Vegan Stuffing with Quinoa and Kale / Vegan Mofo
I have always preferred the stuffing over the bird. My mam makes delicious stuffing full of onions and I could eat a whole plate of it (along with her croquettes). This vegan stuffing is a bit different, with quinoa instead of breadcrumbs but it is packed full of flavoursome alliums such as leeks, red onions and garlic. It also takes its inspiration a little bit from Moroccan-style couscous with sweet elements such as dried apricot and pomegranate on top. It is moist and has a really hearty feel to it – and the outside crisps up nicely. When you reheat it it loses that crispness but I just toast some extra pinenuts and throw them on top to add crunch.
Quinoa Kale Stuffing / Vegan Mofo
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
This flavoursome stuffing isn't just a side dish - it also makes a delicious and filling lunch. Packed with quinoa, curly kale, leeks, it's can easily be prepped the night before and roasted on the day. Makes a welcome addition to any table, festive or not! Disclaimer: this recipe is part of Vegan Mofo, so is relatively untested - use your own judgement and taste as you go!
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- several bunches of curly kale
- 2 - 4 leeks
- 1 red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- ⅓ cup dried apricots, roughly chopped.
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprike
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel
- juice and zest of one lemon
Toppings
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ⅓ cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
Instructions
- Set aside a large bowl and a roasting dish or two.
- Pre-heat your oven to 180 °C or 350 °F.
Quinoa:
- Preheat a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the quinoa and toast for 1 to 2 minutes, shaking the saucepan gently to ensure it is evenly toasted.
- Add four cups of water and allow to simmer for approx. 20 minutes or until the "fronds" come out the side of the quinoa.
- Check every few minutes and drain as soon as these little fronds appear. Be careful not to overcook.
- Drain well and return to the warm saucepan to "dry off".
- The quinoa should be fluffy and not mushy. If your quinoa is mushy, your dish will be mushy. Sorry.
Kale and Alliums:
- While the quinoa is cooking, prep your veg.
- Pre-heat a saucepan or frying pan. We are going to gently cook the veg as we prep it, so a normal sized frying pan should be fine.
- De-stem the curly kale, chop the leaves into small pieces and place in the large bowl.
- Finely chop the stems of the kale.
- Add a tablespoon of oil to frying pan and saute kale stems for a few minutes.
- Once sauteed, add to large bowl.
- Add another tablespoon of oil to frying pan and soften up your leeks and red onion for about 5 to 7 minutes, giving them a nudge with a wooden spoon to loosen them up. Add garlic and allow it to become fragrant, approx. 30 seconds. Add to large bowl along with dried apricots.
Assembly and Roasting
- Fold the quinoa into the mixture.
- Season with thyme, sweet paprika and fennel.
- Stir in lemon juice and zest.
- Taste and make seasoning adjustments as necessary.
- Pour the stuffing into roasting dish.
- Use your hands or the back of a fork to press the stuffing down and pack it in.
- Sprinkle pine nuts on top.
- Roast for approx 20 minutes.
- Allow to sit briefly before serving.
- Sprinkle pomegranate arils on individual servings.
This sounds fantastic – I like the contrast of traditional stuffing flavours/texture with more exotic Moroccan elements.