Harissa Chickpea Bold Snack (Printable)

Smoky, spicy roasted chickpeas with harissa seasoning for a flavorful crunchy snack or salad topping.

# What You Need:

→ Chickpeas

01 - 2 cups canned cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

→ Seasoning

02 - 1½ tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 tablespoon harissa spice blend
04 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cumin
06 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
07 - ½ teaspoon sea salt

→ Optional Finishing

08 - ½ teaspoon lemon zest
09 - Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Pat chickpeas dry with a clean kitchen towel and remove any loose skins for extra crispiness.
03 - In a large bowl, combine chickpeas with olive oil, harissa spice blend, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and sea salt. Mix until evenly coated.
04 - Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on the lined baking sheet.
05 - Roast in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through to ensure even crisping, until golden and crunchy.
06 - Remove from the oven, and while still hot, toss with lemon zest. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.
07 - Allow the chickpeas to cool slightly before serving to maximize crunch.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're impossibly crispy on the outside yet somehow still tender, and they're gone before you know it.
  • One bowl, minimal ingredients, and your oven does the heavy lifting while you sit back.
  • They make any salad feel intentional and any grain bowl feel complete, or honestly, they're perfect eaten straight from the cooling rack.
02 -
  • Drying the chickpeas isn't optional—I learned this the hard way after pulling out a tray of steamed, soft chickpeas and realizing I'd skipped the towel step.
  • Shaking the pan halfway through makes the difference between unevenly roasted chickpeas and ones that are golden all over, so set a phone reminder if you need to.
03 -
  • Buy quality harissa if you can—a good spice blend makes more difference here than anywhere else, and it's the main flavor note you're relying on.
  • Don't skip shaking the pan halfway through; uneven roasting is the difference between a good snack and one you'll brag about.
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