Crispy chickpeas in the air fryer

Name: Crispy chickpeas in the air fryer
Cook time: 54 min
Total time: 54 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 400 g Chickpeas; 1 tablespoon Olive oil; 0.5 teaspoons Salt; 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin; 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper; 0.5 teaspoons Garlic Powder; 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika; 1 teaspoon Sumac

Garbanzos crujientes en freidora de aire

Easy

No allergens declared for the registered ingredients. This does not replace checking the actual product labels.

Author: Equipo Cocinoa
Preparation time: 54 min
Servings: 4

Summary

Cooked chickpeas roasted until they crunch like nuts, with cumin, smoked paprika and sumac. A jar of chickpeas turned into a moreish snack, and a great topping for soups, salads and hummus.

Ingredients

4 servings

400 g Chickpeas (cooked and drained (one large jar))
1 tablespoon Olive oil
0.5 teaspoons Salt (fine)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 pinch Cayenne Pepper (optional)
0.5 teaspoons Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Sumac (optional)

Instructions

Drain the chickpeas in a sieve and rinse them under the tap until they stop foaming.
2 min
Spread them on a clean tea towel, cover with another and rub gently to dry them; many skins will come loose on their own: pick them out, as they burn. Leave them in the open air for 15-20 minutes to dry completely.
20 min
Preheat the air fryer to 200 °C for 3 minutes.
3 min
Put the chickpeas in the basket, without oil, in a single layer (if they don't fit, in two batches). Cook for 10 minutes at 200 °C, shaking halfway, so the outside dries out fully.
10 min
Meanwhile, mix the cumin, paprika, sumac, garlic powder, salt and cayenne. Tip the chickpeas into a bowl, drizzle with the oil, add the spices and toss until well coated.
2 min
Return them to the basket and cook for another 6-8 minutes at 200 °C, shaking every 3 minutes. They are done when they rattle as you shake the basket, are golden and one broken in half is dry and crunchy inside.
7 min
Spread them on a tray and let them cool completely before serving or storing: they finish hardening as they cool.
10 min

Notes

Roasted chickpeas have been sold on the streets of the Middle East for centuries: in Turkey they are called leblebi and in the Levant qudameh, and people nibble them like sunflower seeds, plain or salted. This quick version starts from jarred chickpeas. The key to the crunch is moisture: the drier they go in, the better, which is why they are roasted without oil first and the spices go on afterwards, when there is no water left to make them clump and less risk of them burning. They may jump about in the basket at first; that's normal. Timings vary with the model and the size of the chickpeas: oven-style models with shelves usually need 3-5 minutes more. They lose their crunch as soon as they absorb moisture from the air, so store them only once completely cold, at room temperature, in a loosely covered jar or a paper bag, and eat them within 1-2 days; never in the fridge. If they have softened, 3-4 minutes at 180 °C in the air fryer brings them back. In a conventional oven, roast them at 200 °C on a tray for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10. Variations: za'atar instead of the spices, curry powder, or a sweet version with cinnamon and a teaspoon of sugar added at the end.