Vegan Air Fryer Kale and Potato Nuggets

Vegan Air Fryer Kale and Potato Nuggets may seem naughty, but they’re full of nutritious goodness – and they’re quite tasty, too! Kind of like a healthy version of tater tots, they're great as a side dish or even a snack. This easy recipe from The Vegan Air Fryer by JL Fields it's dairy-free and gluten-free.

Vegan Air Fryer Kale and Potato Nuggets

Do you ever find yourself craving french fries or tater tots, but you don't want all of the oil that comes with them? I do. Often. That's where these potato nuggets come in. They're made with potatoes, garlic, and kale, and minimum oil. In fact, you can skip the oil altogether if you want! They're a great way to serve greens to picky eaters.

This recipe is super easy to make using an air fryer, so it's great for summer, when you don't want to turn on the oven and heat up your kitchen.

What You Need

You only need a few ingredients to make this easy recipe!

• Potatoes
• Olive or canola oil
• Garlic
• Kale
• Almond milk
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Check the recipe card for exact measurements

How to Make Vegan Kale and Potato Nuggets In Your Air Fryer

It couldn't be easier to make this recipe!

• First you boil the potatoes in water for about 30 minutes, or until they're tender.

• While the potatoes are boiling, you heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and cook the garlic for a minute or two. You then add the kale and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
• Next you drain the cooked potatoes and place them in a medium bowl. You add the milk, salt, and pepper and mash them with a fork or potato masher. Transfer the potatoes to the large bowl with he kale and garlic and combine everything.
• Preheat your air fryer at 390°F for 5 minutes.
• Finally you roll the potato and kale mixture into 1-inch nuggets. You spritz the air fryer basket with vegetable oil, place the nuggets in the air fryer. Cook them for 12 to 15 minutes, until they're golden brown. Be sure to shake the basket at the 6 minute mark.

Recipe Notes

If you'd like to make your nuggets oil free, you can simply omit the oil.

This is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes. Just skip the part about cooking the potatoes and use your leftovers instead.

Serving Your Potato Nuggets

Serve your nuggets as a side dish next to a lentil burger or veggie sandwich. I like to serve them with a dipping sauce, like my cashew ranch. They make a great snack, too!

The Vegan Air Fryer

Dennis bought me an air fryer for Christmas a few years ago, and it sat on the kitchen counter for about a month, because I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it. I knew it was good for “frying” foods without using a ton of oil or turning on the stovetop, but beyond that, I didn’t know how to cook in it. The first few things I “cooked” were just simple frozen snacks from Trader Joe’s. Then I gotThe Vegan Air Fryer by JL Fields, which showed me how to cook all sorts of delicious dishes with my new kitchen gadget. I now cook with my air fryer all the time!

Full disclosure here: JL is a friend of mine, and I worked on the book’s design. I would have been just as excited about this book if I didn’t know JL and didn’t work on the book, though!

JL starts the book with a chapter dedicated to air frying basics. This includes reasons why you should air fry your food, a list of handy accessories, and some safety tips. She then shares some vegan basics, such a list of ingredients that are good to have on hand, instructions on pressing tofu, and tips on adding umami, the fifth flavor, to your meals. She also includes a few basic recipes, such as pizza dough and vegetable broth.

There’s also chart with cooking times for common foods, more ways to use your air fryer, and a list of current air fryer brands. There’s also an essay on using oils in a healthy diet by registered dietician Ginny Messina.

Vegan Air Fryer Recipes

If you’re already a whiz with vegan cooking and air fryer, you’ll want to delve right into the recipes. JL includes recipes for everything you could possibly want to eat in a day, from breakfast through lunch and dinner right up to dessert. There are plenty of snacks, too! The recipes range from simple dishes, such as Seasoned French Fries and Roasted Brussels Sprouts, to more complex meals, like Sambal Goreng Tempeh and Chic’n-Fried Steak. Did you know that you can “bake” in the air fryer? Yep! I’ve got my eye on the Shortbread Cake and Fruit Pastry Pocket recipes.

The Vegan Air Fryer’s chapters include:

• Air Fryer 101
• Vegan Basics
• Breakfast and Brunch
• Starters and Snacks
• On the Side
• Main Dishes
• One-Basket Meals
• So Sweet

My air fryer is no longer neglected. I now use it morning, noon, and night! If you have an air fryer, you need this book!

Kale and Potato Nuggets

JL Fields

These bites may seem naughty but they are really nutritious and, most importantly, tasty! This is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes—just skip the part about cooking the potatoes and use leftover mashers instead.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups finely chopped potatoes
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 4 cups loosely packed coarsely chopped kale
• ⅛ cup almond milk
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Vegetable oil spray as needed

Instructions

 

• Add the potatoes to a large saucepan of boiling water. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden brown. Add the kale and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Drain the cooked potatoes and transfer them to a medium bowl. Add the milk, salt, and pepper and mash with a fork or potato masher. Transfer the potatoes to the large bowl and combine with the cooked kale. Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 5 minutes.
• Roll the potato and kale mixture into 1-inch nuggets. Spritz the air fryer basket with vegetable oil. Place the nuggets in the air fryer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown, shaking at 6 minutes.

Notes

No-Oil Option: Omit the olive oil.

From The Vegan Air Fryer, copyright © 2017 by JL Fields. Used by permission.

Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!

Dip Your Potato Nuggets In One of These Dressings:

• Maple Mustard Dressing
• Creamy Chipotle Lime Dressing
• Jalapeno Lime Aioli
• Vegan Ranch Dressing

More Vegan Air Fryer Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:

• Vegan Po’ Boy from Vegan Cooking in Your Air Fryer by Kathy Hester
• Spicy Spanish Style Soy Curls
• Garlicky Roasted Chickpeas
• Cornmeal Crusted Brussels Sprouts