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- Makes 20 sticks
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A hearty mixture of chickpeas, butternut squash, and rice forms the base of this plant-based take on a lunchroom classic, and the bread crumb coating adds a satisfying crunch. These vegan mozzarella sticks make for a kid-friendly side dish that adults will have a hard time resisting. For best results, dry the squash, chickpeas, and rice in a hot oven as directed here. Too much moisture will prevent the sticks from holding together when dipping.
Recipe from Forks Over Knives Family
Ingredients
- 1 cup 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash
- 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1½ teaspoons finely snipped fresh sage
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup panko or fine dry bread crumbs
- Ketchup for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place squash in a steamer basket in a large saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Cover pan and steam squash 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Place steamed squash, chickpeas, and cooked rice in the prepared baking pan. Bake 20 minutes; cool completely.
- In a food processor combine squash, chickpeas, rice, and the next six ingredients (through garlic). Cover and process until well mixed. (Or mash with a potato masher.) Season with salt and pepper.
- Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Using about 1 tablespoon of the squash mixture, shape into a 3-inch-long rectangle (½ inch thick). Roll in bread crumbs to coat, and place in baking pan. Repeat with the remaining squash mixture and crumbs.
- Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve warm with ketchup or desired dipping sauce.
Comments (1)
(4 from 1 vote)Very flavorful and easy to put together. I would recommend making 10 sticks instead of 20 as the coating overtakes the flavor a bit. Also I made mine by first pressing the mixture into a rectangle, then cutting it into the 10 sticks. It was much easier to portion control. Probably will make again.