Beans are so good for you but they can get a bad rep like causing occasional bloating for some people. Since I don’t have that problem, I am always looking for new fun ways to consume them beyond, hummus, soups, and stews. They would make the perfect snack if only there was a way to eat them on the road or while traveling.
This reminds me of a bag of roasted chickpeas I bought at a health food store looking for a quick healthy salty snack to take on the plane. What a great idea but to my great disappointment, I ended up with what felt like tiny rocks and almost chipped a tooth! They were way too hard and didn’t have much flavor! Close but no cigar!
So I thought I would give it a try. How hard could it be? I had a can of garbanzo beans and 2 cups of cannellini beans I had cooked earlier. The key to getting anything to crisp is to make sure that you dry out whatever vegetable you are using. Start draining the liquid from the can of chickpeas.
Never throw the liquid away (called aquafaba, meaning bean water) because you can use it in so many ways like to make eggless mayonnaise, omelets, and much more! If you don’t know what to do with it, just pour the liquid into a sealable bag and freeze it for later. Place the beans on a baking sheet lined with a clean paper towel and gently roll with another towel until they no longer shine.
Pour the beans into a shallow bowl and sprinkle a tablespoon of cornstarch with a pinch of salt. Gently shake the bowl until the beans are evenly coated.
Spray a little vegetable oil (olive, avocado) over the beans, quickly toss and pour in your air-frying tray making sure that they don’t overlap, and fry for 18-20 minutes until lightly crispy. You can also bake them at 375F for 25-35 minutes. Try one to make sure that they are crunchy to your liking.
While the beans are being air-fried (or baked), combine the seasonings. I like to use 1/2 tsp garlic powder, cumin powder, smoked paprika, a little cayenne pepper, salt, and some sugar to balance things out! While the beans are still hot, add the dry spices and toss. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You can serve them warm or let them fully cool down. If you make them right before serving them, only bake them for 30 minutes so that they are lightly crispy. If you make a large batch to eat them the next day, it is better to bake them a little longer.
Note:
– For a more colorful snack, you can combine red, black, and cannellini beans. Roasted black beans look like little coffee beans and are so good just on their own.
Make at least 2 cans of cooked beans (about 3 cups) because they go quickly!
– You can also play with the spices, like using curry powder or making a BBQ-flavored batch.
– Store leftover fried beans in a sealed bag after they cooled off. They will be softened so to re-crisp them, toast them for 5 minutes.
