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At just 49p for a 400g tin, chickpeas are one of the most affordable foods you can buy. On top of that, they are delicious, versatile, highly nutritious and can even help weight management and guard against chronic illness — so they are definitely a food you should consider having in your cupboard.
However, despite their many advantages, chickpeas are not really a staple in many British kitchens. But before we get into how to cook chickpeas for the best and most delicious results, let’s first examine this wonderful vegetable’s health benefits.
How are chickpeas good for you?
There are many ways in which chickpeas benefit your health and can be a crucially important part of your diet. Firstly, they contain good amounts of protein and fibre, but are not overly high in calories. They also contain important vitamins and minerals including manganese and vitamin B.
The protein and fibre content means they can help keep your appetite under control. The two nutrients work together to slow digestion and keep you fuller for longer. Fibre is also crucial for the health of your gut microbiome, which scientists say is fundamental to our overall health and helps everything from digestion to mental health and your immune system.
Chickpeas can help support your blood sugar regulation, again thanks to their fibre and protein content, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates into the blood and thereby avoids blood sugar spikes. Repeated blood sugar spikes have been associated with an increased risk of several serious illnesses including heart disease and diabetes.
How to cook chickpeas for best results
Chickpeas’ versatility means there are so many ways to turn them into delicious meals. For example, you can add them to a curry to give it extra bulk, a delicious texture and, of course, all that extra protein and fibre content. You can also turn chickpeas into amazing hummus by throwing a tin’s worth in a blender with olive oil, lemon, garlic, tahini, salt and pepper.
But this cooking method is even easier. And it results in a perfect snack, side dish or addition to a main course. I love to make roasted chickpeas — and they really couldn’t be simpler to make. I use just three ingredients but you can experiment with adding more for extra flavour. For example, in addition to the ingredients below, you could add paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder or a combination of each.
Crispy roasted chickpeas
Ingredients
- 400g of chickpeas
- Glug of extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
Method
1. Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Drain and rinse your chickpeas, then pat them dry with kitchen towel. Getting them dry is important as this will help them crisp up better.
3. Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil and salt and make sure they’re thoroughly coated.
4. Transfer the chickpeas to a roasting tray or baking sheet (line it with greaseproof paper/baking parchment for a cleaner process!) and put them in the oven for up to 30 minutes (I usually check after around 20 minutes and then see how they’re doing from there).
5. Remove from the oven and enjoy!
I love to eat these with crispy kale and a dressing made from Greek yoghurt, tahini and fresh lemon juice. It’s such a cheap, healthy and delicious meal full of flavours you’re probably not that used to having at home!
