Air fryer chickpeas that are extra crispy and full of flavor!
These crunchy air fryer chickpeas make the perfect healthy snack by themselves, but they are also a great addition to salads and bowls. You need just 15 minutes from start to end to make these in the air fryer with a few simple seasonings. They are garlicky, spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. They are also vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free.
I love making delicious and healthy snacks in the air fryer, like crispy air fryer tofu and these scrumptious air fryer French fries. Yet another one of my favorites are these air fryer chickpeas, and they are even healthier than the other two.
These are so, so easy to make and they are certified craveable! All you need are a few ingredients you already have in your pantry. You can cook the chickpeas from scratch, which is desirable to get the perfect texture and keep this recipe free of additives and preservatives, but you can definitely use canned chickpeas as well. Just be sure to rinse and drain them thoroughly.
I love making a big box of these and keeping them in the fridge for a guilt-free treat whenever the craving strikes (and it's often, especially when I know these are around ;))
Why you'll love these air fryer chickpeas
- They are so yummy. The chickpeas get perfectly roasted in the air fryer and each one emerges crunchy, spicy, tangy and absolutely delicious. I gave these air fried chickpeas an Indian flair with spices like cumin, turmeric and chaat masala. It will become one of your favorite air fryer recipes -- you won't be able to stop popping them!
- They are easy to make. These crispy chickpeas are one of the quickest recipes you will ever make and all you need are pantry ingredients. Toss the chickpeas with powdered spices and you are ready to go.
- They are everyone friendly. This is of course a vegan recipe. And it's gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free. Kids will love it, mine does, but you will often catch the adults with their hands in the air-fried chickpea jar!
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas. I love using homemade Instant Pot chickpeas for this recipe (see instructions for how to make these in the FAQs below). But canned chickpeas are fine to use, so long as they are firm and not falling apart. Make sure you rinse and drain them.
- Spices: ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne (or paprika for less heat), ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper and ½ teaspoon chaat masala (can sub with 1 tablespoon lemon juice).
- 1 tablespoon rice flour. This adds a nice, additional layer of crunchiness. You can sub with cornstarch.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. I use avocado oil, but any flavorless vegetable oil is fine here. Olive oil would work too.
- Salt to taste.
How to make air fryer chickpeas
- If using canned chickpeas place them in a colander and rinse under running water. Let them stand a few minutes so they air-dry.
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl and add the spices--garlic, turmeric, cayenne (or paprika), ground cumin, ground black pepper and chaat masala (or lemon).
- Add the rice flour (or cornstarch), vegetable oil and salt. Mix everything until every chickpea is coated with the spices.
- Place the chickpeas in an air fryer basket. If necessary, work in batches to avoid overcrowding--you preferably want a single layer of chickpeas in the air fryer basket so every chickpea roasts perfectly. I needed to do two batches in my air fryer.
- Set the air fryer to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C for 12 minutes. Toss the chickpeas every four minutes so they roast evenly.
- Eat hot or warm or at room temperature!
Meal prep and storage instructions
- Make-ahead: You can cook the chickpeas in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Toss with other ingredients and air-fry. Or make a large batch of these air fried chickpeas and keep them in the fridge in an air-tight container.
- Refrigerate: The chickpeas will keep in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: For longer storage, flash freeze the air fried chickpeas by placing on a baking sheet and then freezing. When the chickpeas are frozen store them in a freezer bag or in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat: The chickpeas will soften a bit when stored but simply zap them in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 3-4 minutes before eating and they will be as crunchy and crispy as new! You might need to add a couple of extra minutes for frozen chickpeas.
Frequently asked questions
You can cook dry chickpeas in the Instant Pot without soaking them. To do this, add the rinsed chickpeas to the Instant Pot with four cups water. Set the IP to the "beans" setting. Let the IP release naturally or force-release 10 minutes after cooking is over. Chickpeas cooked this way have the perfect texture for air frying: firm, with a slight bite. Make sure you drain out all the water before using and, if you have some time, let them air-dry in the strainer for a few minutes.
