Kale Pesto is an amazing-tasting, nutritious alternative to traditional pesto that’s perfect on pasta, stirred into soup, served up with eggs, on sandwiches … this versatile kale and walnut pesto is a fave in our house!

I love to make this kale and walnut pesto all winter long, when the fresh basil for more traditional pesto isn’t as available.

The Story Behind the Recipe

I originally shared the recipe for this Kale Walnut Pesto all the back in 2012, when I tossed it with bow-tie pasta and cherry tomatoes for an easy pasta dish.

But I love this kale pesto recipe so much, I thought I should share it all on its own! I love to add a dollop to vegetarian minestron soup or pasta e fagiole to add even more flavor, or toss it with pasta or gnocchi. It’s great on pizza, avocado toast, grilled cheese, grilled veggie sandwiches, and so much more.

Basically, this is a super versatile pesto to keep in your fridge to level up just about everything!

So it deserved a little limelight of its own.

Why You’ll Love Walnut & Kale Pesto

• Superfood nutrition! With all the vitamins that kale brings to the table (source) + omega-3s and more nutrients thanks to the walnuts (source), this kale walnut pesto is as healthy as it is delicious.
• Versatile! Put it on pasta, gnocchi, stir it into soup, add it to sandwiches, top scrambled eggs, drizzle over roasted veggies … just keep a jar of this walnut kale pesto in your fridge to elevate savory dishes any time you want.
• Economical – Kale is less expensive than basil, so it can save you a buck or two too.

Kale Pesto Recipe Ingredients

• Walnuts – Plain walnuts that you’ll toast up for optimal flavor.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves
• Kale – Any kind works! Curly, tuscan, you name it.
• Parmesan cheese – For that classic pesto flavor.
• Olive oil – Grab your favorite extra virgin olive oil.
• Salt & pepper

Adaptations/Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon for a punch of zippy bright flavor.
• If you have it, throw in some fresh herbs for more flavor. A little bit of basil, some parsley, a few thyme leaves … all delicious!
• Vegan Option: Omit the parm and add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast or more, to taste. You’ll probably need a bit more salt and a squeeze of lemon goes a long way!

How to Make Kale Walnut Pesto

1. First, toast your walnuts. In a saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
2. Pulse the garlic in a food processor or high speed blender until it’s finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top/scraping down to press the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
3. With the food processor or blender running on low, stream in the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
4. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you like. That’s it!

Jump to recipe for the full, printable instructions & directions

Tip for Success

• When roasting nuts, you want to stop RIGHT before they get browned and toasty. Why? Because even off heat, they’ll continue toasting for a bit. So err on the side of less toasting vs. more.

I hope you love this Kale Walnut Pesto as much as we do! It’s versatile, easy, and a nutritional flavor powerhouse!

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Kale Walnut Pesto

Kale is a surprisingly delicious swap for basil in this pesto recipe! The addition of walnuts brings rich flavor and another punch of nutrients. This versatile pesto is so good in pasta, soups, stews, on roasted veggies … the possibilities are endless!

Keyword kale and walnut pesto, kale pesto, kale walnut pesto, walnut kale pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 tablespoons

Calories 237kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts raw; whole is fine but chopped work too
• 2 medium garlic cloves chopped
• 3 cups kale any kind; roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

Instructions

• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, stir the walnuts until just lightly toasted, about two minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Pulse the garlic in a food processor or high-speed blender until finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until chopped, turning it off periodically and removing the top to press/scrape the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
• With the food processor running on low, pour the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Store in an airtight bowl or jar in the fridge for up to 7 days. You can also freeze this pesto for up to 3 months.

Notes

Vegan Option:

Omit the parm and add a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast or more, to taste. You’ll probably need a bit more salt and a squeeze of lemon goes a long way!

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 842IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 0.5mg

More Pesto & Sauce Recipes

• Dairy-Free Vegan Basil Pesto
• Romesco Sauce
• Italian Tomato Sauce
• Magic 3-Ingredient Pasta Sauce

The post Kale Walnut Pesto appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love Hidden Kiss Cookies
• Hidden Kiss Cookies Recipe Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Them
• Tips for Success
• More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I have a couple dozen recipes that I published back in 2009 or 2010 on my first blog, called The Hazel Bloom (because I liked green flowers and the words together!) But unfortunately, when I rebranded to Kitchen Treaty in 2012, I lost many of them. I still don’t know what I did, they just went poof! And gone.

