Grilled Chickpea Kebabs

How to Make Grilled Chickpea Kebabs

1. 1

   Step 1: Prepare the chickpeas

   Drain and rinse the cooked chickpeas well, then spread them on a clean towel and pat as dry as possible to remove surface moisture. Dry chickpeas hold marinade better and get a bit more char on the grill; if you have time, let them air-dry 10–15 minutes.

   For this step

   • 2 cupsCooked chickpeas (drained, rinsed)
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Make the bold marinade

   In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, ground cumin, minced garlic, honey, and kosher salt until smooth. Add the dried chickpeas to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat every bean in the spiced mixture.

   For this step

   • 3 tbspOlive oil
   • 2 tbspFresh lemon juice
   • 1 tspSmoked paprika
   • 1 tspGround cumin
   • 3 clovesGarlic (minced)
   • 1 tbspHoney (or maple syrup for vegan)
   • 1 tspKosher salt
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Marinate briefly

   Let the coated chickpeas sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate up to overnight for deeper flavor. If refrigerated, bring them back to room temperature before threading to ensure even grilling.
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Thread skewers with chickpeas and vegetables

   Divide the chickpeas and prepared vegetables across the skewers, alternating chickpeas with pieces of red onion, zucchini rounds, and cherry tomatoes to create stable, colorful kebabs. Leave a little space between items so heat and smoke can circulate for good char.

   For this step

   • 1 batchSkewer vegetables (1 small red onion, 1 small zucchini, 12 cherry tomatoes)
   • 8 skewersSkewers (metal or wooden, if wooden soak 30 min)
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Grill until charred and heated through

   Preheat the grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C) and oil the grates. Grill the kebabs 8–12 minutes total, turning every 2–3 minutes, until vegetables are tender and chickpeas have blistered and browned in spots; remove and serve immediately with an extra squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
   

1. Drain and rinse the cooked chickpeas well, then spread them on a clean towel and pat as dry as possible to remove surface moisture. Dry chickpeas hold marinade better and get a bit more char on the grill; if you have time, let them air-dry 10–15 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, ground cumin, minced garlic, honey, and kosher salt until smooth. Add the dried chickpeas to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat every bean in the spiced mixture.
3. Let the coated chickpeas sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate up to overnight for deeper flavor. If refrigerated, bring them back to room temperature before threading to ensure even grilling.
4. Divide the chickpeas and prepared vegetables across the skewers, alternating chickpeas with pieces of red onion, zucchini rounds, and cherry tomatoes to create stable, colorful kebabs. Leave a little space between items so heat and smoke can circulate for good char.
5. Preheat the grill to medium-high (about 400°F / 200°C) and oil the grates. Grill the kebabs 8–12 minutes total, turning every 2–3 minutes, until vegetables are tender and chickpeas have blistered and browned in spots; remove and serve immediately with an extra squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of fresh herbs.