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    Gastronotherapy Β» Recipes Β» Gluten Free

    Crispy BBQ Chickpeas

    Published: Aug 9, 2021 Β· Modified: May 19, 2022 by MaryAnne Β· 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Roasted and crunchy BBQ chickpeas are smoky, savory, and slightly sweet. Eat them as a healthy snack or add to your favorite salads or grain bowls. Ready in just 35 minutes!

    bbq chickpeas in a white cup.

    I love creating fun new snack foods; I'm the type of person who is never without them. Whether I'm commuting, traveling, or just running errands, I always have snacks in my bag, like Crispy Peanut Butter Balls, Healthy Coconut Almond Granola, or a container of Smoky Paprika Hummus.

    There are a million ways to season chickpeas, but in the summer I love roasting them with BBQ spices. They are so satisfying, and a very healthy high-protein snack!

    This recipe for BBQ chickpeas is so simple: we make a homemade spice blend, add it to (canned) chickpeas, and roast them in the oven. The molasses becomes caramelized and the spice-dusted chickpeas turn into crunchy little nuggets that are slightly addictive.

    Jump to:
    • ⭐️ Why This Recipe Is The Best
    • πŸ“‹ Ingredient Notes
    • πŸ“ Variations & Substitutions
    • πŸ₯„ How To Make Crispy BBQ Chickpeas
    • πŸ” How To Serve
    • πŸ‘©πŸΌβ€πŸ³ Expert Tips
    • πŸ’¬ Frequently Asked Questions
    • ⏲ Related Recipes
    • πŸ“– Crispy BBQ Chickpeas

    ⭐️ Why This Recipe Is The Best

    • Crispy and crunchy texture
    • Smoky, salty, and sweet
    • Healthy: High in protein and fiber, naturally vegan/plant-based/dairy-free, and gluten-free
    • Easy: Ready in just 35 minutes (we use canned chickpeas for convenience)
    • Makes a great on-the-go snack

    πŸ“‹ Ingredient Notes

    • Chickpeas - We use canned chickpeas in this recipe for cost and convenience. If you prefer to use dried chickpeas, you can do that, too.
    • Molasses - Provides a deep caramel flavor that is necessary in BBQ seasoning.
    • Apple cider vinegar - Adding vinegar cuts the sweetness and gives a pop of tanginess to our BBQ chickpeas.
    • Smoked paprika - Gives our chickpeas that quintessential smoky flavor that we crave in BBQ.

    πŸ“ Variations & Substitutions

    • Coconut oil or vegetable oil can be used in place of olive oil.
    • Make 'em spicy: To add more of a kick, add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper.
    • White wine vinegar works as a substitute for apple cider vinegar.

    πŸ₯„ How To Make Crispy BBQ Chickpeas

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a dish towel or paper towels on a baking sheet, and spread chickpeas out, patting dry with towel.

    chickpeas arranged on a baking sheet.

    Remove chickpea skins. *This is a necessary step in order to get crunchy chickpeas.

    Remove towel from baking sheet. Drizzle chickpeas with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes.

    While chickpeas are roasting, combine molasses, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and chili powder in a medium-sized bowl.

    Add hot chickpeas to the homemade bbq sauce, and stir until chickpeas are well coated. Roast for an additional 20 minutes, tossing chickpeas halfway through baking.

    Roasted chickpeas on a baking sheet.
    BBQ sauce added to chickpeas on a baking sheet.

    πŸ” How To Serve

    • Snack. I love eating roasted BBQ chickpeas as a snack in place of potato chips or crackers.
    • Add to salads and grain bowls. Try them on my Tuscan Bean Salad or Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad.
    • Add to sandwiches. BBQ chickpeas add fantastic crunch to sandwiches, like my Portobello Burgers with Smoky Ranch Slaw and Chicken Avocado Focaccia Sandwich.

    πŸ‘©πŸΌβ€πŸ³ Expert Tips

    • **It's very important that you take the 5-10 minutes to pat chickpeas dry and peel off their skins. Doing so ensures that they turn crispy in the oven.
    • If you don't have the needed spices for this recipe, you can substitute ΒΌ cup of store-bought bbq sauce. Because most brands of bbq sauce have corn syrup in them, it won't be as healthy of a snack, but still better than potato chips. πŸ˜‰
    • Storage: To ensure optimal crispness, store cooked chickpeas in a glass jar/container or paper bag. I don't recommend a plastic bag, as they will lose their crispness. The chickpeas can be stored for up to 5 days.
    • Make sure your paprika is in fact smoky paprika (also known as Spanish paprika) to guarantee a smoky BBQ flavor.
    Chickpeas in a small white cup.

