Vegan Chickpea Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rolled oats (blended into a fine flour)
• 1 tbsp Nutritional yeast (for the breading)
• 0.5 tsp Onion powder (for the breading)
• Salt (to taste, for breading and finishing)
• 0.5 tsp Paprika (for the breading)
• 1 tsp Garlic powder (divided; half for breading, half for chickpea mixture)
• 1 can Chickpeas (15 oz can; drained, liquid reserved)
• Aquafaba (reserved liquid from the chickpea can)
• 0.5 tsp Poultry seasoning (vegan-friendly blend)
• Spray oil (for air frying)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the rolled oats into a blender and blend for 30 to 60 seconds until they reach a fine, flour-like consistency.

2. 2

   In a shallow bowl, combine the oat flour with nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, paprika, and half of the garlic powder. Mix well and set aside.

3. 3

   Drain the can of chickpeas, reserving all the liquid (aquafaba) in a separate shallow bowl.

4. 4

   Place the drained chickpeas into the blender along with the poultry seasoning and the remaining garlic powder. Blend until completely smooth, like a very thick hummus, ensuring no whole bits of chickpea remain.

5. 5

   Transfer the chickpea mixture to a bowl. Scoop out about 1 heaping tablespoon (15-20 grams) of the mixture and shape it into a nugget.

6. 6

   Dip the nugget into the bowl of aquafaba to coat it completely.

7. 7

   Transfer the nugget to the seasoned oat flour and coat thoroughly.

8. 8

   Repeat the process for a double breading: dip the coated nugget back into the aquafaba and then back into the oat flour once more.

9. 9

   Repeat the shaping and double-breading process for the remaining mixture until you have approximately 12 nuggets.

10. 10

    Lightly spray the air fryer basket with oil. Place the nuggets in the basket and spray the tops generously with oil.

11. 11

    Air fry the nuggets (typically at 375°F/190°C to 400°F/200°C) until they are golden brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through if necessary.

12. 12

    Remove from the air fryer and hit with a final spray of oil if any dry flour spots remain. Season with an extra pinch of salt if desired.

Notes

Using one hand for wet ingredients (aquafaba) and one hand for dry ingredients (oat flour) helps keep the breading process cleaner. These nuggets work great in wraps, salads, or bowls.

Nutrition per serving

• vegan
• gluten-free
• soy-free
• nut-free
• air-fryer
• main dish
• kid-friendly
• healthy