These Veggie Nuggets are sponsored by Caruso’s Natural Health and new Caruso’s Children’s Brain Health and Children's Multivitamin.
These veggie nuggets with a crunchy exterior and veggie centre are perfect for kids who love nuggets! Great as a dinner side, perfect in the lunchbox, they are quick and easy to make and help ensure that your kids are eating their daily requirements of veggies. Get a batch of these freezer friendly and absolutely delicious nuggets made in under 40 minutes and serve with your favourite dipping sauce.
Why you're going to love this recipe
Are these hidden veggies? Actually, I'm not really a veggie smuggler, so the idea behind these isn't so much to hide the veggies, but more so to make something entirely veggie that has a familiar shape and texture that could go as a dinner side. My kids eat them with servings of veggies and also a serve of protein.
- crumbed without major dredging and crumbing, just with semolina
- packed with veggies and lentils
- easy to eat and perfect for dipping (even in something like our yummy Tzatziki- kid friendly dip!)
- freezer friendly
- soft interior texture, perfect for toddlers and kids
- yummy cold in the lunchbox
- easy to reheat in the oven so they don't lose their crunch
What goes into the recipe
- red lentils- these are so essential to this recipe as you cook them completely until almost soft and they for the basis for the whole thing working.
- zucchini, carrots- you can swap these for any veggies you like!
- leek-has a sweeter flavour than onion and cooks down better. Don't have a leek? Swap for onion or spring onion! Leek is also nicer for kids due to the way it softens.
- semolina- look for fine semolina when making this- the finer crumb works better with the nuggets and makes a good crumb.
How to make this recipe
This recipe is simple to make! Let's get started.
- Grate the zucchini and carrots (Image 1)
- Thinly slice the leek (Image 2)
- Add the olive oil to a fry pan over medium heat (Image 3)
- Fry the leek until soft. (Image 4)
- Add the lentils and water (Images 5 and 6)
- Add the oregano (Image 7)
- Cook until all th water has absorbed.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes then add the egg, cheese and flour. (Image 9)
- Mix together until a dough is formed (Image 10)
- Grab teaspoonfuls of the mixture. (Image 11)
- Coat in the semolina (Image 12)
- Cover both sides completely. (Image 13)
- Heat olive oil in a pan an fry the nuggets until golden on each side. (Image 14 and 15).
- Serve with veggies and dipping sauce. (Image 16)
Brain and Multivitamins for kids
When it comes to supporting your families health and well being, Caruso’s are our go-to choice. Their new range, including Children’s Brain Health and Children’s Multivitamin is the ideal way to support your child’s development.
Caruso's Children's Brain Health
Caruso's Children's Brain Health is a high strength omega-3 fish oil with concentrated DHA, iodine and phosphatidylserine. Ideal to support brain and cognitive function and maintain nervous system health for any growing child.
Caruso’s Brain Health Indications:
- Support learning and mental concentration
- Support information and cognitive development
- Helps promote increase attention span
- Support brain health and function
- Support healthy growth and development
- Maintains nervous system health and thyroid hormones
Expert Tips and FAQs
The veggies in these veggie nuggets work really well because they can be grated. You can swap them for other veggies, but they might take a little experimenting.
I pop them in a container in the fridge for immediate use and the kids eat them cold.
They can also be frozen- I freeze the veggie nuggets until solid on a tray and then transfer to a container so I can take them out one at a time!
More veggie ideas kids love
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Veggie Nuggets
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 leek sliced thinly
- 1 cup red split lentils
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 zucchini grated
- 1 carrot grated
- 1 egg
- ½ cup grated cheddar
- ¾ cup wholemeal self raising flour
- 2 cups fine semolina
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a medium frypan over medium heat.
- Cook the leek until soft- 3-4 minutes
- Add the lentils and water and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add the grated zucchini and carrot and oregano.
- Cook 5 minutes more and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the egg, cheese and flour to the mixture, mixing with a wooden spoon until well combined.
- Create tablespoon sized nuggets and dip them in the semolina to coat.
- Fry in olive oil for 4 minutes per side or until golden.
Notes
Recipe video
Nutrition
This post was originally written on August 18, 2017 and has been completely redone on 2/11/2021 with new images, new faqs and new video.
nunu says
I'm giving this 5 stars for the taste although there were some issues with the recipe as written. There's no way you can cook a cup of lentils for 20 minutes with only 2 cups of water and I had to add more water as it cooked. But this made it too wet in the end so I added 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs to firm it up a bit before forming the nuggets. I also used a green onion instead of a leek and used breadcrumbs instead of semolina to coat it.
But we all loved it including the kids. I think the secret is the cheese. It gives it a nice fatty feel to what would otherwise be a bit dry and dull. I definitely will be making this again.
nunu says
Could these be baked?
Kylie says
I haven't baked these, as the frying adds to the flavour. I have air fried them though and they turned out quite nicely.
Amze says
My kids love these, so happy the recipe is the same.
rebecca says
Such an healthy recipe, thanks for sharing it. It's a great way to the kids to get all the nutrition's from the veggies. Keep posting!!