Preparation time: 1 hour | Serves: 4 people

If you’ve never tried (or heard of) savoury granola, then this is your reminder/ first step to making this incredible breakfast a part of your routine.

I’ll be honest, this isn’t an original idea - I came across another recipe for a savoury granola, and a switch clicked in my brain. How did I not think of this before?!

I digress - this recipe follows all the steps you would for a sweet granola with oats, nuts and a liquid element to bring it all together. However, we swap the honey for olive oil, the sugar and cinnamon for spices and za’atar, and serve it with soft, jammy eggs and thick Greek yoghurt. Delicious right?

Ingredients in my Savoury Baked Granola -

Roasted chickpeas are one of my favourite things to snack on, so when I was thinking about what flavours and textures would work well for this recipe, chickpeas seemed like a no-brainer. The canned chickpeas have a two-fold purpose - they add protein and bulk up the recipe while providing that delightfully chewy-crunchy texture we're after.

To make this a low-waste recipe. the liquid from the can (aquafaba) is whipped into soft peaks and folded into the granola mixture to help bind everything together.

The other ingredients can easily be found in your pantry including oats, mixed nuts, sesame and pepita seeds, spices like sumac, smoked paprika and za’atar, olive oil and a touch of honey to balance all the nutty savoury-ness. There's definitely a Middle Eastern touch with the za'atar and sumac, but I find they pair beautifully with yoghurt and olive oil.

How to make and serve the Savoury Granola -

The process to make this savoury breakfast granola is simple. The dry ingredients and spices are tossed together, then olive oil, honey and whipped aquafaba are folded in to make a sticky mix. The granola mix is spread on a lined tray and baked until golden.

I like serving this Middle Eastern granola on a bed of yoghurt/ labneh with jammy eggs and a drizzle of good quality olive for a fulfilling and nutritious breakfast, but it also makes for a great snack - no matter what time of day.

See more suggestions and tips in the recipe notes below.