Crispy Chili Sesame Chickpea Nuggets (Printable Version)
Crunchy baked chickpea bites with chili heat and nutty sesame crust. Vegan, protein-rich, and irresistibly crispy.
# Ingredient List:
→ Chickpea Base
01 - 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
02 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
03 - 2 tablespoons tahini
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
07 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
08 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to taste)
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Coating
13 - 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, rolled oats, tahini, minced garlic, red onion, soy sauce, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cumin, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mostly smooth but retaining some chunky texture for bite.
03 - Scoop approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture at a time and shape into nugget-sized pieces with your hands. Repeat until all the mixture is used.
04 - In a shallow bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs and toasted sesame seeds, mixing well to distribute evenly.
05 - Roll each shaped nugget in the panko-sesame mixture, pressing gently to ensure an even, thorough coating on all sides.
06 - Place the coated nuggets on the prepared baking sheet. Brush or spray lightly with olive oil to promote browning and crispiness.
07 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the nuggets halfway through the cooking time, until they are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
08 - Remove from the oven and serve hot alongside your favorite dipping sauce such as sweet chili sauce or a garlic-yogurt dip.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- They crisp up beautifully in the oven without any deep frying, so you get all the crunch without the mess.
- The chickpea base is packed with protein and keeps surprisingly well for meal prep throughout the week.
02 -
- Do not overprocess the chickpea mixture or the nuggets will become gummy instead of holding together with a pleasant bite.
- Flipping the nuggets halfway through baking is the single step that makes the difference between soggy bottoms and all around crunch.
03 -
- Patting the canned chickpeas thoroughly dry before processing removes excess moisture that would otherwise make the mixture too wet to hold its shape.
- For extra heat that builds slowly, add a pinch of cayenne to the coating mixture instead of the base so the spice hits on the outside first.