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Made with creamy tahini, these tahini chickpeas are salty, crunchy, and bursting with exciting flavor. They’re basically like corn nuts but better for you and just as easy to make as it would be to drive and buy the classic snack. These chickpeas are made in the oven so they are a hands-off recipe that will have you going back for seconds, thirds, and forths.
save this recipe!I do a lot of road-tripping between different hikes or to visit friends in Texas and beyond. And with the wide variety of vegetarian gas station snacks (I’m kidding), I usually reach for some sort of salty crunchy to snack on, like cornnuts or popcorn. But, then I realized I could make a WAY healthier snack with chickpeas that also would travel well. Say hello to these crispy roasted chickpeas with tahini!
Reader rating
“These are SOO delicious! Saw the recipe today, and made them tonight! My family really enjoyed them as well!” —Regina
Can’t eat just one!
- Almost cheesy in flavor but totally vegan thanks to the tahini which has a strong flavor of umami.
- Shelf stable meaning you can take these on the road, keep them on the counter, pack them in the ski jacket pockets, etc.
- Two main ingredients and then some spices are all you need. And I can almost guarantee you already have those spices in your cupboard!
Ingredients for Crispy Tahini Chickpeas
For many roasting recipes, you need some type of oil or butter. But, tahini is high in fat which means it has the same ability to help vegetables roast as the more common fats (olive oil, avocado oil, or butter). Here’s what you’ll need to roast the chickpeas in the tahini.
- Tahini: Extra creamy tahini is preferred to fully coat the chickpeas. You can also make your own tahini!
- Chickpeas: Canned chickpeas work great here! You can also soak and cook dried chickpeas in advance of making this recipe.
- Spices: Probably no surprise here but you’ll need garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and smoked paprika. What can I say – I’m a creature of habit (because it’s a delicious habit)!
How to make roasted Chickpeas
- Drain & dry the chickpeas
- Mix everything together in a large bowl
- Bake them on a sheet tray till crispy
Storage
I found it’s best to keep these stored at room temperature. This retains their crispy texture best and they will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Why this Recipe Works
You might be thinking how can CREAMY tahini create CRISPY chickpeas? Well, I’ll tell you how – these key points and tricks of the recipe.
- Toss the ingredients in a bowl first which helps to get the seasoning and tahini all the way around the chickpeas. This ensures each side will have that crispy tahini shell.
- Let them cool for a bit after coming out of the oven, as hard as it is to not just snack right away. The more they cool, the crispier they get, which is the ultimate goal. We want and need the crunch!
- Versatile as a snack, a salad topper, and more. And don’t worry, I’ll give you some more recipe ideas for ways to use and enjoy these tahini chickpeas.
FAVORITE SHEET PAN
This large nonstick sheet pan is one of my everyday favorites!
How to enjoy crispy chickpeas
Ok, I’m very excited to share these ideas with you! I’m not saying I really thought them out, but if someone spent too much time coming up with delicious and unique ways to use roasted tahini chickpeas – it’s me. Hi.
- The obvious: Eat them as a snack. Enjoy them road-tripping, on the ski lift, in between soccer games, on a walk, while working on the computer, etc.
- Delicious lunch: For lunch try them on a Kale Chickpea Salad, as the croutons in a Vegan Chicken Caesar Wrap, or as the “something crunchy” in this 15-Minute Avocado Sandwich.
- Unique Dinner: Try them instead of chips on your favorite Vegetarian Chili, sprinkle them on top of a baked potato, or make them part of a gorgeous cheese board spread.
Crispy Tahini Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 15-oz can chickpeas, 425 g
- ¼ cup tahini, 60 g
- ½ tsp each salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Drain chickpeas and pat as dry as possible with paper towels.
- Mix: In a large bowl, stir together the chickpeas, ¼ cup tahini, and ½ tsp each salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika.
- Bake: Arrange chickpeas on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping the chickpeas once during cooking, until golden brown and crispy (they'll continue to crisp up and dry as they cool).
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
These turned out delicious and crunchy! Thanks for sharing.
So happy to hear it! Enjoy! 😀
Hi, I’d like to try this recipe but I’m intrigued about one of the instructions. You say to flip the chickpeas once during cooking. Do you actually mean to flip each of the (probably over a hundred) chickpeas individually???
Would it be ok to just shake the tray a few times during baking to ensure all sides get equal treatment?
Hi Rob! Just shake the tray or use a spatula to flip them all over in a few big swipes 🙂
Hey! I generally cook with dried chickpeas rather than canned. Would the recipe be the same except with an added step or pressure cooking the chickpeas?
Yep it would be the same! You can use about 1.5 cups of chickpeas (measured after cooking). Happy eating!
Do these store well if I make them a couple of days early in preparation for a party?
They may lose a bit of their crispiness, but you can pop them in the air fryer, oven, or stove briefly to crisp them back up!
These are SOO delicious! Saw the recipe today, and made them tonight! My family really enjoyed them as well!
I’m so happy to hear it, Regina!! Happy eating! 😀
This looks great! I can’t wait to try it. I have all the ingredients in the house. Can I use the air fryer? If so, what temperature/time would you recommend?
I would do it at 400F for about 8 minutes!
I’ve been eating roasted chickpeas for a very long time and never thought to add tahini I would say these are life-changing thank you so much
I’m so happy to hear it, Mandy!! Happy eating!
Mine never crisp up. What am I doing wrong?
Make sure to dry the chickpeas super well before coating them in tahini! You could also try leaving them in the oven just a little longer. And then they do tend to get crispier as they cool.
Should these be stored in the fridge?
I typically do store it in the fridge to extend shelf life, but it would be find at room temp for a day or two 🙂
This worked exactly as written, thanks!