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Vegan Croquettes, vegan recipe

Vegan Croquettes

Floury potatoes dried over low heat, bound with chickpea flour and cornstarch instead of a custard base, then rolled in seasoned panko and cooked until the shell shatters and the middle stays soft. Fry or bake them, both work.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 16 croquettes
Course: Side
Cuisine: Spanish

Ingredients
  

Croquettes
  • 2 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes about 4 medium, peeled and cut into chunks; floury potatoes give the creamiest center, while waxy ones turn gluey
  • 1/3 cup chickpea flour also sold as besan; it soaks up moisture and binds the mix
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch keeps the center tender instead of rubbery
  • 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast adds a savory, almost cheesy note
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more for the cooking water
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional, but it rounds out the potato
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter or olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped, optional
Coating
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for the first dredge
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened oat milk or unsweetened soy milk
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs larger flakes stay crisp longer than fine breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup olive oil or neutral oil for frying, or cooking spray for baking

Method
 

  1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by an inch. Add a tablespoon of salt, bring to a boil, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance.
  2. Drain the potatoes well, then return them to the hot pot and set it over low heat for a minute, shaking gently, so the last of the steam escapes. Mash them smooth with a potato masher or press them through a ricer until no lumps remain.
  3. Stir in the chickpea flour, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, nutmeg, vegan butter, and parsley. Mix until you have a firm, slightly tacky dough, then let it cool for 10 minutes so it is easy to handle.
  4. Line a tray with parchment. With damp hands, roll about 2 tablespoons of dough into a log roughly 3 inches long and 1 inch thick. Repeat to make 16 croquettes.
  5. Set up three shallow bowls with the flour, the oat milk, and the panko. Roll each croquette in the flour, dip it in the oat milk, then press it into the panko so the whole surface is coated.
  6. Park the breaded croquettes in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This firms them up so they hold their shape in the oil or the oven.
  7. To fry, heat an inch of oil to 350F (175C) in a deep pan and cook the croquettes in batches for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden. To bake, heat the oven to 425F (220C), brush the croquettes with oil, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning halfway, until crisp and golden.

Notes

The chickpea flour and cornstarch are doing the real work here, so this is not the recipe to skip them or swap in more all-purpose flour. Potato brands and sizes vary, so if the dough feels too soft to roll, add another tablespoon of chickpea flour, and if it feels dry and crumbly, a splash of oat milk will bring it back. The dough can be made a day ahead and kept covered in the fridge, and the breaded croquettes can be frozen before cooking.