Veggie Waffles Are Here To Win Weeknight Dinners
Do you remember those old "Will It Blend?" infomercials, where a man in a lab jacket (so much gravitas!) would attempt to add everything from glow sticks to an iPad to a high-powered blender?
I've been playing my own version of this game at home, except instead of demolishing expensive electronics, I'm asking: Will it waffle? I often find myself eyeing my leftovers, wondering if they, too, are destined for the crispy-edged abyss that is my waffle iron. And surprisingly, most things waffle pretty damn nicely. Mashed potatoes? Crispy, latke-like heaven. Spaghetti? A carb-y delight. Falafel? I'm not saying I've improved on the centuries-old snack...but if the Egyptians had waffle irons in the 1600s, I know they would've preferred it this way.
A waffle iron (and if you don't have one, get one! They're shockingly cheap!) offers the opportunity for instant crispy edges, a texture game-changer. Because it cooks all of those nooks and crannies, you also get a higher amount of what's called the Maillard reaction, a sciencey term for the caramelization of sugars that makes vegetables go from boring to totally cravable (Brussels sprouts, I'm looking at you).
This recipe uses basically any vegetables you have on hand—it's a great way to do a fridge clean-out. Just don't skip the onion, since it really gets on board with the whole Maillard thing and is responsible for the awesome flavor of everything else in the waffle. Arrowroot, a powder made from tubers, is a gluten-free binding flour alternative that adds extra-crispifying (is that a word? It needs to be) starch. Once you make the waffles, top 'em with an egg, serve 'em on a bed of greens, or just eat 'em plain.
Bonus: This recipe is a great way to use that nut milk bag that's been sitting in the back of your pantry since you bought it with the best of intentions three years ago (if you don't have one, no worries; a thin cotton dish towel will work wonderfully as well).
Gluten-Free Veggie Waffles
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded vegetables of choice (carrots, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, red pepper, sweet potato, etc.)
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 eggs, preferably pastured
- ¼ cup arrowroot powder
- Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Optional: greens, a fried egg, or hot sauce, to serve
Method
- Heat up your waffle iron. In a large bowl, sprinkle a generous amount of salt on veggies and toss to coat.
- Let sit for 10 minutes, then transfer to a nut milk bag or thin tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- Wipe out bowl and return wrung-out shredded veggies to it. Mix in onion, eggs, and arrowroot.
- Scoop a few heaping spoonfuls of mixture into waffle iron and let cook over medium until outside is golden brown. Transfer waffle to plate and repeat with second waffle. Serve optional add-ins and enjoy!
Want more easy weeknight dinners? We've got you covered!
Liz Moody is an author, blogger and recipe developer living in Brooklyn, New York. She graduated with a creative writing and psychology degree from The University of California, Berkeley. Moody has written two cookbooks: Healthier Together: Recipes for Two—Nourish Your Body, Nourish Your Relationships and Glow Pops: Super-Easy Superfood Recipes to Help You Look and Feel Your Best. She also hosts the Healthier Together Podcast, where she chats with notable chefs, nutritionists, and best-selling authors about their paths to success. Her work has been featured in Vogue, Glamour, Food & Wine & Women’s Health.