Healthy Vegan Chex Mix (gluten free)
Sep 16, 2022 • Updated Jun 20, 2023
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Make crunchy, healthy Vegan Chex Mix with your favorite snack foods for a twist on a nostalgic party food with health benefits!
Who doesn’t love Chex Mix? It’s salty, crunchy, and everyone has a favorite item. But sadly, what makes it taste so good also makes Chex Mix not the healthiest option. It’s full of refined grains, sugar, and tons of sodium. That’s why I love to make my own healthy Chex mix that’s just as addicting, without the ultra-processed stuff. Plus, my version is fully vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients for Homemade Gluten-Free Chex Mix
Here’s what you need to make your own vegan Chex Mix:
- Rice Chex. You can use unflavored Rice Chex, or any crunchy gluten-free cereal you like.
- Pretzels. Use your favorite miniature gluten-free pretzels.
- Popcorn. I use vegan cheese-flavored popcorn, but any kind you like will work.
- Cheese snacks. These add major savory flavor. I like the nacho cheese-flavored Sun Poppers.
- Peanuts. you can use regular unsalted, unroasted nuts because you’ll be roasting them yourself!
- Spices. Season your peanuts with smoked paprika and garlic powder to amp up the flavor.
Ingredient Swaps
If you don’t have all of these ingredients on hand, here are some swaps to make your own Chex Mix:
- You can use almonds, cashews, or pumpkin seeds instead of peanuts. The pumpkin seeds make a great nut-free swap.
- Use any kind of cereal you like. I don’t recommend anything that’s too sweet, though.
- Swap out pretzels for gluten-free croutons.
- Use any sturdy chip, such as tortilla or pita chips.
- You can also make your own flavored popcorn using this recipe for Miso Butter Furikake Popcorn (vegan, gluten free)
- Or, try making Popped Sorghum.
- Also, if you’re short on time, you can always buy pre-seasoned roasted nuts instead of making your own peanuts.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftover party mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
More Healthy Snack Recipes
- Homemade Japanese Rice Crackers (Senbei)
- Kinako Rice Krispies with Peanuts and Mochi (vegan, gluten free)
- Zero Waste/Low Waste Popcorn (vegan, gluten free)
If you make this gluten-free and vegan homemade Chex Mix, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below!
Healthy Homemade Gluten-Free Chex Mix Recipe (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice chex or unflavoured gluten free cereal of choice
- 2 cups gluten free pretzels
- 2 cups popcorn I used these vegan "cheese" flavoured popcorn
- 2 cups vegan cheese snack of choice I used these vegan "nacho cheese" sun poppers
- Pan Toasted Peanuts
- 1 1/2 cups peanuts
- 2 tsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all of your ingredients except for the peanut ingredients.
- Heat a pan over medium high heat and add the oil to the pan.
- Next add the peanuts and all of the spices and shake the pan to toss to coat. Cook for 5-6 minutes, shaking continuously, until the peanuts are golden brown or toasted to your liking. Let cool.
- Add the peanuts to the bowl and mix all ingredients with a spoon or with your hands.
Notes
Ingredient Swaps
If you don't have all of these ingredients on hand, here are more delicious add-ins to make your own Gluten Free Chex Mix. Source ingredients that sound good to you at grocery stores or online– tweak this recipe to make your own delicious Chex party mix.- You can use almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds instead of peanuts. The pumpkin seeds make a great nut-free swap.
- Use any kind of cereal you like. I don't recommend anything that's too sweet, though.
- Swap out pretzels for gluten-free croutons or gluten-free bagel chips.
- Use any sturdy chip, such as tortilla or pita chips.
- You can also make your own flavored popcorn using this recipe for Miso Butter Furikake Popcorn (vegan, gluten free)
- Or, try making Popped Sorghum.
- Also, if you're short on time, you can always buy pre-seasoned roasted nuts instead of making your own peanuts.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftover party mix in an airtight container or ziptop plastic bag at room temperature for up to a week.Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
