For this side dish, we decided to splice our Pumpkin French Fries with our various Veggie Tot Recipes. The result was little pumpkiny nuggets that were crispy on the outside and pillowy on the inside. We opted to go with a sage flavour for ours, but the profile is highly customizable (see suggestions in ingredients list), so you can build your tots to pair nicely with your entree!
We served our tots as a side for Pumpkin and Corn Infused Meatloaf (topped with Pumpkin BBQ Sauce) and steamed peas. However, these would also go very well with some other Savory Pumpkin favorites like Pumpkin, Bacon, and Gruyere Strata, Chipotle Pumpkin Veggie Burgers, or Pumpkin and Cheddar Stuffed Pork.
Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- A Fresh Pumpkin. We used about 1/4 of a medium pumpkin to make 3 servings.
- Egg
- Bread Crumbs
- Any seasonings you want to add in. A few good ones (not necessarily together) are:
- Chipotle Chili Powder
- Ground Sage (This is the option we went with…along with a sprinkle of sea salt)
- Salt and Pepper
- Ground Rosemary
- Garlic Powder
- Some Vegetable Oil for Frying
Method:
- Break Down your Pumpkin into slices, and remove the skin. Store extra pumpkin in your fridge for other savory pumpkin recipes.
- Use the small hole shredding plate of your food processor to shred your pumpkin, If you haven’t got one, you can use a box grater in a pinch.
- Squeeze excess liquid out of your shredded pumpkin over a sink, and place your squeezed pumpkin shreds into a large mixing bowl.
- Add your seasonings, and crack two eggs into the bowl. Mix together by hand.
- Pour in some bread crumbs, and mix until your pumpkin concoction is able to clump together and hold its form.
- Heat a little oil in the bottom of a cast iron Dutch Oven.
- When the oil is hot, form your pumpkin mixture into tots, and carefully place them into the oil. (You may need to work in batches).
- Cook for a few minutes, flip with tongs, and cook for another few minutes until your tots are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
- Remove from the oil, and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Cook your next batch as necessary.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