So I’ve been slowly re-adding these recipes to Kitchen Treaty – and by slowly, I mean sloooowwwwwly, considering it’s been a decade plus!

Last year, I republished this Saltine Toffee recipe which has proven to be really popular. I know I’m a huge fan – I make it every year! Another cookie I make nearly every year? These Hidden Kiss Cookies! At the time, I called them Secret Kiss Cookies, and you can call them that if you prefer. Either one works!

These Hershey’s Kiss cookies are made with finely ground walnuts in the cookie dough for a super tender cookie. They’re wrapped around a single Hershey’s kiss, then baked until lightly golden and tender.

From there, just dust them in powdered sugar and watch them disappear! They’re tender, melt-in-your-mouth good and so perfect on any holiday cookie plate.

Why You’ll Love Hidden Kiss Cookies

• They’re DELICIOUS. Powdered sugar dusted shortbread style cookies around a big ol’ hunk of chocolate … YES PLEASE.
• They’re cute. They look like little snowballs on the holiday cookie platter.

Hidden Kiss Cookies Recipe Ingredients

• Butter – You’ll want it to be room temperature so that it blends and fluffs up easily.
• Sugar – Granulated (white) sugar.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract adds the perfect touch of mellow-sweet flavor.
• Walnuts – Raw walnuts, cut as small as you can get them. I use my Vitamix blender! Note that even walnut haters can love these cookies. Because I am absolutely a professed walnut hater, but something about chopping them into tiny bits makes them not only palatable but delicious.
• Flour – All-purpose.
• Hershey’s kisses – You’ll need about 30 kisses, which is about 3/4 of a 10.2 ounce bag.
• Powdered sugar – For dusting the freshly baked kiss cookies.

Adaptations/Variations

• Swap pecans for the walnuts for a more traditional Mexican Wedding Cookie approach.
• Use Hugs or another favorite kiss variation. Whatever you love!

How to Make Them

1. First, you’ll want to mix up the dough. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the vanilla. Add the walnuts, then the flour, beating on low speed just until the dough forms.
2. Chill for an hour.
3. Scoop tablespoon-size balls of dough and press a kiss into each one, using your hands to form the dough around the kiss in a ball.
4. Bake until lightly golden and set.
5. Cool for about 5 minutes.
6. Dust/roll in powdered sugar, then cool all of the way. And enjoy!

Tips for Success

• Pulverize those walnuts! The finer the better (just don’t process them so much that they turn into nut butter!). A food processor is perfect, or I even just use my Vitamix blender which does the job perfectly.
• Go gently. These tender cookies can be a bit delicate, so be gentle when dusting with powdered sugar.

I hope these Hidden Kiss Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platters! They’re always a fave here.

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Hidden Kiss Cookies

A big bite of chocolate hidden inside a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie, all rolled in powdered sugar. These delicious kiss cookies belong on every holiday cookie platter!

Course Dessert

Keyword hersheys kiss cookies, hidden kiss cookies, secret kiss cookies

Prep Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 30 cookies

Calories 150kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the cookie dough

• 1 cup unsalted butter softened/room temp
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup very finely chopped walnuts 4 ounces; 1 heaping cup of walnuts comes to about 1 cup ground
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 215 grams

For inside the cookies

• 30 Hershey's kisses unwrapped; about 3/4 of a 10.2 ounce package

For dusting the baked cookies

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Mix dough & chill

• Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer affixed with a beater blade or in a large bowl and use a hand mixer. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for another 20 seconds or so until well-distributed.
• Mix in the walnuts on low speed, then add the flour and beat on low just until incorporated.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for an hour.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pull the dough out of the fridge and use a tablespoon-sized measuring spoon or cookie scoop to pull out tablespoon of dough, then roll it around each kiss. I like to smoosh the dough just a bit in my palm, stick the kiss in point first, then wrap it around. Or you can press the cookie dough slightly flat, set the kiss on, and wrap it around the top (it's a little easier to make sure the kiss stays right-side-up this way). You have to smoosh it a little to hide the kiss completely. (I keep using the word "smoosh," but it's very appropriate here!)
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 10-11 minutes, just until set and the bottoms are lightly golden brown.

