Hello, there. These are my lovely little spinach and artichoke croquettes. I love a croquette. I really just love saying the name “croquette.” Don’t you?! I love spinach and artichokes as well. Spinach and Artichoke dip has been a favorite of mine since I was about five, so it really just made a whole lot of sense to make a hand held little treat in the form of a croquette. And they’re vegan! You can also use a fork and a plate if you’re nice and civilized. Or just pop them straight into your mouth animal style. Do whatever you want! Just eat with enjoyment!
The ingredients in these are pretty minimal. I use some frozen spinach, jarred artichokes, firm tofu, Panko breadcrumbs, cornstarch, Vegenaise, vegan parmesan, spices, and olive oil. The tofu really helps with the binding and adds some protein and nice texture. These are light and also filling in a really satisfying way.
Spinach and Artichoke Croquettes make a fantastic brunch, lunch, appetizer, dinner, or anytime meal! Delicious in every bite. I’m actually planning on having these the next time I host a brunch or dinner party. They are a little something new with a homey feeling of a classic appetizer. The flavor is spot on!
My favorite thing about the preparation of these is that there is no need to thaw out the spinach and then squeeze out the excess moisture. I cook out the moisture stove-top with some garlic! It’s a fabulous method, and way less messy.
Onward with the recipe! Please make a comment to tell me what you think, and if you have given these a try! Cheers! Happy Spinach Artichoke “Croquetting”!
Ingredients:
- 16 oz. Frozen Spinach
- 1 jar marinated artichokes (drained)
- 14 oz of firm tofu- pressed
- A whole head of garlic- chopped!
- 1 1/2 cup vegan parmesan (I like Trader Joes or Follow Your Heart)
- 1/2 cup of vegenaise (I use homemade or Follow Your Heart)
- 2 Cups of Panko
- 3 Tbs. Corn Starch
- 1 tsp. garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, basil, and oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- “some” cracked black pepper (to taste and optional!)
- Olive oil (for frying)
Method:
- First, press your tofu. You can use a press. If you are more simple like me, just wrap it in some paper towel, place it on a plate, and put something heavy on top (like a cast iron skillet or something- you can get creative) Let is press for about ten minutes or so to release the water while you get all of your other ingredients ready to go.
- Second, heat up a large skillet with about a Tbs. of olive oil to medium high heat. When the oil is moving freely in the pan, add in your chopped garlic. Fry for a few minutes.
- Just before the garlic is getting golden brown, add in your bag of frozen spinach! It will take a minute or two to break up. Slowly break it with a wooden spatula, and cook it down until the moisture has released. Probably about 5-10 minutes.
- Next, drain your tofu and add it into a large mixing bowl. Crumble it with your fingers. Add in the spinach, the drained artichokes, and mix it well. I like to really break down the artichokes here. Some chunks are okay, but if there are really large chunks, it might make your croquettes fall apart while cooking.
- Then, add in your Vegenaise and spices. These include the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, and basil. Add in the salt and “some” cracked black pepper. I really like adding in spice to the fat element before the rest of the ingredients. I think it incorporates the flavors really well.
- Next add in the Panko and the cornstarch. Mix well again.
- You’re ready to fry! You can use that same large skillet from earlier. Just wipe it down a bit, add some more olive oil, and turn it to medium/ high heat. This will be a shallow-fry.
- Use a 1/3 measuring cup and create nice sized croquettes. Round them out, and place them in the hot oil. Fry for 4-5 minutes per side. Keep an eye on them, as every stove is different. You want them to be a nice golden brown.
- Remove them from the oil and place on a paper-towel lined plate to drain the oil.
- Serve and eat! You can make a dip or eat them as are! They are fabulous!
Additional Notes:
Drain your tofu! It doesn’t have to be perfect, just get as much water out as you can! A little bit of moisture is okay!
If you don’t like to use cornstarch, tapioca starch can also work very well!
Make sure to break down the artichokes quite well so that they really bind with the rest of the mixture.
I really like using Trader Joes Vegan Parmesan here. It melts really nicely, has great flavor, and minimal ingredients. Follow Your Heart Vegan Parmesan is also great!
If you want to make a sauce, I like to make a spicy one! I added Vegenaise, Calabrian chili paste, a little bit of smoked paprika and black pepper. You could also add a little mustard! Be creative! Taste and adjust! It’s your food. Also, these are so good they don’t really even need any sauce.
These Spinach and Artichoke Croquettes would be really wonderful served as a brunch item with fruit or salad. They would also be great with my Miso Fettuccini, My Kale Butternut Squash One-pot Pasta, or even my Creamy Red Pepper Zucchini Noodles.