Harissa Chickpea Roast Snack (Print View)

Crispy roasted chickpeas with harissa and smoky spices offer a flavorful, crunchy snack or topping.

# Components:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas (approximately 1 can, drained and rinsed)

→ Seasoning

02 - 1½ tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon harissa spice blend
04 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
06 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
07 - ½ teaspoon sea salt

→ Optional Finishing

08 - ½ teaspoon lemon zest
09 - Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Thoroughly pat chickpeas dry with a clean kitchen towel and remove any loose skins to enhance crispiness.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpeas with olive oil, harissa spice, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and sea salt. Toss until fully coated.
04 - Spread the seasoned chickpeas evenly on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
05 - Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through to ensure even crisping, until golden brown and crisp.
06 - Remove from oven, then while still warm, toss chickpeas with lemon zest and garnish with fresh herbs as desired.
07 - Allow to cool slightly to maximize crunch before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're impossibly crispy on the outside and stay that way for days if you can resist eating them all at once.
  • The harissa gives you real spice and complexity without needing a long ingredient list or special skills.
  • You can make them vegan, gluten-free, and they taste like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
02 -
  • Drying the chickpeas isn't optional—wet chickpeas will never get truly crispy no matter how long you roast them, and I learned this the hard way by making a batch of chewy disappointment.
  • Shake that pan halfway through roasting or you'll get a burned bottom and an undercooked top, which ruins the whole vibe.
  • These soften after a couple days, but you can re-crisp them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, so they're actually better than they seem for meal prep.
03 -
  • Don't skip peeling the loose chickpea skins—they're the first things to burn and they'll make the batch taste bitter if they char.
  • If you like things spicy, add the heat through cayenne or extra harissa rather than other spices, because you want the harissa's flavor to shine through, not get buried.
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