new spice mixes with different dried herbs. For this recipe, I used a ton of dried spices to create the Cajun seasoning. Dried herbs are really versatile and always help add a kick to a bland dish. Mixing them together to make a spice blend is so much fun, can be really creative, and is sometimes better than buying a pre-made spice blend from the store! 

After the chickpeas are fully coated, I transfer them to a large baking sheet and pop them in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Once cooled, I  transfer to a decorative serving bowl and serve.

The chickpeas will last for days after being roasted. I usually keep mine in a bowl with a saran wrap covering or place in an air tight container and they typically keep fresh for up to one week. Happy snacking!

Simple Roasted Spicy Cajun Chickpeas

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• Author: Jackie O.
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 2 cups 1x

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Ingredients

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Cajun Seasoning

• 2 tsp. hot Himalayan paprika
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp. parsley

Cajun Chickpeas

• 15 oz. dried chickpeas
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 2 1/2 tbsp. Cajun spice blend
• 2 tsp. salt

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Instructions

1. Soak chickpeas in a bowl for 12-24 hours with 2 tbsp. of coarse sea salt.
2. Refrigerate while soaking and change the water out and add additional salt halfway through.
3. Once chickpeas have soaked, dry them on paper towels and pat dry.
4. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. While the oven is preheating, measure and mix together all of the seasonings to make the Cajun spice mix.
6. Once mixed, place the Cajun mix and salt in the large mixing bowl with the chickpeas.
7. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the chickpeas in the bowl and mix the chickpeas, Cajun spices, and oil together until the chickpeas are fully coated.
8. Transfer to a large baking sheet and place in the oven for 40 minutes on convection bake once the oven is at temperature.
9. Remove from oven once complete and place in a bowl to serve.

Notes

1. Ensure chickpeas are soaking in double the amount of water it takes to cover the chickpeas. For example, if it takes two cups of water to cover the chickpeas so all are submerged under water, add four cups of water.
2. Time saver –  substitute 1-2 cans of chickpeas for dried chickpeas.

• Category: Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

USE YOUR KITCHEN TO CELEBRATE THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

Embrace the Mediterranean culture and join me in bringing people together one spice at a time! Curated cooking classes consisting of classic Mediterranean and American meals and treats coming to you and your loved ones soon! Get ready for a cork popping, belly laughing, jovial time!

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