Air Fryer Chickpeas for Healthy Snack Alternatives to Fast Food

Air fryer chickpeas can be the perfect replacement for your regular snacks when looking for healthier options.

Air fryer chickpeas are lovely to taste and completely vegetarian. This makes the meal an easy snack for all.

This meal is a beautiful addition to your balanced meal. Because chickpeas have a high amount of fiber and protein, they are great snacks. Air fryer chickpeas retain their protein and nutrient content and are thus quite helpful for your healthy food journey.

Roasting or frying chickpeas in the air fryer are not easy but super convenient. You can make this meal on the go or pair it with some other side dish. Instead of eating something oily or full of carbs whenever the hunger strikes, you can opt for chickpeas.

Air fryer chickpeas are quite popular with the youth. It is making rounds in the social media circles concerned with eating healthy. If you are a vegetarian or just looking for something healthy to eat, go for air fryer chickpeas!

Chickpeas protein and health

Chickpeas are small to medium-sized food. The scientific name for chickpeas is Cicer arietinum. It is also known as Garbanzo Beans.

Chickpea belongs to the legume family. Chickpeas are seeds that you can consume. The pulses, as they are also called, are very nutritional.

In the market, you will come across two kinds of chickpeas. One kind is the Kabuli type. This type of chickpea is large and has a light color.

The other kind is popular in Middle Eastern countries and India. These pulses are irregularly shaped, and the color varies from dark to light. Historically, these pulses have a long history.

They first appear in Turkey around 3500 BCE. Chickpeas also originated in France. India is the largest producer of chickpeas in the world at the present moment.

Chickpeas and other grains such as peanuts, kidney beans, and black beans are important staple food in many countries. They provide the highest source of protein apart from meat and eggs.

That is why pulses are an integral part of a vegetarian-friendly diet. These pulses are the source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and other essential nutrients.

Air Fryer Chickpeas Weight Watchers

According to the Weight Watchers website, air fryer chickpeas are an excellent snack for you to have. Legumes such as chickpeas, beans, and kidney beans offer a vital source of protein and fibers.

These are called pulses. There are some easy ways to cook these pulses and enjoy them. Legumes, when consumed boiled or as-is, are ZeroPoint food. But if you roast or fry them, they no longer remain a ZeroPoint item.

So, if you want to consume a ZeroPoint thing, then it is better to do it raw. Eat boiled pulses or those which have been soaked in water for some time.

If you dry roast or fry them, they are not ZeroPoint food. Regardless, you can have much enjoyment from consuming these pulses. Air fryer chickpeas are an excellent snack and very healthy.

If people consume chickpeas as a recipe, it is a ZeroPoint food. The thing to keep in mind, in this case, is people would like to eat food with the highest energy.

But to do so in a way that doesn’t compromise other nutrient or calorie intake. To carefully monitor one’s health, eating a balanced diet is compulsory. Every meal should have the appropriate amount of nutrients and vitamins.

Not eating in a balanced manner can lead to health complications. You must pay close attention to that. Air fryer chickpeas are delicious, and you can eat them as a snack. But you have to keep other things in mind as well.

Air Fryer Falafel Canned Chickpeas

A better option for eating chickpeas than just air fryer chickpeas is eating air fryer chickpeas falafel. You can eat this delicious morsel with canned chickpeas. This recipe is easy, and you can find the ingredients from your local market.

The falafel is the better option since it is much quicker and healthier. Falafel has origins in the Middle East.

This dish requires fresh chickpeas, herbs, spices, and onions. The falafel is round in shape.

The chickpeas and the onions are rounded in the palm and look like meatballs. Canned chickpeas are the best because you don’t have to do much to prepare them as they are already half-cooked.

If you bring chickpeas, then they are dry and hard. You would have to soak them in water for some time. Canned chickpeas do not require such a step. That is why Air fryer chickpeas falafel is best with canned chickpeas.

To make this delicious falafel, you need to ground the spices, onions, and some herbs of your choice together. Mix it with the canned chickpeas. These chickpeas will be mushy, so don’t over-pulpify them.

After the mixture is done, take a small scoop of the content and shape them in your palm. Please give it a roundish shape, and then keep it aside. After making the chickpeas, wash the surface with some olive oil.

Then take them to the air fryer and roast them for a few minutes until the skin turns crispy. You can eat the falafel alone or with some bread.

Air Fryer Recipes Vegetarian

Air fryer chickpeas are the best vegan or vegetarian recipes! There are many ways to make a wholesome plate of air fryer chickpeas suitable for all ages. This is a kind of snack that you don’t want to miss.

You can use dried chickpeas, or if you save time, you can also use canned chickpeas. Some of the air fryer chickpeas recipes are the healthiest options out there.

Crispy and Sweet Air Fryer Chickpeas

You only need less than 20 minutes to make this dish. Buy some dried chickpeas and let them soak overnight in some water. Now keep some fajita spice at hand. You can also use any blend of spices.

