These Oil-Free Healthy Vegan Baked Lentil Nuggets are easy to make, loaded with veggies, crispy, oil-free and healthy! Packed with protein and healthy complex carbohydrates, these nuggets make a really healthy way to get all the good stuff in one nugget!

You can enjoy them stuffed inside wraps, sandwiches, pittas, top them on your salad, or simply dip them in your favorite sauce!

Kids love dipping, and I find it’s one of the easiest ways to get a toddler to try new things. If you’re looking for lentil recipes for kids, this is definitely one to try.

They don’t even need to know that these nuggets are completely wholesome and protein-packed. They won’t see any lentils in this recipe.

These vegan nuggets will please the entire family, from picky toddlers to picky spouses. Enjoy!

TIPS:

Do not sub for another lentil. This recipe works best with SPLIT red lentils. Regular lentils take longer to cook and are not as sticky, which is needed for this batter to hold well.

Make sure your mixture is very finely processed before adding the peas and corn. You want your lentils, zucchini/courgettes, and carrots to be chopped up very finely so your batter will hold nicely.

Roll the mixture into balls first, and then gently press them down on your baking sheet. If any break while doing so, re-shape them into a nugget shape. If they’re not holding before baking, they won’t hold together after baking.

Do not add more peas or corn then the recipe calls for. Too many larger chunks will make the batter a little more difficult to hold into a nugget shape.

Anyyyway! Please do let me know how you found this Oil-Free Healthy Vegan Baked Lentil Nuggets recipe, and if there is anything you tried or something that worked better…Do drop me a comment below, or you can message me directly on Instagram or Facebook! I love seeing what my lovely readers think of my recipes!

72 calories per nugget

Makes about 20 nuggets

Ingredients:

One cup/200g split red lentils soaked in boiling hot water for 30 minutes

1 medium zucchini/courgette grated and squeezed off the excess water

1 large carrot grated squeezed off the excess water

2 slices whole-grain sliced bread untoasted, gluten-free if needed (or simply use 80g of shop-bought breadcrumbs.

1/4 cup/40g of frozen peas

1/4 cup40g frozen corn

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp paprika

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F/200C and line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Add your bread slices to a food processor and process until a breadcrumb consistency is achieved. Then transfer your bread crumbs into a large bowl, add the frozen corn and peas to the same bowl and set aside.

3. Drain your lentils and add them to the food processor along with your grated carrot, zucchini/courgettes and all the seasonings. Process until broken down and well combined, stopping to scrape the sides as needed.

Then transfer to the bowl with the breadcrumbs, and mix to combine.

4. Form 1-1.5″ balls using your hands, and place them on your baking tray. Then press each one down gently, without breaking them, to form your nuggets.

Bake for 30 minutes, carefully flipping them at the 15-minute mark. Let your nuggets cool at room temperature for at least 5 minutes to help them firm up. Then serve with ketchup, tahini or with hummus!

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