Crispy Miso Roasted Chickpeas

We always meal prep plenty of fibre and protein packed snacks on a Sunday afternoon, to keep us going for the week ahead. We’re a serious snacking household, and generally like to have something to nibble on every couple of hours. These healthy roasted chickpeas are one of my super easy go-to recipes. I’m obsessed with anything fermented, so I use miso and a touch of gochujang paste for a really moreish umami flavour. They also make a great crispy salad topper- think a healthy alternative to croutons!!

Why miso?

Miso is a fermented soy bean paste often used in Japanese cooking. Most well known for its use in miso soup, it can be used in so many different dishes to achieve ‘umami’ flavour. Umami is one of the 5 basic tastes, and is surprisingly difficult to describe. It’s often distinguished by savoury flavours- think brothy or meaty. It is found in foods that have a high level of the amino acid glutamate, such as aged cheeses, meats and salty fish, and is often the explanation for meat and cheese cravings. 

Thankfully, there’s plenty of plant-based sources of umami flavour. Mushrooms, tomatoes, fermented foods, sea vegetables, toasted nuts and vegetable broths are just a few examples.The umami flavour of these chickpeas comes from miso and is what makes them so undeniably satisfying- they hit that flavour profile which your tastebuds will thank you for!

I also add a bit of gochujang to this recipe, which is a korean fermented paste based on red chili pepper flakes. This adds even more umami flavour, whilst lending a hint of sweet spiciness. If you can’t find gochujang (check your local asian/korean store) you can sub this out for extra miso, and add a pinch of cayenne for that touch of spice.

How to make roasted chickpeas crispy

There’s a few important factors in ensuring the crispiness of your chickpeas. The first one is water- or the lack of! It’s super important that the chickpeas are completely dry, so drain them, rinse them, then pop them on top of a clean tea towel. Roll them around a bit to dry them off as much as possible, then leave them on the side for 10 minutes whilst you wait for your oven to heat.

The second factor is oil. Oil is also super important in crisping up your chickpeas. The oil gets into every little chickpea crevice and when it heats up in the oven, it dehydrates the surface. Winner!

The third, and most critical factor in achieving crispy chickpeas, is air. Air needs to be able to flow between the chickpeas for this all important crispiness to occur. If the chickpeas are all together in a pile in the oven, they will steam rather than roast. So to achieve optimum crispiness, make sure that there is plenty of space between chickpeas on the tray.

How to cook miso roasted chickpeas

The process for cooking these chickpeas is really simple. In a bowl, mix together the sesame oil, miso, gochujang and seasoning. Make sure it’s really well combined into a loose paste.

Drain, rinse, and dry the chickpeas as outline above. Transfer them to a baking tray, and cover them in the paste. Mix them well so that every chickpea is well covered all over. Spread the chickpeas out evenly on the tray, then cook in the oven for…. Stirring once half way through.

Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before eating, and if transferring to a container, make sure that they are completely cold beforehand.

Can I multiply this recipe?

Yes! By all means multiply this recipe, as the proportions won’t change at all. This is a great way to ensure you have snacks for the whole week. Make sure that your tray size or number multiplies with the amount of chickpeas- if they don’t have space between them, they won’t crisp up!

How to store roasted chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas wouldn’t be the perfect snack if they didn’t store well. Transfer them to an air-tight container, and they’ll keep well for up to 5 days.

Love chickpeas?

• Try this recipe for a delicious Moroccan tagine with chickpeas!
• Or if you prefer something with a bit of spice, this creamy beetroot and chickpea curry.
• Chickpeas are the perfect addition to this aromatic sweet potato rice pilaf.
• For more Japanese flavours, why not try this baked teriyaki tofu and cauliflower or this tofu katsu salad– both great options for meal prep!

Crispy Miso Roasted Chickpeas

Chloe from Forkful of Plants

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

These roasted chickpeas tick all the boxes for a satisfying snack- crispy, protein-packed, filled with umami flavour and slightly spicy.

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 can chickpeas ~270g drained
• 2 tsp miso paste
• 1 tsp gochujang paste*
• 1.5 tbsp sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 200°/fan 180°.
• Drain and rinse the can of chickpeas. Pat them dry using a clean towel until there is no water left.
• In a small bowl, mis the miso, gochujang and sesame oil until well combined.
• Tip the chickpeas onto a baking sheet, and coat them in the miso mixture. Spread them out evenly on the baking tray. Season with a good grind of slat and pepper.
• Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring half way. Remove from the oven when they are crispy and golden.
• Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge.

Notes

*if you don’t have gochujang, feel free to sub this for 1 tsp miso paste.

A NOTE ON CRISPY CHICKPEAS: It’s super important that the chickpeas are completely dry, so drain them, rinse them, then pop them on top of a clean tea towel. Roll them around a bit to dry them off as much as possible, then leave them on the side for 10 minutes whilst you wait for your oven to heat.

If the chickpeas are all together in a pile in the oven, they will steam rather than roast. So to achieve optimum crispiness, make sure that there is plenty of space between chickpeas on the tray.

A NOTE ON MULTIPLYING THIS RECIPE: This is a great recipe to multiply for snacks for the week. Make sure that the number of or size of your tray multiplies with the amount of chickpeas- if they don’t have space between them, they won’t crisp up!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!