Roasted chickpeas are the perfect snack to satisfy your crunchy, salty snack cravings. Vegan, gluten-free, portable and totally addictive!
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, pack in a lot of nutrition. They’re an excellent source of protein and fiber, which helps you feel full longer. Plus, they have vitamins and minerals like zinc and folate.
In this recipe, chickpeas are coated with a little oil, seasoned with salt and then roasted to crispy perfection. Once out of the oven, they’re coated with savory spices. Enjoy them on their own, as a topping for salad or as an addition to soups and grain bowls. The trick to crispy chickpeas (that stay crisp) is starting with a preheated baking sheet – so don’t skip this step!
CRISPY ROASTED CHICKPEAS
(Makes 2 cups or four ½-cup servings)
- 3 cups home-cooked chickpeas or 2 cans (15 ounces each) organic reduced-sodium chickpeas, rinsed and dried thoroughly
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or fine sea salt
- 2 to 3 teaspoons dried savory spices of choice (such as ground cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper or even Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel seasoning)
Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and then preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine chickpeas and oil in a medium bowl; season with salt. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and pour chickpeas onto the hot pan in a single layer.
Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, shaking the pan every 20 minutes or so, until crispy and golden. All ovens bake differently, so just remove them when they look crunchy. Sprinkle with spices of choice and toss to coat. Cool completely on the baking sheet (they will continue to crisp as they cool). Store in a loosely covered container at room temperature for up to a week.
Cozy soup season is upon us! Cannellini beans are low on calories but loaded with minerals, antioxidants and fiber, which helps you feel full. They provide an excellent source of plant-based protein, which is important for muscle and tissue repair. Power greens (chard, spinach and kale) are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, making them an excellent addition to this soup. As a bonus – pureeing a portion of the cannellini beans makes this soup creamy without the cream.
WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH WINTER GREENS
(Makes 9 cups or six 1 ½-cup servings)
- 4 cans (15 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained, divided use
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, divided use
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium brown or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 medium ribs celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3-inch chunk of Parmesan rind, plus grated Parmesan for serving
- 3 to 4 cups roughly chopped power greens (such as baby chard, baby spinach and baby kale)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Place two cans of beans in a blender or food processor along with 1 cup of the stock. Cover and process until smooth.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes and bay leaves and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute or until it darkens in color.
Stir in pureed bean mixture, remaining two cans of beans, remaining stock and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Discard Parmesan rind and bay leaves.
Stir in greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until wilted. Stir in lemon juice. Taste, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls; top with grated Parmesan cheese (and Crispy Roasted Chickpeas, if desired).
To store, wait for the soup to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This soup also freezes well. Simply place it in a freezer-safe container or zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Keep warm and healthy with these hearty winter dishes!
Chris Garboski managed the HQ test kitchen at Nestle and produced more than a thousand recipes in her 25 years with the company. Her proudest accomplishment has been raising triplets.
