Easy Roasted Chickpeas (Healthy Snack for Kids)

These Easy Roasted Chickpeas (Healthy Snack for Kids) taste like chips! They are flavorsome, protein-packed, fiber-rich, and have a fun, light, crisp texture that kids and the whole family will LOVE! You can adapt this recipe in many ways, using your favorite seasonings.

Chickpeas, also known as Garbanzo beans, are a legume. Legumes, such as beans, chickpeas, peas, and lentils, are a great source of iron, fiber, and vegetable protein.

Reasons to Love These Soft-Roasted Chickpeas

• Iron Rich: Chickpeas are a great way to get more iron in your kids’ diets! Kids need adequate levels of iron daily for growth and brain development.
• Easy and straightforward: You can use canned chickpeas or cook them at home. I will show you how to make this snack using both methods!
• Customizable: Add your favorite seasoning, salty or sweet, and these will be a fun snack for all tastes! I will share our favorite spices: garlic powder, onion powder, dry parsley, and smoked paprika.
• Kid-friendly: My kids LOVE this snack! It is tasty, salty, and slightly crunchy! You can adjust the crunchiness by adding more time in the oven. Leave it softer for toddlers and crispier for older kids.
• Bake with kids: This is the perfect snack to get kids involved in the kitchen. You can set up a seasoning station and have the kids choose how they want their chickpeas seasoned. A few other good options are cinnamon and honey for a sweet flavor and curry powder, chili powder, and garlic powder for a different twist on a savory flavor. Have the mixes pre-made in small bowls and have them sprinkle over the chickpeas before roasting. I bet your kids will LOVE experimenting with new flavors.

Are Roasted Chickpeas a Choking Hazard for Kids?

Yes, they can be a choking hazard due to the round shape! If you have toddlers between 1-3 years old and are still uncomfortable with them eating whole chickpeas, mash them with a fork before serving. For babies under 1 year old I would not serve them roasted. You can still season the cooked chickpeas or make hummus and add to toast or veggies.

Sharing a little of my personal experience, for both my kids I started serving roasted chickpeas when they were about 15 months old. I always mashed the chickpeas between two fingers before serving to ensure they could be easily smashable. Then slowly started serving them whole always under close supervision.  It is important to have the toddlers/kids seated while eating, if they are moving around, walking or running the chances of choking are much higher (with any food).

This recipe makes soft / lightly crisp chickpeas that are safer to offer to small kids.

Ingredients

Here is what you need to make my Easy Roasted Chickpeas:

• Cooked chickpeas: Cook from dry or use canned.
• Olive oil: or use avocado oil.
• Salt: I love using sea salt, but any kind of fine salt will work.
• Garlic powder.
• Onion Powder.
• Dry parsley.
• Smoked paprika.

Step by Step Instructions

Follow these simple steps to make the best, roasted chickpea snack:

Prepping / Cooking the chickpeas:

Cooking chickpeas from dry is more economical; but, if you are using canned chickpeas, skip this step.

• Place 1 cup of dry chickpeas in a large bowl and cover with plenty of water. Leave the chickpeas soaking overnight or for 8 to 12 hours (they will expand, and 1 cup will turn into 2 ½ cups in volume).
• Drain and rinse the chickpeas using a colander.
• Add the rinsed chickpeas to an instant pot and cover them with 4 cups of water.
• Close the lid and set it to pressure cook for 7 minutes.
• Let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes, then manually release the remaining (you may also choose to do an all-natural release if you have the time).
• Remove the chickpeas, drain them, and continue with the roasting steps below.

Roasting the chickpeas:

• Preheat oven to 375F (190C).
• Add the rinsed and drained cooked chickpeas and olive oil in a medium bowl. Mix until fully coated.
• Sprinkle the dry seasoning (salt, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, and smoked paprika) and mix until thoroughly coated.
• Spread the seasoned chickpeas in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes, shaking halfway through. This will be soft for toddlers. If you want crispier chickpeas, keep baking until they are done to your liking; see my tips below for more!
• Let the chickpeas cool and serve!

Tips for the Perfect Roasted Chickpeas

• Ensure the seasoning is well spread before roasting, and the chickpeas are not overcrowded on the baking sheet.
• Remove the tray at the 10-minute baking time and shake to ensure the chickpeas are evenly roasted.
• Since this recipe is for kids, I want the chickpeas to be only lightly crisp. So, I am not adding a first step to dry the chickpeas with a kitchen towel or paper towel. If you do this, the result will be crispier chickpeas! So, if you want them this way, add this as a first step!
• Feel free to use parchment paper if you want to, but since the chickpeas are coated in olive oil, I place them directly on the baking sheet, and cleaning is easy.
• Chickpeas are done when they are golden brown. If you want them crispier, you can adjust the baking time.

Tools Needed

Here is a list of what you need to make roasted chickpeas:

• Mixing bowl
• Baking tray

Storage Instructions

I tested storing roasted chickpeas in several different ways: in a Ziploc, inside a glass container (open and closed), at room temperature, and refrigerated. Here are my recommendations for keeping your leftovers fresh and crispy.  

• Room temperature: The roasted chickpeas can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days, maintaining their quality and texture. Add them to a glass container and leave the lid semi-open to allow airflow, maintaining crispiness. If moisture accumulates, they will become soggy after some time.
• Fridge: You can store the chickpeas in the refrigerator, but they will be dry and chewy; I don’t recommend refrigerating them!
• Freezing: You can freeze and roast the cooked chickpeas later, but I don’t recommend freezing the roasted chickpeas. They will be soggy and won’t taste good.

Serving Suggestions and Substitutions

• Snack: Roasted chickpeas paired with fresh fruit are a healthy, iron-rich snack that is also a great addition to lunchboxes!
• Side: They are also great as a side to a main meal. I like to add them to pasta dishes that are meat free and don’t have a high iron content.
• Topper: I love adding chickpeas to roasted veggies, soup, and salad!

Frequently Asked Questions

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🥣Recipe

Other Chickpea Recipes You May Like

• Easy Instant Pot Chickpea & Chicken Masala
• Easy Homemade Hummus (Baby & Toddler Friendly)
• Healthy Chickpea Brownie Bites (Flourless and Sugar-Free)

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