Cool & dust with powdered sugar

• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes.
• Add the powdered sugar to a bowl. Gently roll in/dust with powdered sugar and place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Cook time includes 1 hour chilling.

Freezer note: These freeze well, so feel free to make them now then save ’em until the big day.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.5mg

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

• Christmas Sugar Cookies
• Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Saltine Toffee (Christmas Crack)
• Mini Gingerbread People

The post Hidden Kiss Cookies appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I love to make this lentil walnut taco meat at the beginning of the week for meals all week long. It’s so easy!

My guy, who is a carnivore, will cook taco-seasoned ground beef, and then we’ll enjoy several nights of one-dish-two-ways meals: Vegetarian taco salad + meaty taco salad. Taco stuffed sweet potatoes (recipe coming soon!) Just straight-up tacos. Quesadillas. It totally works!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Lentil Walnut Taco Meat Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Lentil Taco Meat
• Can I Freeze This Vegetarian Taco Meat?
• More Lentil Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Reviews & Comments

The Story Behind the Recipe

I’ve been making a version of this recipe for years! I first caught wind of the genius of the lentil-walnut combo for taco meat in the Oh She Glows cookbook. Over the years, I started building my own recipe around the lentil-walnut combo.

I love, love, love the simplicity of this vegetarian taco “meat.” It’s just a matter of toasting up the walnuts, then cooking the veggies, sauteeing the aromatics, and simmering the lentils in everything plus the broth. Add back the walnuts, squeeze some lime juice over the top, and eat well!

Lentil Walnut Taco Meat Ingredients

• Lentils – I prefer French green lentils in this vegetarian taco meat recipe, because they stay rather firm and don’t get mushy like other lentils can. I love how they soak up the flavors but hold their own in this recipe. I did test this recipe with common brown lentils, and it was good, but not AS good as French green lentils, in my opinion.
• Walnuts – Chopped and toasted. They add a little nutrition and healthy fat, plus some nice texture.
• Onion, green pepper, & garlic – These veggies/aromatics add some nice flavor and nutrition.
• Olive oil – For sautéing the veggies and other ingredients.
• Tomato paste – I like the rich color and umami flavor that tomato paste gives a recipe. It’s kind of a magic ingredient for vegetarian recipes!
• Taco seasoning – I use my homemade taco seasoning in this recipe, but if you don’t have any taco seasoning mix on hand, I’ve added substitute information in the notes section of the recipe.
• Veggie broth – Store-bought or homemade veggie broth will work! I always like to start with low-sodium vegetable broth so that I can better control the salt in the finished product.
• Salt & pepper – For enhancing all of those flavors.
• Lime juice – Adds a bright, zippy, acidic touch to your lentil taco meat.

Adaptations/Variations

• This vegetarian taco meat is vegetarian, dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free already, so it’s one of those great neutral recipes that works for a lot of different diets.
• Make it spicier by adding a few dashes of Tabasco with the lime juice. You can also drop in some cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes to turn up the heat.
• Brown lentils also work, but I really prefer French green lentils for this one.

How to Make Lentil Taco Meat

First, you toast your walnuts, then remove them from the pan and wipe the pan clean.

From there, heat the olive oil and add the onion and green peppers. Saute until soft and tender, then add the garlic, tomato paste, and taco seasoning spices. Saute until fragrant, then add the vegetable broth, lentils, salt, and pepper.

At this point, you’re going to need to simmer your vegetarian taco meat for a bit to cook down and the lentils get tender. Splash in a bit of broth if it gets too dry.

Then, stir in the toasted walnuts, squeeze in some lime juice, add more salt and pepper if you like, and voila! Taco time!

Can I Freeze This Vegetarian Taco Meat?

Yes, this taco meat freezes really well! Just place it in an airtight freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of vegetable broth or water.

