Slughorn’s Black Bean “Dragon Balls”

Horace Slughorn, it’s safe to say, is definitely not a vegan. 

​As much as we love the Slytherin potions master who reclaims his old post in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince… the food he serves at his famous and elite Slug Club dinners and parties? Not so much. 

The one that stands out the most? The Slug Club’s most notorious appetizer—the Dragon Balls served during the infamous Christmas party at Hogwarts in the Half-Blood Prince film. The seemingly innocuous little appetizers are made from raw dragon meat, making them anything but appetizing. 

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Can’t you just picture dragon sanctuary hero Charlie Weasley’s look of horror?

We can, and we love dragons and Charlie way too much to let that travesty continue! 

Enter our vegan, creature-free, and gluten-free take on Dragon Balls. Featuring black beans, chili powder, smoked paprika, and if you desire, your favorite hot sauce, these delicious dragon-free black bean dragon balls are packed with flavor and nutritious ingredients.

Ingredients
15.5 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed 
4 teaspoons grapeseed oil (or olive)*
(You could also do 2 teaspoons oil and 2 teaspoons Sriracha or hot sauce) 
1 tablespoon raw sunflower seeds*
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Big pinch of garlic powder
Big pinch of sea salt
Pinch of onion powder 
½ teaspoon baking powder 
4 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour** 
olive oil cooking spray 

Optional: 
Fresh garlic cloves
Chopped onion
Cumin powder 
Sriracha or hot sauce

Let’s Make This! 
1. Preheat the oven to 400.  

2. Line a baking tray with foil and spritz it with olive oil cooking spray.

3. In a food processor, pulse the drained black beans with 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil until it’s mostly a paste.

4. Using a fork or rubber spatula, scrape the black bean mixture into a medium bowl.

5. Add the sunflower seeds, spices, salt, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil or Sriracha/hot sauce.

6. Mix well.

7. Add in 4 tablespoons of GF flour and the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. (Or 1 teaspoon oil, 1 teaspoon hot sauce).

8. The mixture should be firm enough to make into balls.

9. Using a tablespoon, scoop up generous balls of black bean “dough” and put it on the baking tray.

10. Once all the black beanballs are measured out and placed on the tray, gently press the tops down and spritz with cooking spray.

11. Bake in the oven for 16 minutes.

12. When the timer goes off, take the tray out, turn it around so the side that was facing the inside of the oven is now facing you, and gently flip each black beanball. 

13. Spritz each bite with a little more cooking spray, then put back in the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes (mine usually take 10). 

14. Annnd done! Let the black bean balls cool on the tray for a few minutes before eating. Once they’re completely cool, store them in the fridge in a tightly covered container for up to four days. (If they last that long!) 

Notes:
*I like the added crunch and texture of the sunflower seeds. You could also use sesame seeds or whole flax seeds. 
** If you’re not gluten-free, use whatever all-purpose flour you have.

You can also really customize the mix-ins! If you can do spicy and really want to embrace some fire-breathing dragon heat, add ground cayenne pepper and hot chili powder, or whatever scorching hot spices you love. 

Serving Suggestions: 
These are divine with a little vegan cheese melted on top of them and served with smoked paprika and olive oil sweet potato fries. You could also eat them atop a hearty green salad with an herbed dressing, in a veggie wrap, or just by themselves! If you’re hosting a Potterhead movie marathon event or a Potterish potluck, this recipe can easily be doubled or tripled!

If you make these black bean Dragon Balls, snap a pic and tag us on our Twitter @ProtegoFDN, Instagram @protegofoundation, or on our Facebook page! We’d love to see that vegan magic you’ve cooked up!

Written by Victoria Tomis