You need some sugar dust and some vegetable oil. Mix the chickpeas in oil and then rub the spices all over them.

Dust some powdered sugar on top of them, or if you want your chickpeas sweeter, you can rub the sugar on them. Now take them to the air fryer for 12 minutes until the outside turns brownish and crispy.

Sweet Potato

Air-fried sweet potato is another yummy vegetarian recipe you can enjoy easily at home. Take some sweet potatoes and dice them into cubes. Rub them with olive or vegetable oil and use kosher salt, garlic powder, pepper, and salt.

Then take it to the air fryer and roast them for 15-20 minutes until the cubes are cooked properly. Serve them with tomato sauce or cheese dip and garnish them with cilantro. Now you have a tasty meal ready!

Roasted Mushrooms

Most of us love to eat mushrooms! They are soft and chewy and serve as an excellent replacement for meat. Some of the mushrooms taste fantastic when roasted.

Toss some air-fried mushrooms in a spicy sauce with garlic or soy sauce. Add some veggies like bell peppers, carrots, and cabbages. Add some salt and pepper and mix either.

Now you have a healthy glow dish with no fat that is so easy and quick to make. Air fryer mushroom is tender and juicy and is an excellent word to have. You can make it very quickly, and it does not take a long preparation time.

You can use any mushroom that you get from the local store. If you use high-end mushrooms, then the taste will be potent. You can opt for this dish if you are following a keto diet or simply watching your carb intake.

Roasted Brussel

This recipe is a vegetarian’s delight! The Brussel sprouts are seasonal vegetable that is both tasty and healthy. You can use the air fryer to roast them.

This will lead to tender Brussel sprouts, which are full of flavors and gluten-free. Trim the Brussel sprouts properly and rub them in olive oil. Add garlic powder, balsamic vinegar or soy sauce, salt, and pepper.

Now you need to roast them in the air fryer for 10-15 minutes until golden. The Brussell sprouts are such an exciting alternative to any other snacks. You can use chickpeas with Brussel sprouts as well.

You can eat it as a dish or use it as a side dish with some bread or chapati. This meal is easy to make and does not take too much time.

Greek Salad and Chickpeas

You can add air fryer chickpeas to Greek Salad and enjoy a hearty meal! To make Greek, Salad you need sliced tomatoes or whole cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, red onion, feta cheese, olives, and bell peppers.

Dress the salad in some white wine vinegar or some white wine. And add some air fryer chickpeas on top of it.

Now you have a tasty and healthy meal.

Best Vegetarian Air Fryer Recipes

The best kind of vegetable air fryer dishes is the best to spice up your world. Who says that you can’t do fun stuff with vegetables? There are so many ways you can make vegetables fun and exciting. Using an air fryer is the best option for that.

Beet Roots

Roasted beets are great to eat. This is paleo-friendly and an excellent addition to a balanced diet. You can add roasted beets to the salads.

Take some small-sized beets and dice them up into small cubes. Apply some olive oil, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Now take this into the air fryer and fry for 10 minutes. Take the roasted beets and add them as a topping to salads or enjoy them as a snack.

You need to roast these lovelies at 190 C. The roots’ color will turn dark red and become tender and juicy. These beets are lovely to taste and add zest to your regular foods.

You can also add some roasted broccoli and asparagus to the beast. This will make for a mix of roasted vegetables that are healthy and quick to make. These foods take less amount of oil to prepare.

Veggies and Mayo Sandwich

Making some of the best vegetables on air fryer is very popular nowadays. You can pair the roasted vegetables with some sandwiches. Prepare roasted beets, sweet potatoes, and asparagus on the air fryer.

Add some air fryer chickpeas to the mix and keep it aside. Slice some fresh cucumber, tomatoes, and onions if you prefer. Now take some pre-diced paneer and roast them for 5 minutes in the air fryer.

Place them on bread slices. You can add some cheese to it if you prefer. Otherwise, place the roasted vegetables on one of the slices and then place the fresh vegetables on the other. Add some mayo to the mix and enjoy your homemade vegetable and mayo sandwich!

Nutrition

Chickpeas have zero cholesterol. Every 100 g of chickpeas has 364 calories. It is high in potassium, dietary fibers, and Vitamin C.

Chickpeas have iron, magnesium, and Vitamin B6. These nutrients are essential for a healthy gut and immune system.

Since chickpeas have no cholesterol, so it is excellent for a balanced diet. The number of calories you can get from chickpeas is incredibly perfect. You can eat a bowl of chickpeas and other pulses. By doing this, you can fulfill your dietary needs.

Final Thoughts

The air fryer has almost revolutionized the frying technique in food making. You no longer need excessive oil to make food or so much to cook it. Roasting items are much easier on an air fryer than traditional methods.

They preserve some nutrients since you are not distorting the food into oil. So, it is an all-around helpful thing to have.

Making vegetables on their fryer is easy and quick! Chickpeas, beans, vegetables, and other pulses are super easy to make on the air fryer. There are many wonderful air fryer chickpeas recipes.