More Lentil Recipes

• Red Lentil Pasta Sauce
• Instant Pot Golden Lentil & Spinach Soup
• Wild Rice & Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash
• Lentil & Chickpea Curry

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Vegetarian Lentil Taco Meat Recipe

This versatile, delicious, and full-of-flavor combo makes an incredible meatless taco filling! It's not just for tacos, though. Use this lentil-walnut taco filling for burritos, taco salads, quesadillas, and so much more!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword lentil taco meat, lentil walnut taco meat, vegan taco meat, vegetarian lentil taco meat, vegetarian taco meat

Servings 6

Calories 202kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 green bell pepper diced
• 2 medium garlic cloves minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning*
• 3/4 cup French green lentils rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth + up to 1 cup more if needed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt** plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
• 1/2 lime juiced

Instructions

• Set a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add the walnuts and toast, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, until just beginning to turn lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer walnuts to a bowl and set aside.
• Carefully wipe out the pan and set it back over the heat. Add olive oil. When hot, add the onion and green bell pepper. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste, and taco seasoning. Cook, stirring, for one minute, until fragrant.
• Add the vegetable broth, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the pan. Stir in the lentils. Increase to high, until the mix is boiling, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. If the mixture gets too dry before the lentils have cooked through, splash in a little more vegetable broth to keep it going.
• Stir in the toasted walnuts along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Squeeze the lime over the top. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

*If you don’t have taco seasoning mix on hand, sub in:

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprrika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

** I usually use about 1 teaspoon kosher salt, but I kept the salt content low with the option to add more because tastes vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 307mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Vegetarian Lentil Taco Meat Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Grab a slice and drizzle it with vegetarian gravy, then watch it disappear. The crisp golden crust gives way to a full-of-flavor chickpea loaf, and then finally to the buttery Yukon Gold mashed potato core.

This centerpiece-worthy vegetable Wellington is totally qualified to be the main event. We love this stuff!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love this Vegetarian Wellington
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Chickpea Wellington with a Mashed Potato Core
• Tips for Success
• Can I Freeze this Vegan Wellington?
• What to Serve with Vegetarian Wellington
• More Vegetarian Holiday Main Dish Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

For years now, I’ve been dreaming of an epic vegan holiday main dish that heartily checks all the boxes. Something that is worthy of a centerpiece position on the table, with lots of satisfying protein, excellent flavor, and a pretty presentation. This Ultimate Vegetarian Wellington is the result!

I’m so excited that this chickpea wellington is, in my opinion, awesome enough to qualify as an epic holiday main.

This vegetarian Wellington is a pastry-wrapped vegan “roast,” essentially.

But this is not just any old vegetarian wellington, but a Mashed Potato Stuffed one! And I’m so excited to share it with you today.

Why You’ll Love this Vegetarian Wellington

It can be tough to come up with a vegetarian and/or vegan main dish that impresses as much as a turkey can, but this vegetarian Wellington makes THE most awesome holiday centerpiece!

It’s super impressive to slice into, as well … that mashed potato core is a total surprise. This is a fun one!

Readers say …

“Easy to make and was a hit all around (vegan and non vegans)”

– Sheralee

Ingredients

For the chickpea loaf:

• Olive oil – for sautéing the veggies
• Onion, carrot, celery, and garlic – these aromatics add so much flavor to this vegetarian Wellington.
• Chickpeas – You’ll want one can (drained and rinsed), or about 2 cups.
• Tomato paste – Adds rich, umami flavor.
• Panko breadcrumbs – Help to bind the loaf together.
• Ground flaxseed – These also act as a binder for your veggie loaf.
• Walnuts – For both nutrition and texture. I love the rich, “meaty” quality that walnuts impart in meat-substitute-type recipes (I use them in my lentil walnut taco meat, too!)
• Soy sauce – For more umami flavor!
• Dijon mustard – Adds a pop of flavor.
• Onion powder – Such a good secret weapon for adding flavor to vegetarian and vegan dishes.
• Smoked paprika – Another secret weapon for adding smoky flavor!
• Salt & pepper – Add more or less, to taste.

For the mashed potato core:

• Yukon gold potatoes – These buttery rich potatoes are one of my favorites for mashed potatoes.
• Milk – My vegetarian Wellington recipe is vegan as written, so you can go with plant-based milk or, if you’re okay with dairy, dairy-based milk will work too.
• Butter – vegan butter or dairy butter will work.
• Salt
• Ground white pepper – I like to use white pepper in my mashed potatoes so that they stay a pure white color instead of having flecks of black, but you can totally use regular peppercorns if you like.

