These Pan-Fried Chickpeas are a delicious and healthy snack that's easy to make, and ready with just 6 pantry ingredients. Perfect for when you want crispy roasted chickpeas, but you're short on time!
Chickpeas have to be one of my favorite ingredients of all time! They're so versatile, healthy, and affordable.
You can use them for anything from homemade hummus without garlic, to garam masala chickpea curry, and even chickpea cookie dough.
These pan-fried chickpeas come together with 4 ingredients. They're a true staple of mine that I make time and time again.
I have also included 6 flavoring options, so you can make them different every time!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make. This recipe is ready with just 6 simple ingredients and in just 15 minutes.
- Customizable. You can use your favorite spices and adjust the seasoning to your taste.
- Packed with plant-based protein. Chickpeas are packed with nutrients and are high in fiber, and plant protein. All of this means that they'll keep you feeling full for longer!
- Versatile. Salads, wraps, soups, pasta dishes... you name it. You can put these pan-fried chickpeas on anything!
Ingredients and notes
- Spices: We love to add smoked paprika and cumin, but you can use any spices you like or leave them out completely. It's up to you to customize these pan-fried chickpeas however you want.
- Olive oil: You can use any neutral oil you have on hand like canola oil or grapeseed oil.
- Chickpeas: You'll need cooked chickpeas, either from a can or home-cooked. If you want to learn how to prepare your own from scratch, check out this article.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
Variations
You can flavor these pan-fried chickpeas however you like! Here are some of my favorite ways to jazz them up.
- Sweet and salty: Toss with 1 tablespoon maple syrup and finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt.
- Middle-Eastern: Toss with ½ teaspoon zaatar and ½ teaspoon sumac.
- Chili lime: Toss with ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Spicy: Add ½ - 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Curried: Toss with 1 teaspoon curry powder.
- Herby: At the last minute of cooking, stir in chopped cilantro, parsley, or dill.
- Cheesy: Toss with 1-2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast and ½ teaspoon of mustard powder.
- Fall-inspired: Toss them with ½ - 1 teaspoon of my DIY pumpkin pie spice for a festive flavor. If you want them sweet, add 1-2 tablespoon of maple syrup.
How To Make Pan-Fried Chickpeas
Step 1: First, drain and rinse a can of chickpeas.
Step 2: Then, transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Remove any of the skins that come off.
Step 3: Add chickpeas to a bowl, and toss with spices, salt, black pepper, and oil.
Step 4: To a cast-iron skillet, add the remaining oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chickpeas and pan-fry for 10-12 minutes, or until golden.
👩🏼🍳 Petra's Tips
- Pat dry the chickpeas well. This is essential if you want your pan-fried chickpeas to crisp up. Don't skip this step! It takes less than 5 minutes, but it makes a lot of difference.
- Cook in batches. You may be tempted to dump everything all at once and call it a day, but if you cook them in 2 or 3 batches you'll have far better results. This is true not only for this recipe, but also for things like fried silken tofu and vegan tofu meatballs, where the main method of preparation is pan-frying.
- Don't stir too often. Give them enough time to stay in contact with the pan and to brown. This is how you make smoky pan-fried chickpeas!
- Toss the chickpeas in cornstarch if you want them to be extra crispy. Just 1-2 teaspoons will do the job, no need to go overboard.
Recipe FAQs
Chickpeas, packed with nutrition, provide an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber. If you haven't tried them, they are delicious when cooked and crispy, as shown in this recipe. Pack these fried chickpeas in a sealed plastic bag for an on-the-go snack or enjoy them while watching your favorite TV show.
Dry the chickpeas thoroughly! The key step is to ensure the chickpeas are completely dry. Use paper towels to dry them well, then leave them in a colander for a while to drain any remaining moisture. The drier the chickpeas, the crispier they become when roasted.
Dried chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, can be cooked without presoaking for 40 minutes to eight hours, depending on your preferred method. However, cooking garbanzo beans without soaking first may increase the risk of digestive side effects such as gas and bloating.
Roasted chickpeas can be crispier, depending on how long you cook them for. However, this recipe for pan-fried chickpeas is great for when you're short on time.
It's best to reheat them in a pre-heated oven for 10 minutes, or in an air fryer for 5 minutes. This way they'll crisp up again!
Serving suggestions
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve these pan-fried chickpeas!
- Add on top of Mediterranean tomato soup or pumpkin soup with tomato, in place of croutons.
- Toss in salads like this sweet potato beet salad or spinach arugula salad to add some protein and crunch.
- Toss with garlic chili oil noodles or vodka pasta pasta without vodka to make the dish more filling.
- Top over creamy vegan polenta to add texture and crunch.
- Sprinkle over avocado toast.
- Serve with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cottage cheese.
- Garnish them with chopped fresh parsley and/or grated parmesan for more flavor.
- Or snack on them on their own!
Storage & Freezing
- Fridge: Pan-fried chickpeas will keep for 3-4 days if stored in an air-tight container, though they're best served right away.
- Freezer: This recipe is not freezer-friendly.
More Recipes with Chickpeas
If you tried these Pan-Fried Chickpeas or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Pan-Fried (Roasted) Chickpeas
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or another frying pan
- A bowl
- Kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 1 (15-oz) can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional; or use other spices of choice)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional; or use other spices of choice)
- ¼ teaspoon pink salt (or more to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Remove any of the skins that come off.
- Add to a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, spices of choice, salt, and black pepper.
- To a cast-iron skillet or a rimmed pan, add the remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add half of the chickpeas and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until golden and lightly browned. Make sure to stir from time to time, but not too often. Repeat with the second half.
- Remove from the stove and serve right away!
Notes
- Pat dry the chickpeas well. This is essential if you want your chickpeas to crisp up and not become soggy. Don't skip this step! It takes less than 5 minutes, but it makes a lot of difference.
- Cook in batches. You may be tempted to just dump all of the chickpeas at once and call it a day, but if you cook them in 2 or 3 batches you'll have far better results.
- Don't stir too often. Give them enough time to stay in contact with the pan and to brown. This is how you make amazing smoky chickpeas!
- Toss the chickpeas in cornstarch if you want them to be extra crispy. Just 1-2 teaspoon will do the job, no need to go overboard.
- Oven: Pre-heat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Add chickpeas to a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes or until warmed through.
- Air fryer: Pre-heat air fryer to 350ºF (180ºC). Add chickpeas to the air fryer basket and cook for 3-4 minutes or until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
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