Spicy baked chickpeas
For a long time I didn’t like chickpeas. Chickpeas are a staple in the middle eastern diet. With their heartiness they even make up great substitutes for protein in a college student favorite, falafel.
My early exposure chickpeas wasn't at home, but when I spent summers at dance camp.
Yes, dance camp. At one point in time I went to a camp where we would take three dance classes a day and then consume copious plates of spaghetti covered in Parmesan to refuel.
Often we would peruse the salad bar, where I came across the salad bar chickpea. Cold and wet, and I ate them because they were a great source of protein. In college I avoided the same salad bar chickpeas, knowing they weren't tasty.
Chickpeas stayed out of my diet until I started to read recipes like they were short stories. People were treating vegetables in ways I never had before. Cauliflower cut into steaks, Brussels sprouts were shredded, and chickpeas were roasted in the oven.
This is a recipe for roasted chickpeas, yes, but it's really just a template to add your favorite flavors to what could have been just another can of boring, cold chickpeas.
My favorite way to enjoy these guys (except perhaps just on their own) is on a crusty piece of bread (toasted!) with a nice schmear of goat cheese.
Spicy Baked Chickpeas
1 can (15.5 oz.) chickpeas, drained + rinsed
Olive oil
Sprinkle of cumin
Sprinkle of paprika
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Salt + pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Drizzle olive oil liberally on a paper lined baking sheet. Add the chickpeas + toss to coat them in olive oil.
Add all of the spices. Feel free to add as much or as little of each according to how much heat you're craving. Finish with a liberal sprinkle of salt + fresh pepper. Toss to combine.
Bake the chickpeas in the oven for 30 minutes until golden + crispy.