🥨 Snacks

Vegan Pataniscas

Pataniscas are classic Portuguese fritters, traditionally made with salt cod. This fully vegan version replaces the fish with plant‑based ingredients that capture the same savoury, sea‑like flavour and satisfying texture: golden and crisp on the outside, soft and tender inside. No seafood, eggs, dairy, or animal products — just as delicious as the original, perfect as a tapa, snack, or light main meal.

Shared by james

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Time

25 min

Serves

Difficulty

easy

🛒 Ingredients

#Vegan “Fish” Base;
250 g hearts of palm (finely chopped) or king oyster mushrooms (roughly shredded)
1 tbsp dulse or seaweed flakes (for authentic ocean flavour)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
#Batter;
100 g all‑purpose flour.. 2 tbsp cornstarch (for extra crispness).. 150 ml cold water or vegetable stock
1 tbsp nutritional yeast.. ½ tsp garlic powder.. ½ tsp onion powder.. 1 tsp baking powder
Salt and black pepper to taste.. 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped.. Neutral oil for frying
#To Serve;
Lemon wedges
Vegan mayonnaise or tartare sauce

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1
Prep the base: Toss the hearts of palm or mushrooms with lemon juice and seaweed flakes; set aside for 5 minutes to absorb the flavour.
2
Make the batter: In a bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, baking powder, spices, salt, pepper, and parsley. Gradually stir in cold water or stock until you have a thick, smooth batter.
3
Combine: Fold the plant‑based “fish” mixture into the batter until evenly coated.
4
Fry: Heat plenty of oil in a pan over medium heat. Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the oil and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp all over.
5
Drain & serve: Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm with lemon wedges and your favourite dipping sauce.