Crunch without the guilt: Why roasted chickpeas are your best snack
Even if you maintain a healthy diet, you don't have to completely give up crunchy snacks. Just limit highly processed and deep-fried products, such as crisps or peanuts in shells. Instead, try roasted chickpeas. Toss them in your favourite spices and enjoy an aromatic snack during home movie sessions.
You can prepare the chickpeas in two ways – traditionally in the oven or in an air fryer, which, thanks to the circulating air, allows you to prepare crispy dishes without – or with minimal – added fat. Dried chickpeas work best for roasting, but if you're short on time, you can also use jarred or tinned chickpeas. It's certainly a much quicker solution.
How to prepare chickpeas for roasting?
Before placing the chickpeas in the oven or air fryer, you need to soak and cook them first. It’s not difficult or labour-intensive, but it requires prior planning. Cover the seeds with three times the amount of cold water, cover with a lid, and let stand for 8-12 hours. In the morning, drain the water and rinse the chickpeas thoroughly. Pour fresh water over them and bring to a boil with a pinch of salt for 15-20 minutes.
Nutritional value of roasted chickpeas
Let's compare the nutritional values of oven-roasted chickpeas to those of popcorn and peanuts in shells. The comparison shows that peanuts in shells are the most caloric (555 kcal in 100 g), popcorn is second (441 kcal in 100 g), and roasted chickpeas, which contain about 250 kcal in 100 g, are far behind.
This snack is also a rich source of plant protein and fibre, which regulates blood sugar levels and provides a feeling of fullness. Chickpeas contain valuable minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium, as well as B vitamins. Peanuts would be a valuable snack without the salt and crunchy shell.
Recipe for oven-roasted chickpeas
If you want to prepare chickpeas using an air fryer, you can use just one tablespoon of olive oil instead of two. You will get about 100 g of roasted snack from 300 g of cooked legumes, as a significant amount of water will evaporate during baking.
Ingredients:
- 300 g cooked chickpeas
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Mix the cooked and cooled chickpeas (or drained tinned chickpeas) in a bowl with olive oil and spices.
- Spread evenly on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Place in an oven preheated to 200 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes.
