Vegan Mac Bites
Hack your Mac into a simple and healthy appetizer that is gluten-free, vegan and nut-free. Not only is this recipe loaded with nutrients, but it is also absolutely delicious and approved by all ages. These balls are baked—not fried—but still have a golden crunch that will get those chewing mouths talking. Want to spice it up even more? Try accompanying these bites with a variety of dips ranging from ketchup, to hot sauce, to an elegant aioli like the one featured in this recipe.
This recipe is party- and school-safe but can also be made for a day on the go or as a meal for your office.
Vegan Mac Bites
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Course: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
- Servings: 24 pieces
Ingredients:
- 2 packages Chickapea Vegan Mac
- 4 Tbsp vegan butter
- 1 cup oat milk, unsweetened
- ¼ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
- 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Coating Ingredients:
- ½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs, scant
- Pinch of onion powder
Lemon Aioli Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp vegan mayo
- 1 small lemon, juice of
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1/8 tsp chilli powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Prepare Chickapea Vegan Mac (heat 8 cups of water in a large pot over high heat until boiling. Add pasta, decrease heat to maintain a gentle boil. Stir and cook pasta for 5 minutes).
- Drain the pasta and add it back to the pot over the lowest heat setting.
- Mix vegan butter and oat milk into the pasta until combined.
- Add the two seasoning packages which come in the Chickapea Vegan Mac boxes and stir well.
- Stir in ¼ cup of gluten-free bread crumbs, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt and Italian seasoning.
- Mix the pasta well and set aside.
- Prepare the mini muffin tray by brushing vegan butter into each cup.
- Pour ½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs into a shallow dish.
- Using clean hands, scoop a bit more than a Tbsp of the pasta mixture into your palm.
- Work the mixture back and forth between your palms until it forms a tight ball that could stay together on its own.
- Roll 24 balls from the pasta mixture.
- One at a time, roll the balls through the bread crumbs and place each in the mini muffin tin.
- Sprinkle onion powder over each ball.
- Bake the bites in the oven for 20 minutes.
- While the Chickapea Mac bites are baking, mix together all aioli ingredients in a small dish until well combined.
- Once done baking, remove the Chickapea Vegan Mac Bites from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tray.
- Serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
- This recipe can be easily duplicated for a larger group or cut in half to make a smaller batch.
- Most standard mini muffin tins have 24 cups, which is the pan used for this recipe.
- Commercially available gluten-free bread crumbs can be too thick and crunchy. If this is the case with yours, before starting the recipe measure out your bread crumbs and crush them with a pestle and mortar into a finer consistency.
- If having difficulty working the pasta mixture into balls, try wetting your hands slightly before rolling the pasta in your palms.
- Oat milk has been used in this recipe because of its thickness. It is also gluten-free, vegan and nut-free so it makes a great option. Any plant milk may be substituted in this recipe with success, but the thicker the plant milk the better.
- This recipe should be made on the day of serving and not reheated. When reheated the bites will dry out too much and crumble.
Give this recipe a try or create your own Vegan Mac dish. Tag @chickapeapasta on Instagram and #hackyourveganmac so we can re-share!