If you’re looking for super crunchy and deliciously tasty vegan chicken nuggets, then these Super Crispy Chickpea Nuggets are for you. They have an amazing firm, yet succulent texture and an amazing crispy coating. I like to use almond flour for the coating when I’m making my Gluten free version, and bread crumbs if I know no one has gluten intolerance. Both versions are amazing. I just like mixing it up and enjoying the different tastes.
I tested these nuggets on my non vegan family members with great success. They all declared that these vegan nuggets are even better than the chicken nuggets they’re used to, and they ate every last one of them.
They are so good, you don’t even really need a dip…but I still like to serve them with my Maltese Salsa.
I adore eating, snacking and dipping foods in things. If I could eat 24/7 I would be a very happy woman…and that’s why I like creating healthy vegan snack recipes that I can eat guilt free. These vegan Super Crispy Chickpea Nuggets are one of my favorite healthy dipping recipes. They are super tasty and really healthy too – it’s a win-win that won’t challenge the waistline (because I like to snack 24/7 I have to think about these things. Sigh). Anyway, these easy nuggets are my go-to vegan football Sunday snacks, my must serve Vegan Super Bowl snack, my favorite to-go quick and healthy lunch and they also work as appetizers. The possibilities are endless, but they’re all so tasty.
Because these vegan chickpea nuggets are healthy and loaded with protein, they are also the ideal snack for kids. These nuggets are always a crowdpleaser, so prepare to make plenty if you’re serving them around kids.
For me, football season calls for easy vegan finger foods – and especially vegan chicken nuggets. I adore munching on these easy, crispy and crunchy nuggets during superbowl and it’s become a staple in my home. Everyone loves these nuggets, because they not only taste amazing, they are also delicously crispy on the outside and ideal to scoop up sauce.
What’s great about these Super Crispy Chickpea Nuggets
- Very easy to make
- Delicious, crispy and sure crowd pleasers
- Simple ingredients and budget friendly
- Meal prep friendly
- Vegan, Gluten free and soy free
- Great as appetizers, finger food and party food – plus lunch and snacks
Flavor variation
This recipe is so amazing because it’s very versatile. You can add any spices or flavors you like. I like to ad a little nutritional yeast to bring it a little extra cheesy flavor, but you can easily just leave that out if you prefer. Use a little barbeque seasoning and dip in barbeque sauce, ad fresh herbs or a little pinch of chili. There’s no going wrong. I like to mix up the flavors, adding fresh parsley or smoked paprika depending on my mood that day.
Meal Prep
These vegan chickpea nuggets are also meal prep friendly. They are great served both hot and cold and can be frozen and reheated later. It doesn’t get any easier than that.
Super Crispy Chickpea Nuggets
Ingredients
- 1 15oz can Chickpeas Drained
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of Pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- 1 tbsp Bread Crumbs or Almond Flour
For the Coating
- ½ cup Bread Crumbs or Almond Flour
- 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Drain the water from the chickpeas and pour the chickpeas into a food processor. Ad the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutritional yeast and a tablespoon bread crumbs or almond flour.
- Process until everything is combined.
- Pour the ½ cup almond flour, salt, pepper and sesame seeds into a bowl and mix to combine.
- Use a spoon to scoop up the chickpea mixture. Roll the mixture into small balls and press them into flat nuggets.
- Gently roll each nugget in the almond flour mixture, until they are completely coated. Lay the nuggets on a baking sheet covered in baking parchment and bake them in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, before flipping them over and cooking for 10 more minutes.
- Take the nuggets out of the oven and let them cool at least 10 minutes before eating. Serve with a sauce of your choice and enjoy.
Can I freeze these??
Yes. I like to make extra and freeze them for another day :). You can take them directly from the freezer and reheat in the oven. No need to thaw first
Okay thank you, also how many calories are in 4
There are just around 160 calories in 4 nuggets 🙂
can you make these in the airfryer?
Hi,
yes, these crispy chickpea nuggets can be made in an air fryer. The cooking time should still be around 20-minutes, but may need to be adjusted a little to make sure all the nuggets become deliciously crispy 🙂
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
Yes, a blender should work just as well 🙂
I love this recipe!! I made it for my family last night and everyone enjoyed it. It’s perfect for my gluten free husband! Thank you!!
Hi! I found mine to be pretty crumbly, it may be because I used dry chickpeas that were cooked but were not sitting in liquid. Is there a binding agent or just add some water to the food processor before combining them?
Hi, thank you for trying my recipe. Yes, it’s a good idea to add a little extra liquid to the recipe if you’re not using canned chickpeas. You can add a couple of tablespoons water if you prefer, but for the best results it’s better to add a couple of tablespoons of either almond milk, coconut milk, olive oil or coconut oil… That should make the nuggets less crumbly 🙂
Hi can this be fried?
Hi, I haven’t tried frying them, but it should work fine 🙂
Just fry until golden brown (should take around 2 minutes, and place the nuggets on a piece of kitchen paper to remove excess oil
Let me know how it goes 🙂