For the pastry:

• Store-bought puff pastry sheet – You’ll need one to wrap the loaf, and a second sheet for leaves and other decorations if you want to make it extra fancy.
• Milk – To brush the puff pastry.

Garnishes:

• Fresh herbs such as sage, rosemary, and/or parsley
• Fresh cranberries

Adaptations/Variations

• Leave out the mashed potatoes. You don’t HAVE to add the mashed potato core … you can totally simplify. This veggie wellington recipe is just fine without it!
• Vegetarian vs. vegan. The recipe as written is a completely vegan Wellington, but you can use dairy products if you’re okay with a non-vegan version.

How to Make Chickpea Wellington with a Mashed Potato Core

We start with what’s basically a chickpea meatloaf. With veggies, chickpeas, walnuts, Panko breadcrumbs, and a few ingredients for flavor (smoked paprika is never wrong).

We form the loaf, leaving off about 1/3 of the mixture and creating a tunnel down the middle.

Why the tunnel? Mashed potatoes, of course! We whip up an easy-peasy little batch with buttery Yukon golds, and once they’ve cooled a bit, we form a mashed potato log, and lay it right the tunnel.

Create a lid with the rest of the chickpea meatloaf mixture, and gently seal it around the mashed potatoes.

At this point, you can wrap your loaf in plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to wrap it up in puff pastry and bake. Or, just wrap and bake now!

Here’s the fun part: Wrapping and decorating your vegetable wellington! I use store-bought puff pastry, but this homemade vegan puff pastry looks like a glorious option too, if you’re down for it.

Lay the puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper, and eyeball your loaf. You want the pastry to be 2-3 inches wider than the loaf on either side, so roll it out a bit if you need to. Wrap the loaf, sealing at the bottom, then seal the ends like a present.

If you’d like, at this point you can use a fork to gently draw lines in the pastry, or even use extra pastry to decorate. For this one, I twisted a few “vines” and cut out a few leaves with a cookie cutter.

I brush my vegetarian wellington simply with almond milk, but I’ve heard a glaze mixed with a bit of pure maple syrup lends an even shinier effect. Either way, the glaze is optional, but pretty, and it helps it achieve that nice, impressive golden brown color.

And bake!

Once your vegan wellington is done, let it sit for a good 10 minutes. Then transfer to your serving platter, garnish with fresh herbs and cranberries if you want, and slice with a serrated knife.

Tips for Success

• Make-ahead: Assemble the loaf ahead of time up until you’ve covered the mashed potato core and before you wrap with phyllo. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store for up to 3 days in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake it, proceed with the puff pastry wrap and bake.
• Brush the pastry with a little milk before baking: This will help it get golden brown.

Can I Freeze this Vegan Wellington?

I have not tested freezing this veggie Wellington, but I have a hunch it will work well. (It’s on my list to test, and I’ll report back after I do!) I do think it will work, though. Just assemble it up to the point of brushing the crust and baking. Wrap tightly or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, brush with milk, and bake.

What to Serve with Vegetarian Wellington

• I highly recommend serving this vegan Wellington with a nice veggie gravy. Both this vegetarian onion gravy (with vegan option) and vegan mushroom gravy are superb with it.
• I think cranberry sauce is also a must. This Orange Maple Cranberry Sauce or Apple Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce are both great.
• Green salads are always a hit! I like this simple fall green salad or this delicious kale salad.
• Can’t forget the stuffing! This buttery herb stuffing is perfect.
• These fluffy vegan dinner rolls seal the deal!

I hope you love this vegetarian Wellington recipe as much as we do! It’s delicious, unique, and surprisingly fun to make (and eat!)

More Vegetarian Holiday Main Dish Recipes

• Vegan Butternut Squash Pasta Bake
• Wild Rice & Lentil Stuffed Delicata Squash
• Creamy Artichoke Baked Pasta
• Pumpkin Curry Soup
• Mushroom & Spinach Risotto
• Pumpkin Risotto

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Ultimate Vegetarian Wellington (with Chickpeas & Mashed Potato Core)

The ultimate vegan wellington?! Possibly so! A flavorful chickpea-walnut loaf with a buttery mashed potato core, all wrapped up in flaky-golden puff pastry and baked to perfection. The perfect holiday table centerpiece!

