Vegan Chickpea Nuggets
These nuggets are simple to make, packed full of nutritional goodness, budget-friendly and versatile! We love to serve them for lunch, as a healthy snack and as a main meal (alongside potato wedges, baked beans and a side salad). They are best served straight from the oven (when the outer coating is super crispy), however they can also be eaten cold and make a great addition to school and work lunchboxes.
Ingredients
Chickpea Nuggets
- 40 g / heaped ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 50 g / ½ cup rolled oats
- 400 g / 14 oz can chickpeas thoroughly drained (reserve the chickpea water aka ‘aquafaba’)
- ½ tsp garlic powder or granules
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 TBSP nutritional yeast flakes
- 60 ml / ¼ cup 'aquafaba' (water from the chickpea can)
Chunky Tomato Sauce
- 400 g / 14 oz can Italian vine-ripened chopped tomatoes
- 2 TBSP tomato puree (paste)
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp unrefined sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
To make the chickpea nuggets:
- Heat oven to 190C (180C fan) / 365F.
- Place the oats in a food processor and process into a flour.
- Add the chickpeas to the food processor, along with the garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast and salt. Pulse until crumbly. Add the aquafaba (chickpea water) and continue to process until the contents form a ball. If the mixture feels a little wet, add more oats.
- Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape into nuggets. Coat each nugget completely in the panko breadcrumbs and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until firm. Serve with your favourite dip.
- Any leftover nuggets can be stored in the fridge for up to five days.
To make the chunky Tomato Sauce
- Place all the ingredients in a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened slightly. Use a wooden spoon to break up any large chunks of tomato. Taste test and adjust the seasoning to suit.
- Stored in an airtight container, this sauce will keep for five days in the fridge.
Notes
Recipe lightly adapted from Heather Lawless and Jen Mulqueen’s ‘Chicknuggets’ in The Chickpea Revolution, featured in the April 2018 edition of Vegan Life magazine.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!