You absolutely can. Make sure you rinse the chickpeas in a strainer under running water and let them air-dry for a few minutes before mixing in the other ingredients.
Definitely. I used an Indian style spice mix in this recipe and this is how I love to make these. You can use the spice ingredients as a guideline and add any other seasonings or seasoning blends of your choice, or feel free to substitute an ingredient with something else you think will appeal to you. You can even just use a simple seasoning of salt and ground black pepper with your chickpeas. Sometimes, when I'm feeling a little lazy, I'll toss these with garam masala or curry powder, and they're delicious.
These roasted chickpeas make a great snack by themselves. But they are also amazing as chickpea croutons or salad toppers. You can also add them to bowls to punch up the deliciousness and the healthfulness.
Amazingly so. There are 122 calories in every serving of these air fried chickpeas as well as six grams of protein and five grams of dietary fiber. Chickpeas also have healthy amounts of calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron.
You certainly can. Leaving out oil will result in chickpeas that are not as crispy but they will still be delicious. Use a bit of lemon juice or water to help the spices adhere to the chickpeas, if necessary.
Related recipes
Air fryer chickpeas
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked chickpeas (use homemade or canned. See instructions in recipe notes for making Instant Pot chickpeas)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne (or use paprika for less heat)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (skip if sensitive to heat as there is already cayenne in this recipe. Or skip the cayenne and use black pepper)
- ½ teaspoon chaat masala (use 1 tablespoon lemon juice as a substitute)
- 1 tablespoon rice flour (or cornstarch)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Place the chickpeas in a bowl and add the spices--garlic, turmeric, cayenne (or paprika), ground cumin, ground black pepper and chaat masala (or lemon).
- Add the rice flour (or cornstarch), vegetable oil and salt. Mix everything until every chickpea is coated with the spices.
- Place the chickpeas in the air fryer basket. If necessary, work in batches to avoid overcrowding--you preferably want a single layer of chickpeas in the air fryer basket so every chickpea roasts perfectly. I needed to do two batches in my air fryer.
- Set the air fryer to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C for 12 minutes. Toss the chickpeas every four minutes so they roast evenly.
- Eat hot or warm or at room temperature!
Recipe notes
- You can cook chickpeas in the Instant Pot without soaking them. To do this, add the dry, rinsed chickpeas to the Instant Pot with four cups water. Set the IP to the "beans" setting. Let the IP release naturally or force-release 10 minutes after cooking is over. Chickpeas cooked this way have the perfect texture for air frying: firm, with a slight bite. Make sure you drain out all the water before using and, if you have some time, let them air-dry in the strainer for a few minutes.
- Make-ahead: You can cook the chickpeas in advance and store them in the refrigerator. Toss with other ingredients and air-fry. Or make a large batch of these air fried chickpeas and keep them in the fridge in an air-tight container.
- Refrigerate: The chickpeas will keep in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: For longer storage, flash freeze the air fried chickpeas by placing on a baking sheet and then freezing. When the chickpeas are frozen store them in a freezer bag or in a freezer-safe container.
- Reheat: The chickpeas will soften a bit when stored but simply zap them in the air fryer at 375 degrees for 3-4 minutes before eating and they will be as crunchy and crispy as new! You might need to add a couple of extra minutes for frozen chickpeas.
- The seasonings used in this recipe are how I love to make these and you can just use them as a guideline. Use any other seasonings or seasoning blends of your choice, or feel free to substitute an ingredient with something else you think will appeal to you. You can even just use a simple seasoning of salt and ground black pepper with your chickpeas. Sometimes, when I'm feeling a little lazy, I'll toss these with garam masala or curry powder, and they're delicious.
Sara
So so good. I've been making them every week now, I just make a big batch for the week and enjoy munching on them between mealtimes. Such a great idea and recipe. Thanks.
Maddie
I have already made these twice since your recipe dropped in my inbox. Love them, so crunchy and so delicious. I've been snacking on them and will make more to add to a salad. They would be delicious in a wrap as well.
Vaishali
So happy you tried them! I think they’d be awesome in wraps.