    πŸ’¬ Frequently Asked Questions

    What spices to use on roasted chickpeas?

    You can really flavor your roasted chickpeas any way you like. This recipe creates and salty-sweet-smooky BBQ flavoring, but you could also rub them in my Italian seasoning substitute for a mouth-watering Italian-flavored snack.

    Are roasted chickpeas good for you?

    Yes! They are high in protein and fiber, making them a great high-protein snack or meat alternative.

    Why are my roasted chickpeas not crunchy?

    Most likely, it's because you forgot to remove the skins or didn't bake them long enough. Removing the skin ensures a crunchy texture, as does the proper baking time.

    How do you make BBQ roasted chickpeas?

    In this recipe, we start by patting the chickpeas dry and removing the skins. This will ensure a crispy texture after they are roasted. We make a homemade BBQ sauce, coat our chickpeas with it, and roast at 400 degrees F for around 30 minutes.

    ⏲ Related Recipes

    • Black Bean Corn Avocado Salsa
    • Chocolate Covered Pecans
    • Mutabal - Middle Eastern Eggplant Dip
    • Spiced Candied Nuts

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or by subscribing to our newsletter.

    bbq roasted chickpeas in a small bowl with chickpeas scattered around bowl

    πŸ“– Crispy BBQ Chickpeas

    Author: MaryAnne
    These crunchy BBQ roasted chickpeas are smoky, savory, and slightly sweet. Eat them as a snack or add them to your favorite salads or grain bowls!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 40 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 (15-ounce cans) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 2 teaspoons molasses
    • 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • Β½ teaspoon chili powder

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place a dish towel or paper towels on a baking sheet, and spread chickpeas out, patting dry with towel.
    • Remove chickpea skins. *This is a necessary step in order to get crunchy chickpeas.
    • Remove towel from baking sheet. Drizzle chickpeas with olive oil and toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes.
    • While chickpeas are roasting, combine molasses, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt, and chili powder in a medium-sized bowl.
    • Add hot chickpeas to the homemade bbq sauce, and stir until chickpeas are well coated. Roast for an additional 20 minutes, tossing chickpeas halfway through baking.

    Notes

    • **It's very important that you take the 5-10 minutes to pat chickpeas dry and peel off their skins. Doing so ensures that they turn crispy in the oven.
    • If you don't have the needed spices for this recipe, you can substitute ΒΌ cup of store-bought bbq sauce. Because most brands of bbq sauce have corn syrup in them, it won't be as healthy of a snack, but still better than potato chips. πŸ˜‰
    • Storage: To ensure optimal crispness, store cooked chickpeas in a glass jar/container or paper bag. I don't recommend a plastic bag, as they will lose their crispness. The chickpeas can be stored for up to 5 days.
    • Make sure your paprika is in fact smoky paprika (also known as Spanish paprika) to guarantee a smoky BBQ flavor.
    Β 
    Β 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 40kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 294mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 160IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Barbara J Haner

      August 09, 2021 at 4:50 pm

      5 stars
      I have to run to the store and get molasses and apple cider vinegar, but as soon as I do I will make these. They do sound like a good healthier snack.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        August 09, 2021 at 7:57 pm

        Great - let me know how they turn out!

        Reply
    2. Cathleen

      August 25, 2021 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      I love roasted chickpeas, but for some reason I didn't think of making BBQ flavour ones!! Bookmarked to make this weekend, thank you so much for the recipe πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        August 26, 2021 at 11:34 am

        You are welcome, Cathleen! They definitely hit the spot! πŸ™‚

        Reply
    3. Beth

      August 25, 2021 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a delicious and addicting chickpea recipe! We added these to our salad for lunch today and yummy, so flavorful! My hubby and I really enjoyed this recipe. Excited to make this again!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        August 26, 2021 at 11:35 am

        Thanks for leaving a comment, Beth! I also love these on salads!

        Reply
    4. Denay DeGuzman

      August 25, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      5 stars
      My daughter assembled this easy tasty recipe. It's so delicious. It's perfect for no-guilt snacking.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        August 26, 2021 at 11:35 am

        Thanks, Denay! I am all about "no-guilt snacking"!

        Reply
    5. Anjali

      August 25, 2021 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      I love roasted chickpeas but I typically just buy them at the store! I can't wait to try your homemade version - it looks so much better than store bought!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        August 26, 2021 at 11:36 am

        Thanks, Anjali! Homemade roasted chickpeas really are a game-changer!

        Reply
    6. Biana

      August 25, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      5 stars
      What a great snack! These chickpeas look delicious and flavorful.

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        August 26, 2021 at 11:36 am

        Thanks, Biana! I hope you give them a go!

        Reply

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