Smoked Ginger Chickpeas

We roast chickpeas almost daily in this house. It’s second nature at this point and my answer to pretty much everything hunger-related. Need to throw together a quick dinner? Roast chickpeas. Is everyone getting a little hangry and needing a healthy snack? Roast chickpeas. Does the salad need topping? Roast… well.. you get the idea 🙂

The reason I’m so obsessed with roasting chickpeas is because of how delicious and insanely easy it is to do. Seriously. My 5-year-old has thrown them together on her own. I just help once it comes time for the oven. There are 3 basic steps:

• Cook chickpeas in the Instant Pot, stovetop or just open the can
• Toss dry chickpeas in a bowl with spices, vinegars, oils, bell peppers, or whatever flavors you’re craving
• Bake at 400 F for 20-30 minutes

Voila! You’re now a master at roasting chickpeas.

Why do my chickpeas have to be dry?

The drier your chickpeas are, the more crispness you’ll get on the outside while keeping that soft yummy texture inside. Additionally, if your chickpeas are too wet the spices, oil, vinegar, etc. won’t stick well and will be diluted in flavor.

That being said, your chickpeas don’t have to be bone dry, either. If you’re super organized and lay them out on a paper towel to dry for 30 minutes to an hour before roasting, you’re amazing! Or you can just gently pat them dry and carry on with the meal like those of us less organized, frazzled weekday dinner people trying to cook while driving our kids to soccer.

What is liquid smoke?

I didn’t try liquid smoke for the longest time. Many recipes I wanted to make included it. And it was surprisingly easy to find at the grocery store. But I was a slow adapter because I wasn’t sure I would love the flavor. (My loss!) Then, my SIL made some tofu with it, and it was so AH-mazing that I bought a bottle immediately and started experimenting.

First things first, liquid smoke is POTENT. So remember that less is more. My bottle says dilute 3:1 with water or another liquid in cooking, and even at that, the flavor is still really strong.

Secondly, liquid smoke is made from… drumroll….. smoke! Since eating burnt foods isn’t considered “safe” due to carcinogens, is liquid smoke safe to eat? I’ll leave this article here and you can be the judge. In my estimation, if we BBQ, we can use liquid smoke and it’s probably the safer of the 2 options.

Lastly, consider a few drops of liquid smoke as your secret ingredient in soups, sauces, marinades, and more. Its hickory, mesquite, deliciously smoky flavor can take some of your favorite dishes to the next level!

Need more easy dinner recipes? Look no further!

• Maple Smoked Instant Pot Potatoes
• Paprika Spiced Chickpeas with Bell Peppers
• Cornmeal Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• Lemon Dill Cucumber Salad (Creamy)

These Smoked Ginger Chickpeas are:

• Smoky (of course!)
• Deliciously spiced
• Perfect for salads, bowls, wraps, or just on their own
• Easy to prep in 5 minutes or less

So here they are in all their smoky, delicious, glory. If you try these Smoked Ginger Chickpeas, please leave us a comment and let us know how it went! We hope you love them as much as we do! Enjoy!