Keyword chickpea wellington, potato wellington, vegan wellington, vegetable wellington, vegetarian wellington

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Calories 527kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the chickpea loaf:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion diced small) (about 1 cup
• 1 medium carrot peeled and diced small) (about 1/2 cup
• 1 stalk celery diced small) (about 1/2 cup
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup walnuts chopped fine
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

For the mashed potato core:

• 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes about 2 medium, peeled and quartered
• 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter I like Earth Balance or Melt
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper + more to taste*

For the pastry:

• 1 store-bought frozen puff pastry sheet thawed [or 2 if you want to embellish the sides and top with extra pastry]. Feel free to use your own favorite recipe if you prefer the pastry to be homemade!
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk

For the garnish (optional):

• Fresh herbs such as sage and rosemary
• Fresh cranberries

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Set puff pastry out to thaw, if you haven’t already.
• Make the mashed potato core. Add potatoes to a medium pot halfway with water and set over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Add potatoes to back to pan (off heat). Add 2 tablespoons soy milk, 1 tablespoon butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon white pepper. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. You want the potatoes to be rather stiff and moldable; if they need a bit more milk, add a teaspoon at a time until you’re there. Set aside to cool enough to handle.
• Cook the veggies for the loaf. Set a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery along with a little pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute. Set aside.
• Mix together the remaining loaf ingredients. While the veggies and potatoes cook, mix together the rest of the loaf. To a large bowl, add the chickpeas and the tomato paste. Using a potato masher, mash the chickpeas and tomato paste together, leaving just a bit of chunkiness. Add the breadcrumbs, walnuts, soy sauce, flaxseed, mustard, onion powder, smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Finish mixing and mash together the loaf. Add cooked veggies. Mix together with a wooden spoon, and then dig in with your clean hands! It’s the best way to get this loaf together. Squish and smoosh the loaf together until the ingredients are incorporated and it holds together fairly easily.
• Form the loaf. Set a sheet of parchment paper on your kitchen counter and place 2/3 of the chickpea  mixture on the paper. Form into a loaf about 12″ long. Gently press a channel into the middle, being careful to keep the sides and bottom thick and sturdy, and taking care to seal any cracks that form.
• Add the potato core to the loaf. Remove the mashed potatoes from their pan and, with your hands, form a log with them approximately the same length as the loaf. Set the log into the loaf. You want the top of the log to be level with the sides of the loaf, so you may need to remove a few pinches of mashed potatoes to achieve that.
• Finish forming the loaf. With the remaining 1/3 of chickpea loaf mixture, form a “lid.” I usually do this in 3-4 flat pieces, then just lay them over the top. Carefully shape the loaf around the potatoes, taking care to cover them completely. But it doesn’t need to be perfect, really! Rustic is always good.
• Wrap with puff pastry. Set the puff pastry on another piece of parchment paper. Roll it out with a rolling pin if it needs to be a bit longer (it should be 2-3 inches longer than the loaf on either side). Carefully transfer the loaf to the center of the pastry, gently flipping the loaf over so the top side is face down. Wrap the pastry around the the loaf and press together to seal. Flip the loaf over so the top side is now up. Seal the sides by wrapping like a present – sides go in first, then the top and bottom. If necessary, wet your fingertips to get the puff pastry to seal.
• Decorate puff pastry. If desired, twist long lengths of pastry into “vines” or cut leaves or other shapes out of a second sheet of puff pastry to decorate the loaf. You can also use the tines of a fork to cut lines into the pastry. Optionally, brush with almond milk for a more golden appearance once baked.
• Bake. Transfer loaf, parchment paper and all, to a large rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated oven and bake until golden brown, 30-40 minutes.
• Cool. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes.
• Garnish. Transfer to a platter or wood board and tuck herbs around the edges of the loaf. Decorate with fresh cranberries.
• Serve.

  Slice with a serrated knife and pass gravy alongside.

