Vegan Chickpea Nuggets

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
• 0.5 cup water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 cup breadcrumbs (for coating)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for frying)

Steps

1. 1

   In a food processor, combine the cooked chickpeas, water, soy sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and nutritional yeast.

2. 2

   Pulse the mixture until it forms a relatively smooth paste, but still has some texture.

3. 3

   Transfer the chickpea mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the vital wheat gluten.

4. 4

   Stir the mixture with a spoon until a dough forms, then knead it by hand for 2-3 minutes to develop the gluten texture.

5. 5

   Pull off small pieces of the dough and shape them into nugget-sized discs or rectangles.

6. 6

   Press each nugget into the breadcrumbs until evenly coated on all sides.

7. 7

   Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

8. 8

   Place the nuggets in the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown and crispy.

9. 9

   Remove the nuggets from the pan and drain on paper towels before serving.

Notes

For a firmer texture, you can steam the nuggets for 15 minutes before breading and frying them. These nuggets freeze well; simply cook them from frozen in an air fryer or oven until heated through.

Nutrition per serving

• vegan
• vegetarian
• high-protein
• snack
• main dish
• chickpeas
• meat substitute
• fried