Chickpea parmesan crisps are the easy, healthy, and savory Mediterranean-diet snack you’ve been looking for. Roasting transforms a can of chickpeas into a high-protein, high-fiber snack and a shower of feathery grated parmesan and aromatic oregano gives them incredible flavor!
If you’ve been here a while you know I am on a mission to find a million ways you can use the humble, protein-packed chickpea. When I have the time, I cook them from scratch for my favorite childhood delicacies: the crispiest Authentic Falafel and the creamiest Hummus.
When I’m in the mood for a quick and healthy protein-packed snack, I turn a can of these beans into crispy roasted chickpeas. And when I want something salty, savory, and umami-rich, I turn those roasted chickpeas into chickpea parmesan crisps!
Healthy snacking has never been easier. Simply roast the chickpeas until they gain some color, add grated parmesan and herbs, and roast again until the cheese melts, bubbles, and crisps. I love them for parties, game day, or even your holiday appetizer platter.
Table of Contents
What is in Chickpea Parmesan Crisps?
The best thing about this chickpea crisp recipe is you may already have everything you need on hand.
- Chickpeas: This is meant as an easy snack recipe you can make in under an hour, so I always use canned chickpeas and just make sure to dry them well. That said, you can certainly go the extra mile and cook them from scratch. Stock up on my favorite dried chickpeas at our shop.
- Kosher salt: Parmesan is salty so you don’t need much extra seasoning, but just a pinch will bring out the flavor of the chickpeas as they roast.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Coats the chickpeas, allowing them to crisp and brown in the oven. I like to add a peppery note by using our Spanish Hojiblanca, but any high-quality extra virgin variety you have on hand will work well for this recipe.
- Seasoning: Oregano, especially my favorite Greek Oregano, adds a savory, aromatic quality that brings a more interesting depth of flavor to the parmesan crisps.
- READ MORE: Guide to Cooking with Oregano
- TRY IT: Order authentic Greek oregano from our spice shop.
- Parmesan: Parmesan has a low moisture content, so it melts and crisps without becoming rubbery, floppy, or greasy. As a general rule of thumb, freshly grated cheese will almost always have a better flavor than the pre-grated stuff. Finely grate it using a microplane or the small side of a box grater.
How to Make Chickpea Parmesan Crisps
Making chickpea parmesan crisps is easy—you’re essentially just letting the oven and a hot sheet pan work their magic. The biggest tip for success is to get the chickpeas as dry as you can. This will allow them to crisp and turn golden, rather than simply steaming in your oven. You can even spin in a salad spinner if you don’t mind washing an extra dish.
- Get ready. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush a sheet pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Drain the chickpeas and spread them on paper towels and pat them very dry.
- Crisp the chickpeas. Transfer the chickpeas to them to a rimmed sheet pan. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat (about 2 teaspoons). Toss well to make sure the chickpeas are fully coated in olive oil. Bake, shaking the sheet pan occasionally until they begin to crisp up and gain some color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on.
- Season. Push the chickpeas closer together on the pan, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of oregano and 3 ounces of finely grated parmesan.
- Finish, cool, and serve. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and crisped up, about 10 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before breaking up and serving.
Ways to Mix it Up
I haven’t experimented much with other cheeses—why mess with parmesan? But one way I like to mix up this recipe is to play with the seasoning. I often use my homemade Italian seasoning in place of the oregano, but just about any savory seasoning blend you like will work well.
The za’atar we carry at our shop, with its mix of sesame, sumac, and wild thyme, would be amazing, as would freshly grated lemon zest. Make a smoky and lightly spiced version by adding dry chili powders.
What to Serve with Chickpea Parmesan Crisps
I like this recipe as a fun (and healthy) Sunday snack with a movie (yes, you can have snacks on the Mediterranean Diet), but they’re also very handy for entertaining. Turn it into a dinner party situation by adding them to an Antipasto Platter, Cheese Board, or Mezze Spread. It’s such an unexpected surprise that people often ask me for the recipe!
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Chickpea Parmesan Crisps
Ingredients
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas
- Kosher salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Greek oregano
- 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated, or more to you liking
Instructions
- Get ready. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a sheet pan. Drain the chickpeas and spread them on paper towels and pat them very dry. (It’s important to dry the chickpeas very well so they will crisp up.)
- Crisp the chickpeas. Transfer the chickpeas to them to a rimmed sheet pan. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and drizzle with enough olive oil to coat (about 2 teaspoons). Toss well to make sure the chickpeas are fully coated in olive oil. Bake, shaking the sheet pan occasionally, until they begin to crisp up and gain some color, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the oven on.
- Season. Push the chickpeas closer together on the pan, then sprinkle with the oregano and parmesan.
- Finish, cool, and serve. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese has melted and crisped up, about 10 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes before breaking up and serving.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and Greek oregano used in this recipe.
- The drier the better for the chickpeas! This will allow them to get crispy and golden rather than steam in your oven. You can even spin in a salad spinner if you don’t mind washing an extra dish.
- Storage: Leftovers can last for a couple of days in the fridge but may lose the crisp a bit.
- If you’d like to cook the chickpeas from scratch rather than using canned: Stock up on my favorite dried chickpeas at our shop, and follow this step-by-step guide to cook them to perfection.
Nutrition
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