Roasted Chickpeas with Gochujang

chickpeasnackpSeasoned toasted chickpeas are probably not new for many of you. They have been tempting me on many blogs for quite a long time. Whatever the seasoning, toasted chickpeas always seemed delicious, easy and very light compared to most snacks I know. Somehow I kept on forgetting to give them a try until I saw the gochujang version at cHow Divine. As an avowed gochujang (Korean chilli paste) addict, I was so enchanted by the idea of sweet and hot chickpeas served as snacks, I simply wasn’t able to take them off my mind. After a dozen of batches I am still equally enthusiastic about them and absolutely wanted to share this scrumptious discovery with you. If the combination of sweet and hot flavours makes your taste buds dance, this is definitely your kind of snack! Thank you so much, Gomo, for one more exceptional recipe!

I have slightly increased the gochujang amounts, but otherwise I haven’t modified this recipe. I discovered a long time ago that, just like me, Gomo uses regularly agave syrup, so I even didn’t need to change this item (you can use any syrup or honey of your choice instead). Even though my recipe is practically the same, I strongly encourage you to visit Gomo’s blog and discover  beautifully photographed, inspiring recipes (such as Cold Vegetable Bibimbap I am now addicted to) that will make you fall in love with Korean cuisine.

TIP: Everything seems ridiculously simple here, but drying the chickpeas might prove a slight problem if you are in a hurry. If you don’t dry them thoroughly, they will still be delicious, but will stay slightly soft. It you bake them for too long, they will simply burn and become so tough, you might break your teeth on them. After a quick search I have found a bery useful tip on The Kitchn website: using a salad spinner is a great way to drain chickpeas (do not spin them too violently since they are delicate and may fall into pieces!).

Preparation: about 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 x 400 g (about 14 oz) can of chickpeas or about 300 g (about 11 oz) cooked chickpeas

1 teaspoon oil (canola, peanut or another type of oil intended for high temperatures)

1 heaped teaspoon gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

1 teaspoon agave syrup (you can substitute with honey or syrup of your choice)

about 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 190°C (about 375°F).

Wash and drain the chickpeas, using a salad spinner, if you have one.

Pat them dry with paper towels and make sure they are thoroughly dry.

Put the agave syrup, the oil and gochujang into a big bowl and mix well.

Combine with the chickpeas, making sure they are well covered with the seasonings.

Place the chickpeas on baking paper. Do not overcrowd them!

Bake about 25 – 30 minutes until they are slightly tough outside but still soft inside.

When they start browning it means they are already burnt, so watch them closely.

Sprinkle with salt while they are still warm.
Serve cold.

28 Replies to “Roasted Chickpeas with Gochujang”

  1. Sissi, these addictive roasted chickpeas have to be on top of my list of favorite snacks! Love the recipe, and the beautiful photo, as well!
    Incidentally…regarding the ‘gift’ of your lovely dried herbs; I do appreciate your generous offer, but I did not indicate it towards me!
    I still think it would make a lovely gift in a bottle with a pretty bow around it:) Thank you for your kind, and generous offer, but you should not even have to think about sending it to me across the other side of the ocean! Please use it ‘wisely’…it is a very unique type of homemade herb that you can make the best dishes incorporating these lovely dried herb!

    1. Thank you so much, Elisabeth. I hope I could send you something more interesting than dried vegetables 😉

  2. I made these last year when I saw them on Charles’ blog, your spices make them even more intriguing! I’ll have to bookmark this for the holidays, a perfect protein snack to serve with cheery cocktails.
    I recently discovered an Asian superstore not far from my home. I’m going there on the weekend to pick up a few staples :)!

    1. Thanks a lot, Eva. Yes, I remember Charles made also roasted chickpeas and I almost made them… I think gochujang’s presence has made these an obligatory snack for me. I hope you will find lots of treasures in your Asian store.

    1. Thank you, Nami. I have found this tip through google but the website looks interesting indeed. Of course the recipe comes from Gomo’s blog.

  3. Look at how pretty your picture is Sissi! Love the coordinating colours and patterns :). I am a big fan of roasted chickpeas… they are a staple in our home and chili/lime is probably our favourite flavour combo. I tend to use dry chili powder but should switch it up with a paste next time to experience the difference. I agree, the combination of sweet and hot is such a delight for the taste buds! Going to check out the other blogs you reference – xo.

    1. Thank you so much, Kelly. I think you are one of those bloggers who has been tempting me with roasted chickpeas too… Your mixture of seasonings sounds at least as good as this one.

  4. I’ve tried baking garbanzo beans twice now without success. The first time I definitely overbaked them and was thankful for having relatively good teeth. 🙂 The second time, I think I undercooked them or didn’t dry them out enough. The texture just was unsatisfying. I love your sweet and spicy preparation and it does sound quite simple. Sounds like I need to give them another try because your bowl of beans look very tempting!

    1. Dear MJ, I feel you pain (and, in my case, also anger). I had similar experience when the chickpeas were not thoroughly dried and once when I baked them for too long. Hence the tip about drying. On the other hand, I must say my chickpeas are never completely crunchy (at least most of them). They stay a bit soft, but everyone seems to love them anyway, so I stopped worrying about crunchiness and prefer them soft rather than burnt.

  5. These roasted chickpeas would make such a nice part snack during the holiday season! I’d love to search some of these in my next party! The use of gochujang is such a great idea! Thanks for sharing!

  6. Hi Sissi, I’m still not clued in on what gochujang tastes like – I really can’t imagine – but they look very good. I’ve actually been meaning to make some more roasted chickpeas soon. It’s been so long since I made them and I love them so much. I’m an avowed chickpea lover – sometimes when I was hungry at night, if there was a can of chickpeas open, I would put some in a bowl, add some salt and freshly ground black pepper, some olive oil, and just eat them like that – so nice!

    Thank you for sharing the recipe – yet another reason for me to try and find some gochujang, although that might be hard up here, lol! :D. I will look for an online source. Maybe there’s a place in Stockholm which could send it up to the north!

    It’s really too bad you just came back from Paris too… after all this time and then you end up going right after I leave! Why oh why Sissi couldn’t you have come just 2 weeks earlier :(. Never mind – now you’ll have to come up and visit us in the frozen north!

    1. Thank you, Charles. I now remember your chickpeas too (as I have mentioned I had been planning to do it well before I saw Gomo’s version but somehow… well, gochujang triggered a very quick action 😉
      I will be very happy to send you gochujang if you don’t find it. Just let me know! If you like a combination of sweet and hot flavours, you will like it. (I know people who hate sweet & hot though; personally I find it addictive).
      Yes, it’s such a pity… The trip to Paris wasn’t possible earlier alas (it was partly business). Really bad luck. Actually I once went to Paris in October but it was a two hour stay (a trip from a nearby city where I was with my family), so it was impossible to meet you too… Well, I have never visited Sweden, so let’s hope we can meet there one day. (And why not Switzerland?).

    1. Thank you, Nipponnin. You should try chickpeas! They are so good… in any form. I also love them in the Indian dish I posted some time ago.

    1. Thank you so much, Katerina. Now you are making me jump to your blog and look for Greek chickpea recipes 😉

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