I am so excited to share with you my Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas! These crunchy, oil-free chickpeas are a delicious snack on their own and make a great savory topping for salads and soups. Made in the air fryer, these chickpeas are ready in just 25 minutes!
A couple years ago I ordered a salad at a restaurant that came with the crunchiest chickpeas I'd ever had. I've been dreaming about it ever since! Unfortunately I do not remember the name of the restaurant, but I vividly remember those chickpeas. It reminded me of a fun twist on a crouton, and I immediately wanted to make my own version. And now I'm here to share it with you!
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super versatile! Enjoy these Air Fried Chickpeas as a high-protein snack, or toss them on salads, wraps, or soups for a delicious crunch.
- Nutritious and wholesome! These oil-free, vegan chickpeas are packed with plant based protein, fiber, and nutrients.
- Quick & easy! This healthy vegan snack takes just 25 minutes from start to finish, with minimal prep and low effort.
Key Ingredients
These Air Fryer Chickpeas use minimal ingredients - a lot of which you may already have in your pantry!
- Chickpeas: The star of the show! These are a great source of protein, fiber, and more! Perfect for a satisfying and wholesome snack.
- Aquafaba: This is the liquid you find in a can of chickpeas. We are using just a bit of aquafaba as a natural binder to help the seasonings stick - no oil needed!
- Garlic salt, smoked paprika, and onion powder: These simple yet flavorful seasonings are versatile and delicious!
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
The full recipe can be found down below, but here's a quick look at how to make these perfectly crunchy chickpeas:
- Preheat the air fryer
- Rinse off the chickpeas and pat them dry
- Air fry the chickpeas for 15 minutes, shaking them around a few times for even crisping.
- Season the chickpeas by tossing them with aquafaba and spices.
- Enjoy how you wish! Serve on salads and grain bowls, or eat them by the handful.
Recipe Tips
- Preheat your air fryer: It's tempting to skip this step, but resist the urge! Preheating ensures that your chickpeas get evenly crispy and crunchy.
- Best enjoyed fresh: These are very crispy right after cooking, but they do lose some crunch as they sit out. Enjoy them right away for maximum crispiness!
- Reheating leftovers: If you have leftovers, don't worry! Just throw them back in the air fryer for a minute or two at 400F to bring back the crunch.
Serving Suggestions
- Sprinkle these on everything! They're the perfect topping for salads, Buddha Bowls, and soups. Sprinkle them over my Summer Root Vegetable Soup or Vegan Lettuce Wraps for some extra crunch.
- Enjoy these as a snack! This healthy chickpea snack is delicious enough to enjoy on its own! They make a wholesome plant-based snack that is both satisfying and addictively crunchy.
Substitutions & Variations
- Play around with the seasonings! We use pretty versatile seasonings in this recipe, but you can change it up as much as you'd like. Sprinkle on some dried dill for ranch vibes, some cayenne for a bit of spice, or add a squeeze of lemon with the aquafaba for a tangy twist.
Frequently Asked Questions
These chickpeas are whole food plant based! We use aquafaba to stick the seasonings to the chickpeas, so no oil needed. We only use chickpeas, aquafaba, and seasonings!
Make sure to pat the chickpeas completely dry before air frying, and don't forget to preheat your air fryer! You also don't want to overcrowd the chickpeas, so cook them in two batches if they are too packed in your air fryer!
You can re-crisp your chickpeas in the air fryer at 400F for 1–2 minutes before eating!
Other Chickpea Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas
- ½ tablespoon aquafaba* (reserved from the can of chickpeas)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400F.
- Open the can of chickpeas and reserve some of the aquafaba off to the side (at least ½ Tbsp). Once some aquafaba has been reserved, pour the chickpeas into a colander and rinse them off in the sink. Pour them onto a kitchen towel and place another towel on top. Gently roll them in between the towels to dry them off as much as you can. Set them off to the side until the air fryer is preheated. Chickpeas have a very thin transparent skin on them. You might find that the skins have naturally come off of some of the chickpeas during the process of drying them between the towels. This is fine, just discard the skins that have naturally come off (no need to remove the skin of each and every chickpea).
- Add the chickpeas to the air fryer, making sure they are all in one layer and not stacking on top of one another. Air fry at 400 for 5 minutes. Give them a stir, and then return to the air fryer for another 5 minutes. Stir once more, and return for 5-7 more minutes or until they are cooked to your liking.
- In a small bowl, combine your garlic salt, smoked paprika, and onion powder. (Combining them like this before adding them to the chickpeas is the best way to evenly distribute all of the flavors!)
- Remove chickpeas from the air fryer and pour into a medium bowl. Add ½ tablespoon of aquafaba and give them a stir so they are evenly coated. Add your seasoning mixture and stir again so that the chickpeas are all seasoned.
- Serve as desired and enjoy! (Note that the chickpeas are best served right away before they lose their crispiness. If you have leftovers and need to crisp them up again, just air fry them once more at 400F for a minute or two).
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition facts are an estimate and are calculated for one serving.
Happy cooking! If you made this recipe don’t forget to tag me (@joyfulbalanceofficial) on facebook or instagram so I can cheer you on for your chickpea-making ways.
Stay joyfully balanced!
Steve says
Tried these and they were delicious!
Delaney Marie says
So glad you loved them!
Lin Hampton says
Hi these are one of my go to snacks. they fit so well with WW and are so quick in the air fryer!
Delaney Marie says
Hi Lin, great to hear from you! I'm so glad you enjoy this recipe, it's one of my favorites!
Kelli says
I completely misread the instructions and mixed in the aquafaba and spices before cooking in the air fryer. Still turned out great, nice and crispy. Thank you!
Delaney Marie says
Glad it worked out and that you enjoyed!