Veggie Nuggets
Veggie nuggets are the ultimate kid-friendly finger food! These baked veggie-packed bites are crunchy on the outside, soft in the middle, and perfect for toddlers, school lunchboxes, or even as a side dish for the whole family. With simple everyday ingredients like beans, carrots, and cheese, these nuggets are a great way to add extra veggies into your child’s diet—without the fuss.
They’re freezer-friendly, easy to prep ahead, and can be baked or air-fried for a quick and healthy homemade alternative to store-bought nuggets.
Why You’ll Love These Veggie Nuggets
- Veggie-packed and nugget-shaped – a fun way to serve extra veggies.
- Freezer-friendly – make a batch and stash for easy lunches or snacks.
- Flexible – bake or air fry depending on what works for you.
- Family-friendly – a healthy swap for store-bought nuggets that grown-ups love too.
Ingredients You Will Need
Ingredient Notes, Substitutes, & Allergy Swaps
- Carrot, zucchini, sweet potato – finely grated so they cook through easily. Be sure to squeeze out the extra water, especially from zucchini, so your nuggets aren’t soggy.
- White beans – any mild canned beans or chickpeas work here (e.g., cannellini, navy, or butter beans). They add protein and help bind the mixture.
- Corn kernels – optional, but add sweetness and texture. Frozen, canned, or fresh all work.
- Cheese – cheddar is classic, but mozzarella, Colby, or a dairy-free alternative can be swapped in.
- Rice flour – keeps the nuggets light and helps absorb moisture. You can also use plain/all-purpose flour or chickpea flour for a gluten-free, protein-rich option.
- Panko breadcrumbs – give that crisp nugget coating. I've used Gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in these pictures.
Illustrated Step By Step Guide
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Veggie Nugget Recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
Step one: Mash the Beans
Start with your white beans. You can mash them with a fork for a chunkier texture, or blitz them with a stick blender for something smoother—it’s totally up to you. If you find your beans are too firm and not mashing easily, just simmer them in a pot with a splash of water until soft, then drain and mash. The beans do need to be quite well mashed for the veggie nuggets to hold together well.
Step two: Add Everything to the Bowl
Dump in your grated veggies, mashed beans, corn (if using), cheese, egg, flour, and seasonings. Just leave out the bread crumbs. Everything goes into one big bowl, which makes clean-up super easy.
Step three: Mix It All Together
Grab a spatula (or even clean hands if you prefer) and give it all a good mix. You’re looking for a slightly sticky dough that holds together. If it feels too wet, sprinkle in another spoonful of flour.
Step four: Scoop the Nuggets
A cookie scoop works brilliantly here—it helps keep the nuggets even in size, which means they cook more evenly. Scoop out a generous tablespoonful amount.
Step five: Shape by Hand
Use your hands to gently shape the scoops into nugget rounds or ovals. A little tip—damp hands and utensils will stop the mixture from sticking to you, making this step much easier (and less messy!). Once shaped crumb the nuggets, by placing them both sides down in a shallow dish of breadcrumbs.
Step six: Once shaped and crumbed, lay your nuggets out on a lined tray. For that golden crunch, lightly brush them with oil or give them a quick spray. Both work well—it just depends what you have on hand.
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Step seven: Bake Until Golden
Pop the tray into the oven and let the nuggets do their thing. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re golden and crisp. They smell amazing at this stage too! Once they’ve cooled slightly, they’re ready for little hands (and big ones!) to enjoy.
These nuggets also cook well in the air fryer!
Top Tips
Here is how you can make these veggie nuggets perfectly every time!
- Squeeze the grated veggies well—too much moisture will make it hard to shape the nuggets.
- For older kids and adults I find seasoning with salt and pepper makes these nuggets more tasty, but skip the salt for little ones.
- If your mix feels too wet, add an extra spoonful of rice flour until it holds together.
- Nuggets crisp best when lightly sprayed or brushed with oil before baking.
- Shape them into ovals, rounds, or even fun shapes with a cookie cutter for extra toddler appeal.
- Freeze uncooked nuggets on a tray, then transfer to a bag or container. Bake straight from frozen, just adding a few extra minutes to the cook time.
How to Make This Recipe Suitable For Baby Led Weaning
These veggie nuggets can be a great option for BLW if prepared safely:
- Skip added salt for babies under 12 months (cheese will still add flavour).
- Mash or finely chop the corn kernels before mixing, as whole corn can be a choking hazard for younger babies (AAP, NICE).
- Shape nuggets into longer finger shapes—easier for babies to grasp.
- Serve slightly cooled so they’re soft inside and easy to gum.
- For very young babies, you can leave out the crispy breadcrumb coating and bake as soft patties instead.
Veggie Nuggets
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Ingredients
- 1 medium carrot (½ cup peeled and grated)
- 1 small zucchini (½ cup grated)
- ¼ small sweet potato (½ cup grated)
- 1 can white beans (rinsed, drained and mashed)
- ½ cup corn kernels (optional)
- ½ cup grated cheese (cheddar)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup rice flour may need a touch more depnding on how much liquid releases from the beans and veggies.
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- olive oil (for drizzling or use spray)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F)
- Prep Veggies:Grate all vegetables and squeeze excess moisture from them using a clean cloth or paper towel.
- Mash beans:In a large mixing bowl, mash the white beans, you can also blitz them in a food processor if you prefer.
- Mix:In a large bowl, combine the grated vegetables, mashed beans, corn kernels, cheese (if using), egg, flour, and seasonings. Mix until it comes together into a slightly sticky dough.
- Shape:Scoop tablespoon-sized portions and shape into nugget ovals or rounds.
- Coat:Roll each nugget in breadcrumbs and place on a lined baking tray. Spray, lightly brush or drizzle with olive oil.
- Bake:Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp.Air fryer: 180°C (360°F) for 10–12 minutes, flipping once.
Notes
- Squeeze the grated veggies well—too much moisture will make it hard to shape the nuggets.
- For older kids and adults I find seasoning with salt and pepper makes these nuggets more tasty, but skip the salt for little ones.
- If your mix feels too wet, add an extra spoonful of rice flour until it holds together.
- Nuggets crisp best when lightly sprayed or brushed with oil before baking.
- Shape them into ovals, rounds, or even fun shapes with a cookie cutter for extra toddler appeal.
- Freeze uncooked nuggets on a tray, then transfer to a bag or container. Bake straight from frozen, just adding a few extra minutes to the cook time.
- Carrot, zucchini, sweet potato – finely grated so they cook through easily. Be sure to squeeze out the extra water, especially from zucchini, so your nuggets aren’t soggy.
- White beans – any mild canned beans or chickpeas work here (e.g., cannellini, navy, or butter beans). They add protein and help bind the mixture.
- Corn kernels – optional, but add sweetness and texture. Frozen, canned, or fresh all work.
- Cheese – cheddar is classic, but mozzarella, Colby, or a dairy-free alternative can be swapped in.
- Rice flour – keeps the nuggets light and helps absorb moisture. You can also use plain/all-purpose flour or chickpea flour for a gluten-free, protein-rich option.
- Panko breadcrumbs – give that crisp nugget coating. I've used Gluten-free panko breadcrumbs in these pictures.
Quick Start Guide To BLW
Baby led weaning doesn’t need to be complicated, grab my quick start guide to begin your little ones food journey.