These chickpea vegetable nuggets are the perfect finger food for little eaters! This vegetarian twist on traditional chicken nuggets is loaded with extra veggies and protein! Easy to make and super delicious, enjoy these vegetable nuggets on their own, instead of meatballs or dunk them in your favorite sauce!
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Nuggets are a beloved finger food of childhood. Heck, they are a beloved finger food of adulthood too!
Maybe its because you don’t need a fork to eat them. Or maybe because they are so dunkable in whatever sauce I have on hand. Or it really could be because nuggets have a way being an easy addition to any meal and kiddo instantly get excited to see them on their plate.
And while there is a time and place for the occasional dino-nugget from the freezer section of the grocery store, I honestly prefer to make my own nuggets so that I can fill them with vegetables (like I do) and since they are so easy to make, nuggets make for an easy weeknight dinner.
These chickpea veggie nuggets are a vegetarian twist on my super popular Veggie-Loaded Chicken Bites. These vegetable nuggets are perfect for a lunch box or to make quickly on a crazy busy Tuesday night after soccer practice. Or to just keep on hand in place of those dino-nuggets for a healthier, veggie-loaded dinner option for when life is…..well life and crazy!
To make these chickpea veggie nuggets, I used….
What to serve the chickpea vegetable nuggets with
However you like to nugget will probably work with these vegetable nuggets too! But for a little serving inspiration, this is how we love ’em.
- Ranch dressing
- sugar-free or homemade ketchup
- honey mustard sauce
- in place of meatballs with your favorite pasta and sauce
- with oven baked fries
- mashed potatoes & cauliflower
- with butternut squash vegan cheese sauce
- one their own!
Other vegetarian veggie-loaded recipes to try!
- Butternut Squash Vegan Cheese Sauce
- Instant Pot Black Bean & Butternut Squash Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup (+ slow cooker instructions)
- Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
- Instant Pot Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili
Chickpea Vegetable Nuggets
Equipment
- food processor
- small cookie scoop
- large pan
Ingredients
- 15 ounces chickpeas cooked and drained
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/4 cup minced onion
- 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1-2 cloves garlic to taste or sub 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp olive or avocado +extra for cooking
- 1/2 cup oat flour or your favorite breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Take shredded zucchini and carrots. Put it in the middle of a clean dish towel or large piece of paper towel. Wrap up the zucchini & carrots with towel squeeze a few times to help drain out some of the moisture.
- In your food processor, combine drained zucchini and carrots and remaining ingredients. Pulse a few times to combine. Mixture should be wet but scoop able.
- Heat cooking oil in a large pan over medium high heat.
- Using heaping tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, portion out the mixture into the pan. Cook nuggets 3-5 minutes and flip, using the back of your spatula to gently flatten them a bit. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes or until outside of the nugget has a slightly golden color.
- Enjoy warm and with your favorite dipping sauce. Allow leftovers to cool completely and store in an air-tight container in fridge for 4-5 days
Nutrition
Made these for dinner tonight. So good. Kids asked me to make them again tomorrow!
I love it when kids get excited about a good veggie-loaded recipe!
These just saved lunch! The kiddos loved them. Dipped in ketchup and also plain yogurt.
Thats so awesome to hear! I’m glad they were a hit and family approved!
Thank you for this easy nutritious recipe. It was soo good and filling. I had mine with katsup and hot sauce and a little beet sauerkat.
Can these be baked? Do you have a recommendation on temp and time?
I’d do 400℉ for about 20 minutes on a lined baking sheet. Flip half way through baking
Made them for the kids. Ate most of them before I decided I was willing to share. Totally need to make a double batch next time! So good.
Sounds delicious! Do you think these could be veganized by using flax eggs?
I think they could be! It’s on my list to try so I can update the recipe!
This is a delicious recipe! I made a burger shaped one for me whilst rest of family had meat burgers. Next day we had as nuggets with pasta and a home made rocket pesto. I have already bought ingredients to make another batch!
I can see these will be a family regular. Going to try them in a wrap with salads and fiery dressing next!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Thank you for sharing! Made mine with broccoli instead of zucchini and flaxseed meal egg substitute and air fried them! Delicious and I am very excited for tomorrow’s lunch!
Oh wow! LOVE those adaptations! Enjoy!
Our whole family enjoyed these – delicious and pretty easy to make. Definitely more of a pancake texture than a “nugget”.
Mine seem to have break apart when i cooked them on the stove. Any suggestions?
Did you change anything about the recipe? Usually when they break apart, its is because they are too dry or are missing a binding agdent.
I literally forgot ALL the binders 🙂 Trying again tonight with ALL the ingredients!
I’m glad we got to the bottom of it! Can’t wait to hear how they go in round 2!
Instead of eggs can I use mashed potato as a binding ingredient to make them vegan? Thank you
Interesting! I have never tried that, so I can’t say how successful potatoes would be as an egg replacement! Readers have shared with me that flax eggs work though!
Made these last night and they were a huge hit with the whole fam! Also a friend happened to stop by while we were making them and couldn’t stop raving about them. I even forgot the oat flour in the first batch but they were still delicious. Love all your recipes so much and love to share them with everyone I know. Thank you!
Also forgot to say (For anyone that doesn’t have a good processor) that I made them in my dry container for vitamix and it worked!
I don’t have a food processor. Any tips on how to prepare? Would an immersion blender work?
DO you have a blender? That might work!
Thanks, I do have a blender but find that it doesn’t work so well when ingredients are thick. I will try it though and comment with the results.
I’m living in Peru and there’s no such thing as packaged nuggets here but there’s lots of fresh veggies! So this was great!!
Could I do this without the zucchini? I have all the ingredients besides that.
I haven’t tried but I am sure you can! I’d just up the grated carrot to 3/4 or 1 cup
Delicious! The whole family loved them, even the picky eaters. We ate them plain, with ranch, and in wraps with lettuce and tomato. Glad I made a double batch.
That is so great to hear!
Can you freeze these for later use? If so, how would you recommend re-heating? Or just freeze before cooking? Thanks!
I would actually freeze after cooking! Then I would thaw in fridge overnight and then reheat in the toaster oven, regular oven or microwave