Notes

* Feel free to substitute black pepper, it’ll taste just as good; I just like how the white pepper keeps the potatoes white.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 527kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 720mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1937IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Vegetarian Wellington Recipe (with Chickpeas & Mashed Potato Core!) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Why You’ll Love These Sandwiches
• Ingredients
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches
• Tips for Success
• More Grilling Recipes
• More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

Summer arrived remarkably early in the Pacific Northwest, and I’ve been giddily embracing it. Summer is my homeboy. I’ve been loving it so much, in fact, that I had a nightmare last night that suddenly it was mid-November and I looked around, confused – where had summer gone? I cried. Like, actually cried. Well, at least, in my dream I did. Probably into my pillow, too. Luckily, in my dream I remembered that it was still actually July, and I managed to return to summer. Sweet relief.

Good thing, because I’ve got veggies and herbs in the garden, on their way to becoming future summer dinners like this Grilled Vegetable Sandwich. I refuse to skip August, so take that, dream world!

Why You’ll Love These Sandwiches

These Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches take advantage of many of the foodstuffs that summer has to offer. Zucchini, yellow squash, sweet red bell peppers, and handfuls of fresh basil.

The pesto adds tons of flavor and the veggies, with their marinade, are tender and delicious.

Readers say …

“Excellent veggie sandwich! My husband and I loved this!”

– Lisa

Ingredients

• Zucchini & yellow squash – You can use all zucchini or all yellow squash, I just like the slightly different flavors and pretty colors.
• Red bell pepper
• Ciabatta sandwich rolls – Any favorite artisan sandwich roll will work, or one reader reported using focaccia which I think sounds absolutely amazing!
• Olive oil – For toasting the rolls & for the veggie marinade
• Pesto – For slathering on the rolls. Use your favorite store-bought brand or recipe, or try one of my favorite pesto recipes
• Garlic, balsamic, thyme, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, salt & pepper – for the veggie marinade. YUM.

Adaptations/Variations

• Keep it vegan by using vegan pesto. I’m pretty partial to this homemade vegan pesto recipe!
• One Dish Two Ways for vegetarians and meat-eaters living together: Sandwiches are great for customizing to individual tastes and diets because of their handy-dandy individual serving size. My carnivorous guy tried these with a grilled chicken sausage sliced lengthwise and tucked inside but actually decided he preferred it without because it was so flavorful already. Perhaps some grilled sliced chicken breast would work nicely.
• Make it cheesy by adding a melty slice of provolone, coins of fresh mozzarella, or a smear of herbed goat cheese. Grilled halloumi is amazing on these sandwiches, too!

How to Make Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches

To make them, you first give the veggies a quick soak in a balsamic-thyme marinade. While they marinate, if you’re using homemade pesto, go ahead and whip that up.

Grill the veggies either on your barbecue or indoors on your grill pan, then slather the insides of crusty toasted rolls with the fresh pesto.

Layer the veggies inside, and you’re good to go.

Tips for Success

• Toast your rolls. The crisp, golden insides hold up well to the pesto, and the added crunch and flavor is perfect!
• Don’t flip your veggies too soon. Let them sit for awhile on the grill so that they form those glorious grill marks (this is where the flavor lies, too!)

More Grilling Recipes

• Grilled Halloumi Cheese – it’s SO good!
• Grilled Sweet Potatoes
• Grilled Baby Potatoes
• Grilled Quesadillas
• Grilled Tofu Tacos
• Grilled Cauliflower Sandwiches.

More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes

• Ultimate Veggie BLT
• Vegetarian Club Sandwich
• Bahn-Mi Inspired Egg Salad
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Cauliflower Steak Sandwich
• Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Sandwich
• The Perfect Grilled Cheese

Print

Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

Summer in a sandwich! Zucchini, summer squash, and red bell peppers doused in balsamic-thyme marinade, grilled to perfection, and then piled onto pesto-smeared artisan rolls.

