Recipe for roasted chickpeas with raisins, parsley and mint {vegan, gluten-free}

True confession: I'm not wild about chickpeas. A bad dinner party entrée served to me more than thirty years ago left a permanent scar on my taste buds; the host, a newly-minted vegetarian, served undercooked chickpeas that felt like tiny pellets assaulting my stomach. To this day, I'm leery of recipes that call for dried chickpeas, and except when making hummus, I always give canned chickpeas a second cooking, if only for a few minutes. This recipe for roasted chickpeas with raisins, parsley and mint takes that approach: a quick roasting at high heat to give the chickpeas some depth of flavor, then a toss in a sweet vinaigrette with fresh herbs from the garden. Vegan and gluten-free, this would be perfect for a light lunch or potluck.

Roasted chickpeas with raisins, parsley and mint

From the pantry, you'll need: chickpeas, raisins, red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, cumin, red pepper flakes, olive oil.

Adapted from Real Simple Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012. Serves 8.

Ingredients

3 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, or more to taste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss the chickpeas with a sprinkling of salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Spread into a single layer, and roast for 15 minutes or until the chickpeas are lightly browned.

In a small saucepan, combine the raisins, wine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the chickpeas (and any oil from the roasting pan), cumin, red pepper flakes (if using), parsley and mint with the raisin mixture and the remaining olive oil. Taste, and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve immediately or cover and let stand at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Or, refrigerate for up to 3 days in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Chickpeas with sausage and peppers
Roasted chickpeas with garlic, cumin and paprika
Chickpea, quinoa and spinach salad with preserved lemon vinaigrette
Vegan butternut squash and chickpea stew
Chickpea falafel

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Moroccan coconut and chick pea soup, from Gluten-free Goddess
Slow cooker squash stew with garbanzo beans and red lentils, from Andrea Meyers
Grilled chipotle falafel, from Panini Happy
Carrot, parsley, and garbanzo (chickpea) salad with feta and cumin, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Colleen's chickpea burgers with tahini sauce, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Roasted chickpeas with raisins, parsley and mint

From the pantry, you'll need: chickpeas, raisins, red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, cumin, red pepper flakes, olive oil.

Adapted from Real Simple Easy, Delicious Home Cooking, Spring/Summer 2012. Serves 8.

Ingredients

3 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, or more to taste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Toss the chickpeas with a sprinkling of salt, pepper and 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Spread into a single layer, and roast for 15 minutes or until the chickpeas are lightly browned.

In a small saucepan, combine the raisins, wine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer over low heat, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the chickpeas (and any oil from the roasting pan), cumin, red pepper flakes (if using), parsley and mint with the raisin mixture and the remaining olive oil. Taste, and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve immediately or cover and let stand at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Or, refrigerate for up to 3 days in a container with a tight-fitting lid.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More recipes in The Perfect Pantry:
Chickpeas with sausage and peppers
Roasted chickpeas with garlic, cumin and paprika
Chickpea, quinoa and spinach salad with preserved lemon vinaigrette
Vegan butternut squash and chickpea stew
Chickpea falafel

Other recipes that use these pantry ingredients:
Moroccan coconut and chick pea soup, from Gluten-free Goddess
Slow cooker squash stew with garbanzo beans and red lentils, from Andrea Meyers
Grilled chipotle falafel, from Panini Happy
Carrot, parsley, and garbanzo (chickpea) salad with feta and cumin, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Colleen's chickpea burgers with tahini sauce, from FatFree Vegan Kitchen

Comments

I definitely AM wild about chickpeas, so it's always awesome to see a great new take on them. I wouldn't have thought of raisins, but it seems like a really neat combo.

Count me in the WILD about chickpeas group as well, and this sounds fantastic!

Todd, chickpeas are a real love-'em-or-hate-'em food, and I'm working on becoming a love-'em person. The raisins and mint together are a really nice flavor.

Kalyn, I think this would be a great dish to bring to a potluck.

I love fiber-rich chickpeas, but I've never thought of pairing them with sweeter ingredients. This looks really interesting and I can't wait to give it a try!

Kati, it helps to know that chickpeas are rich in fiber... that gives me another reason to try and love them!

I'm a Lover! This would be great over rice as a homey, comforting meal and over salad greens to make a satisfying lunch!

I say "Amen" to your "not wild about chickpeas." But your recipe makes me want to try them again.

Carol, all of those possibilities sound great. I'm really working on eating more chickpeas.

Donna, funny, I just made a hummus today (I'll post it here in a couple of weeks) that I adore. Maybe it's the texture of whole chickpeas that I don't love. Let's both keep trying!