Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets
Slimming-friendly nuggets with no meat in sight! This Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets recipe is bursting with fresh veggies and includes a spicy sriracha dip.
Also in these categories:
NutritionPer Serving
- Calories176
- Carbs30g
- Protein5.9g
- Fat2.1g
- Saturates0.8g
- Sugars14g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card below. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff in the blurb!
These meat-free nuggets are definitely not just for vegans! We’re not kidding when we say they’re packed with veggies.
We’ve used fresh cauliflower, carrot and even red pepper to make sure these tasty little nuggets are full of flavour and goodness. If you’re cooking for fussy eaters, this recipe is a clever way to sneak more veggies into their diet!
Air frying is well known for getting a crunchy, crispy finish that’s far healthier than deep frying. These Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets are no exception – pop them in the air fryer basket for 20 minutes and they’ll come out all golden brown and delicious!
Perfect for dunking and dipping, our recipe even includes a rich ketchup-based dip that’s smoky with paprika and a subtle kick of sriracha.
Serve these veggie nuggets with some Homemade Oven Chips and a good dollop of the dip for a midweek dinner that feels like a treat!
Don’t have an air fryer? This recipe can also be made in the oven. Find the recipe for Vegan Nuggets here.
What diets are these Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets suitable for?
This Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets recipe is suitable for vegans and vegetarians. It’s dairy free and can be made gluten free if you switch out the panko breadcrumbs for a gluten free alternative.
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets?
You’ll need an air fryer to make this recipe. There are a range of options available to suit every budget including these:
Send us a Hint or Tip
We love hearing from you, submit any tips or tricks you have for this dish and we’ll review them and add some of them here. Just click here.
SEND US a HINT & TIP, Or QUOTE for this recipe
THANKS
we have your picture
The process
- Check
Now we have your Hint & tip
we’ll check them over. - Review We’ll review your Hint & Tip, and see if its suitable to use on the website.
Your details
- Name: %name%
- Recipe: %recipeName%
YOUR HINTS & TIPS
Your “QUOTE”
SWAG!
Due to the large number of submissions we recieve we’re afraid we’ll only inform you if we use it on the Recipe page - then we’ll send you some swag…
(Please remember others may of had the same idea as you!)
This post contains affiliate links: what this means
This Tower air fryer is budget-friendly and super versatile. It has a few different settings and will get food nice and crispy.
If you’re willing to invest a little more, we love this Ninja Foodi air fryer. It works as a pressure cooker too, saving space in your kitchen.
How many calories are in these Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets?
There are 176 calories per portion in this Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets recipe, which means it falls into our Everyday Light recipe category. If you’re counting calories or following one of the popular diet plans like Weight Watchers, this recipe fits in perfectly!
NHS guidelines suggest men should aim for 2,500 calories per day to maintain a healthy body weight, and women require around 2000 calories. Each person has different calorie requirements depending on their goal, so you may want to adjust your daily calorie intake according to your own personal goal.
Step 1
Add the cauliflower, carrot and onion to a food processor and pulse until it resembles rice. Spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and set on a low heat. Add the cauliflower mix and fry slowly for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Step 2
Add the cannellini beans and red pepper to the food processor and again pulse. Add to a mixing bowl along with the paprika, garlic granules, onion powder, mustard powder and tomato puree. Stir until combined.
Step 3
Add in the cauliflower mixture and 20g panko breadcrumbs season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Step 4
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C and pour the remaining panko breadcrumbs and coconut milk alternative into 2 small bowls.
Step 5
Take a small amount of mixture in your hands and shape into a rough nugget shape. We made 24 nuggets with our mixture, but it depends how large or small you make them.
Step 6
Take the first nugget and dip into the coconut milk then into the panko forming a coating all over. Repeat with all nuggets.
Step 7
Add the nuggets to the air fryer, spray with a little low calorie cooking spray and cook for 20 minutes until crispy and golden.
Step 8
To make the dipping sauce, mix the ketchup, maple syrup, paprika, Henderson’s Relish and sriracha in a small bowl and serve alongside the nuggets.
What could I serve with these Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets?
One of the reasons we love nuggets so much is because of how versatile they are! Whether for lunch or dinner, serve them with some fries, oven chips or even extra veggies for a hearty meal that’s far healthier than the takeaway.
How do you know when Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets are cooked?
You’ll need to cook these Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets for around 20 minutes or until they’re golden and crispy. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket, you may need to cook them in batches.
Here in the UK, the standard advice is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and maintained that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep you and your family safe!
How long can you keep Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets in the fridge?
We’d recommend that you eat this recipe within 4 hours of serving it.
If you have any leftovers, then make sure that you allow them to cool before popping them in a container with a lid and refrigerating. You can keep leftover Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets in the fridge for around 3 days.
Can I freeze Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets?
From chilled: Place in a microwavable container with a loosely fitting lid and heat for 4-7 minutes until piping hot.
From frozen: Allow to defrost overnight in the fridge and then reheat following the instructions above.
PRE-ORDER Our NEW cookbook Air Fryer NOW
Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets
Slimming-friendly nuggets with no meat in sight! This Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets recipe is bursting with fresh veggies and includes a spicy sriracha dip.
-
Prep Time
15 MINS
-
Cook Time
30 MINS
- KCals 176
- Carbs 30G
Instructions
- Add the cauliflower, carrot and onion to a food processor and pulse until it resembles rice. Spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and set on a low heat. Add the cauliflower mix and fry slowly for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- Add the cannellini beans and red pepper to the food processor and again pulse. Add to a mixing bowl along with the paprika, garlic granules, onion powder, mustard powder and tomato puree. Stir until combined.
- Add in the cauliflower mixture and 20g panko breadcrumbs. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Pre-heat the air fryer to 200°C and pour the remaining panko breadcrumbs and coconut milk alternative into 2 small bowls.
- Take a small amount of mixture in your hands and shape into a rough nugget shape. We made 24 nuggets with our mixture, but it depends how large or small you make them.
- Take the first nugget and dip into the coconut milk then into the panko forming a coating all over. Repeat with all nuggets.
- Add the nuggets to the air fryer, spray with a little low calorie cooking spray and cook for 20 minutes until crispy and golden.
- To make the dipping sauce, mix the ketchup, maple syrup, paprika, Henderson's Relish and sriracha in a small bowl and serve alongside the nuggets.
Looking for Slimming World Syns or Weight Watchers (WW) Points?
With ever-changing plans and point calculations, we have made the decision to remove WW Points from the website - referring to your individual plan or advice from your consultant is always going to give the most accurate results.
—
We agreed with Slimming World to remove their trademarked terms from our website
Recipe notes
We love seeing your photos! If you’ve made these Air Fryer Vegan Nuggets make sure to take us in your pics!
Join the conversation
Comment or ask our advice