These baked chickpea nuggets are a budget-friendly meatless meal idea that the whole family can eat. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, or add them to a salad. Made with chickpeas, oat flour, onion, broccoli, egg and easy spices. These chickpea nuggets are vegetarian, gluten free, low carb and nut free.
They’ll fill you up and leave you feeling energized – all thanks to the protein from chickpeas.
Baked Chickpea Nuggets
Meatless meals are a smart way to save on the grocery budget. The cost of meat is always rising. And yes, we do enjoy many meals with meat in our family, like air fryer chicken drumsticks, my ground turkey sweet potato skillet and sheet pan fajitas (those are some of my favorite recipes here on the blog). But, I’m always trying to find new plant-based meals that we can mix into our weekly meal plan routine. The truth is that eating less meat will save on the grocery budget and also incorporate more plant-based foods into your diet which is always a good thing.
Chickpea Nugget Ingredients
These chickpea nuggets come together so easily. Everything can be prepped in the food processor and baked in the oven. For this plant-based recipe you’ll need:
- ZUCCHINI – The zucchini adds wonderful moisture and helps to keep these nuggets together. You can’t taste it in the recipe at all.
- OLD FASHIONED ROLLED OATS – I used rolled oats and made oat flour using the food processor (see instructions here). Rolled oats tend to be more affordable than buying oat flour. However, you can also use oat flour for the recipe if you don’t want to make it from the rolled oats.
- ONION – You’ll need 1/2 of an onion chopped into small pieces.
- BROCCOLI – 1/2 cup of broccoli florets are used to add more veggies. This ingredient is optional if you’d prefer not to add them. You don’t need to substitute with anything else.
- EGGS – Two eggs will help to hold the ingredients together.
- SPICES – To add delicious flavor, you’ll be using Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
A Note About Food Processors
These chickpea nuggets are pretty easy to make if you have a food processor. If you don’t have one yet, I highly recommend getting one because they are so convenient for a variety of recipes, including your baking. If you’re looking for one, then I recommend checking out the Ninja food processor.
I have an old Kitchenaid food processor that is no longer available. It still works great for me though but I’ve found that more options are coming out these days for good quality food processors at a lower price, like the Ninja food processor for example. Mine originally cost $300 whereas the ninja food processor is only $100.
How To Make Baked Chickpea Nuggets
- GRATE THE ZUCCHINI: Use a food processor or cheese grater to grate 1/2 of a zucchini (including skin). Add shredded zucchini to a clean kitchen towel and wrap tightly. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the zucchini.
- BLEND THE OAT FLOUR: Add old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor and blend until the oats turn into oat flour.
- OTHER INGREDIENTS: Add all other ingredients to the food processor including the chickpeas, onion, grated zucchini, broccoli, eggs, cooking oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Blend until everything turns into a paste.
- BAKE: Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping halfway.
- SERVE: Serve with your favorite dipping sauce like ketchup, plain yogurt, ranch, marinara sauce, hot sauce, honey mustard, sweet and sour sauce, etc. These chickpea nuggets also taste great on top of a salad.
Note: I do not like to pan fry plant based nuggets or burger patties because I find it harder to keep them together without crumbling. I always bake them because it’s just easier with less fuss. Many recipes call for frying veggie patties, but you can easily bake them as well.
Chickpea Nugget Frequently Asked Questions
No. This recipe can easily be made without the broccoli and will still work.
I usually just serve them with chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, radish and snap peas. If you have leftovers, add them to a salad for extra protein.
Yes. First, let them cool completely then add them to a freezer bag. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat wrapped in paper towel in the microwave, or in oven at 350°F for 20 minutes (or until heated through).
Nope. They will definitely taste different than a traditional chicken nugget. But they’re really delicious! As long as you go into eating them without expecting a chicken consistency, you will be happily surprised. I do find that they need a sauce though! I like to eat mine with honey mustard or ketchup. But you can use any sauce that you’d like.
More Recipes To Try
- Black Bean Burgers – these are delicious meatless burgers that full of flavor and easy to put together.
- Pineapple Chicken Sheet Pan – a delicious weeknight meal without a lot of fuss.
- Air Fryer Salt and Pepper Wings – so easy to make at home and taste just like the ones from the pub.
- Sweet and Sour Sausage Skillet – this recipe has meat and veggies and can be cooked all in one frying pan.
- Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet – quick and easy and the perfect healthy dinner in under 30 minutes.
Baked Chickpea Nuggets
Ingredients
- ½ zucchini - grated
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats - or oat flour (see notes)
- 1 can chickpeas - drained and rinsed
- ½ cup onion - chopped
- ½ cup broccoli florets
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Shred the zucchini using a food processor or cheese grater. Add grated zucchini to a kitchen towel, wrap and squeeze out excess juice. Set the zucchini aside.
- Add the rolled oats to a food processor and blend until oats turn into an oat flour. (You can also skip this step by using oat flour instead)
- Add in all the other ingredients: grated zucchini, canned chickpeas, chopped onion, broccoli florets, eggs, cooking oil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Seal the food processor with the lid and blend until everything turns into a paste.
- Scoop the chickpea mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten a bit with a spoon to resemble the shape of nuggets. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Serve immediately while still warm with your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Recipe Notes:
- Chickpea nuggets can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- These can also be frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat wrapped in paper towel in the microwave, or in oven at 350°F for 20 minutes (or until heated through).
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and is per serving.