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I’m not usually much of a snacker; I’m more of a three-meals-a-day type. But around the holidays, that changes. Everyone’s nibbling on something, and it’s kind of contagious (unfortunately.) And though I can’t eat ^[2] those cheese straws, cheese balls, cream cheese dips or the other high-fat holiday snacks, I’m not about to sit in the corner and pout, no sirree. These roasted chickpeas are not only full of fiber and protein, but they’re also quite low fat. What other snacks can you say that about?

Most importantly, they are delicious, crunchy and addictive. When people grab a handful, they might not know what they’re eating. I had someone ask,”What kind of nuts are these?” It’s hard to believe that a lowly can of garbanzo beans can be so magically transformed.

For the seasoning, I chose a combination of Chinese five spice powder and cayenne pepper. But you can use any spice combination you’d like – I’ve provided some other roasted chickpea recipes below to get your creative juices flowing. My next version is going to be smoked paprika and cumin. Now I just need a party to take them to, because otherwise I’ll eat them all myself.

Spice-Roasted Chickpeas

1 can garbanzo beans, drained, rinsed and thoroughly dried

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

Toss everything together and spread on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until completely crunchy.
(Note: some recipes call for cooking them only 20 minutes, but I found they needed 40. Check them halfway through and see what you think. If they are still chewy in the center, keep cooking!)

Other roasted chickpea recipes you might like:

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas with Moroccan Spices ^[3] from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Roasted Chickpeas with Garlic, Cumin and Paprika ^[4] from The Perfect Pantry
Roasted Chickpeas ^[5] from Mark Bittman
Spice Roasted Chickpeas ^[6] from Veggie Num Num (oops, didn’t mean to steal your title, Num Num!)