By: Rachel
Holiday season is in full swing, and all us vegetarians want for Christmas (and Chanukah and Kwanzaa and New Year's and Festivus) is a guarantee that there will be something satisfying for us to eat at the many parties we're getting ready to attend. Veggies and dip are nice, and there's almost always some salad at the table...but what about an appetizer we can sink our teeth into when our friends are chowing down on mini hot dogs and shrimp cocktail? Sure, we love chips and guacamole, but there's got to be something more!
That hope for something a little more substantial to whet our appetites at holiday parties is why we love to serve (or bring along) our crispy roasted chickpeas. They are:
-Yummy
-A satisfying, meat-free, dairy-free, gluten-free appetizer
-A good source of protein (which can help stave off the munchies and help keep you from diving headfirst into the chip bowl if there are no vegetarian main course options at a party).
-Super duper easy to make.
Here's our how-to guide to making these tasty treats:
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas (aka crispy chickpea munchies)
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), 15 ounces
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and other herbs/spices to taste (we love using smoked Spanish paprika, aka pimenton)
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
Step 2: Drain chickpeas in a colander and rinse well.
Step 3: Pat chickpeas dry with paper towels; the drier the better they will crisp!
Step 4: Drizzle with oil, salt, and spices (tip: go easy on the salt, especially if your chickpeas are the regular kind, aka NOT low sodium—chances are they're already plenty salty). Toss well and pour into a cast iron pan or on a baking sheet.
Step 5: Roast chickpeas for around 25-30 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes, until crispy. If you can hear the chickpeas popping like crazy in your oven, lower the heat by 15 degrees until it comes to a stop (note: oven strength can vary greatly; you may want to experiment with a range of 375-425 degrees F to get yours just right).
Step 6: Serve! These are best while still warm. If you are bringing to someone else's house, refrigerate until serving time and reheat in a 250 degree oven for about 10-15 minutes until they crisp back up.
Great for a party, snack, salad topping, or...hmm, what else do you think?
Happy holiday partying, vegheads! Let us know if you try these, and if so, how you season them. We're always looking for new ideas!