Keyword grilled vegetable sandwiches

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4 sandwiches

Calories 481kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2-3 small to medium zucchini 1 pound
• 2-3 small to medium summer squash or yellow squash 1 pound
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 4 ciabatta sandwich rolls or your favorite artisan sandwich roll
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup pesto

Marinade:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves chopped
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Zest from one lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper + more to taste

Instructions

• Slice the zucchini and summer squash lengthwise, 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick. Cut the bell pepper into 1-inch wide strips. Lay in a roomy baking dish.
• Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together all marinade ingredients. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired. Pour over the veggies and toss gently. Let sit for about 30 minutes.
• Prepare your grill – medium direct heat, about 375 degrees. Lay the vegetables on the preheated grill grates and cook until grill lines form, about 5 minutes. Flip (we like to use long-handled tongs) and cook on the other side until tender and cooked through, about 5 more minutes. Transfer from the grill to a platter. Keep the grill on to quickly toast the rolls.
• Slice the rolls in half and brush the insides with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Lay the rolls cut-side down on the grill and cook just until warmed and a little golden and toasty. Remove from grill.
• Assemble the sandwiches. Smear both sides of the roll with approx. 1 tablespoon of pesto on each side (more or less to taste). Add a layer of zucchini, summer squash, and two or three strips of the pepper. Close, cut in half, and serve!

Notes

Vegetarian options:

• If you prefer Parmesan in your pesto, add 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup shredded, to taste.
• Add a slice of provolone to your sandwich or smear the roll with a little herbed goat cheese.

Meat options:

• Add a layer of grilled chicken or a few slices of your favorite sausage.

6/10/2024 recipe update: Removed pesto recipe and instead called for your favorite pesto for simplification. If you’re still looking for the pesto recipe, here it is:

Basil Walnut Pesto

1/3 cup walnuts (toasted)

3 cups fresh basil (loosely packed)

2 medium cloves garlic (minced)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes or Parm

1/3 cup olive oil

First, toast the walnuts (an optional but worthwhile step – toasting adds wonderful flavor). To toast, set a small pan over medium heat and add the walnuts. Stir frequently until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add to the pitcher of a blender or a food processor fitted with the s-blade. Add the basil, garlic, thyme, lemon juice, nutritional yeast or Parmesan if using, and salt. Turn on the blender or food processor, streaming in the olive oil as it runs, until a sauce forms. Taste pesto and add additional salt if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 481kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 882mg | Potassium: 599mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1997IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Grilled Vegetable Sandwich appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

I’ve had it in green smoothies. That was a little weird … I think I prefer spinach. I’ve made kale chips a half a dozen times and I find them kind of gross (the parts that are still just a little stringy and chewy and most assuredly non-chip-like) and execptionally addicting (the salty crispy pieces) all at the same time.

So I don’t even know. I’ve never tried to massage it, so maybe it’s just not playing nice with me.

I mean, I don’t hate it, I really don’t. I guess I’m just trying to say that, so far, I want to like it more than I do.

What a way to introduce a recipe where kale is one of the stars, eh? Here’s the thing, though. I really really like kale pesto. Sure, the kale is still a little bitter and all, but with garlic and Parmesan and walnuts and a little squeeze of lemon? I totally dig it.

So there is that. I make this pasta dish with kale pesto, for instance, and I pretty much inhale the stuff. Yum.

And this past weekend, I whipped up this pretty darn tasty dip with white beans and kale pesto.

It’s … actually pretty addicting. It’s garlicky, a little nutty, kind of tangy (thanks to all the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar I threw in there to counteract the bitterness of the kale), and it’s healthy! I especially love its green hue – totally perfect for the holidays, especially served up in a red dish.

Not too sure about kale? You know I feel ya. Try subbing out basil pesto instead of the kale pesto. And if you want to make the recipe even faster, you can even use store-bought pesto.

Print

White Bean & Kale Pesto Dip

Naturally green, utterly addicting, and the perfect way to sneak in a superfood. This garlicky dip is easy to make and even easier to eat.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 cup

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup walnuts + a few more chopped walnuts for topping if desired
• 2 medium garlic cloves chopped
• 3 cups kale lightly packed and chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Approx. 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans or 2 15-ounce cans, drained

Instructions

• Pulse the garlic in a food processor until finely chopped, then add the kale, walnuts, and Parmesan cheese. Pulse until chopped, turning off periodically and removing the top to press the kale down toward the blade if necessary.
• With the food processor running on low, pour the olive oil in in a steady stream until it forms a sauce. Add the lemon juice and pulse a couple more times.
• Scrape down the sides and add the beans, along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Puree, adding more oil if necessary to obtain a smooth consistency. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
• Transfer to a bowl and top with additional almonds and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve with pitas, crackers, and/or veggies.

The post White Bean & Kale Pesto Dip appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.