When you’re in the mood for a crunchy snack but don’t want all the oil in potato chips, try chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans! My crispy air fryer chickpeas with Indian seasoning are crunchy, flavorful, and easy to make. You’ll happily reach for them anytime!
Why Roast Chickpeas in Your Air Fryer
Crispy chickpeas only take about 20 minutes to cook in your air fryer! That’s a pretty quick way to make a crunchy snack that you can pick at all week.
While I’m using an Indian inspired seasoning for a taste explosion, these garbanzo beans are a great vessel for all sorts of different flavors and seasoning combinations. Try roasted chickpeas with buffalo, ranch, Mediterranean, barbecue, salt & vinegar, and whatever else you like!
Whether you go sweet, spicy, or savory, air fryer chickpeas are versatile, flavorful, and the perfect snack for anytime! They’re also naturally vegetarian and vegan friendly, as well as gluten-free (just check your seasonings), so they work for a variety of dietary needs without trying.
Katie’s tip
Prefer your chickpeas less crunchy? Learn how to make some Roasted Beet Hummus with the help of your air fryer, which includes blended chickpeas as the base for this flavorful dip!
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Ingredients List
- 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas, drained
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp paprika
Ingredient Substitutions and Variations
- Chickpeas. You’ll need cooked chickpeas, most often found in a can. If you want to use dried chickpeas instead, you’ll need to soak them overnight. Then, cook in a pressure cooker (or Instant Pot) for about an hour (or 4 hours on high in a slow cooker)
- The olive oil can be swapped for another high smoke point option, like avocado oil, if preferred
- Salt. You can substitute other salt types such as pink or smoked, if preferred
- Seasonings. Garam masala can be substituted for other types of Masala seasoning or curry powder. Paprika can be substituted for chili powder or another seasoning with some heat
- Variations. Swap the paprika and Masala powder for equivalent amounts of Frank’s red hot powder and ranch dressing powder for buffalo ranch chickpeas! Alternatively, create your own flavor combinations – garlic powder, ground cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, onion powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and taco seasoning are other great seasoning choices
Step By Step Instructions
- Pat your chickpeas dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (or 380°F, depending on your air fryer’s available settings)
- In a bowl, combine chickpeas with olive oil, salt, garam masala, and paprika, stirring well to evenly coat
- Place the seasoned chickpeas in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook in batches if necessary
- Air fry for 15-25 minutes at 375°F, pausing to shake the basket every 5 minutes, until chickpeas are crispy
- Enjoy warm, or cool for storage
What Can You Do With Roasted Chickpeas?
- Snack
- Salad topping
- Soup or stew topper
- Inside sandwiches
- Pasta topping
In short, you can use roasted chickpeas a number of ways if you’re not just eating them by the handful!
Use them in place of Air Fryer Croutons on your salad, or top a bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (one of my favorites) or other soups of choice!
They’re also great in place of chips in your sandwich or burger for crunch, or as a side to Air Fryer Frozen Falafel. You could even just dress up a bowl of pasta!
Recipe FAQs
Can You Put Chickpeas in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can put chickpeas in an air fryer.
It is more commonly used for roasting and crisping already-cooked chickpeas. If you are using uncooked chickpeas which require boiling, you will need to use another method.
Why Are My Roasted Chickpeas Not Crunchy?
If your roasted chickpeas are not crunchy, you didn’t cook them for long enough, or did not shake the air fryer basket well and they heated unevenly.
Make sure to cook them until they are crispy, and do not give under pressure from your finger. If needed, spritz additional oil during the cooking process to help them crisp further.
Is It Normal For Chickpeas to Pop in the Air Fryer?
Yes, it is normal for chickpeas to pop in the air fryer. It’s caused by internal moisture releasing as steam during cooking.
Sometimes, this may cause the chickpea to split open as well. Use caution when shaking the basket, as they sometimes tend to jump with a popcorn effect.
Tips For the Best Crispy Chickpeas
- To easily drain canned chickpeas, use a colander or strainer. Make sure to rinse in cold water until all the bubbles disappear
- When you pat your chickpeas dry with the paper towels, it will dislodge a lot of the skins. You can pick them out and discard them!
- It took me about 22 minutes in a Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer to get my chickpeas fully crisp. Other air fryers may require slightly more or less time
- To test for doneness, place a chickpea on a spoon. Then, use your finger or the back of another spoon (they’re hot) and apply pressure. If the chickpea “snaps” and breaks into pieces, it’s done. If it “mushes” at all and doesn’t make a crunching sound, it needs more time
Storage Tips
- To store leftover Indian chickpeas, allow them to fully cool. Then, keep in an air-tight container at room temperature (in a cool, dark place) for 1-2 weeks
- The chickpeas will naturally lose a little crispiness over time. If you want to recrisp them, air fry at 400° for 2-3 minutes, just until the outside is crunchy again!
More Air Fryer Snacks
- Air Fryer Granola Bars
- Crispy Air Fryer Squash Seeds
- Parsnip Chips
Final Thoughts
These crispy air-fried chickpeas make for the perfect crunchy snack, and they’re far less oily than a traditional chip would be!
You can season these garbanzo beans up much the same as you would potato chips or popcorn, though, with a variety of different sweet and savory flavor options. While I’m featuring Indian spices here, I try new combos all the time, so you’ll definitely never get bored!
Katie’s tip
If you do love the Indian flavors, though, make sure to check out all of my best air fryer Indian recipes you can try for some other new dishes to explore!
Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas With Indian Seasoning
Equipment
- Spatula (or spoon; for stirring)
Ingredients
- 15 ounce can cooked chickpeas, drained (also known as garbanzo beans)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp paprika
Instructions
- Pat your chickpeas dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Discard any loose skins15 ounce can cooked chickpeas, drained
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (or 380°F, depending on your air fryer’s available settings)
- In a bowl, combine chickpeas with olive oil, salt, garam masala, and paprika, stirring well to evenly coat1 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp garam masala, ½ tsp paprika
- Place the seasoned chickpeas in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook in batches if necessary
- Air fry for 15-25 minutes at 375°F, pausing to shake the basket every 5 minutes, until chickpeas are crispy. To test for doneness, place a chickpea on a spoon. Use your finger or the back of another spoon (they’re hot) and apply pressure. If the chickpea “snaps” and breaks into pieces, it’s done. If it “mushes” at all and doesn’t make a crunching sound, it needs more time
- Enjoy warm, or cool for storage
Notes
- To easily drain canned chickpeas, use a colander or strainer. Make sure to rinse in cold water until all the bubbles disappear
- It took me about 22 minutes in my Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryer to get my chickpeas fully crisp. Other air fryers may require slightly more or less time so adjust as needed
- Garam masala can be substituted for other types of Masala seasoning or curry powder. Paprika can be substituted for chili powder or another seasoning with some heat
- See my Variations section in the full article above for other seasoning suggestions!
- Exact nutritional values will vary based on brand of ingredients and quantity consumed, so please consider this a guideline only
Nutrition
