Collard Green Veggie Wraps with Creamy Peanut Sauce
These collard green vegan wraps with creamy peanut sauce offer a fresh, healthy main dish or appetizer that is bursting with vibrant color and loads of nutrition. Checkout out my cooking demo video of this recipe
Start by preparing the peanut sauce. This creamy sauce is very easy to make in about 5 minutes. Simply combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk together until smooth. If needed, heat the mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds to allow for easier blending. If it needs to be thinned a bit, just add a little more almond milk. Set to the side while you start on the wraps.
Collard leaves are very large and rigid. They require a few steps to make them easier to work with.
First, lay the collard leaf on a cutting board or other flat surface and turn it with the coarse side up. Use a sharp knife to trim the thickest part of the stem, being careful not to cut through the leaf. This will help allow the leaf to be rolled and folded without cracking and tearing. See my video that shows how easy this is to do.
Next, bring a pot of water to boil to parboil the leaves to make them more pliable and easy to bend when rolling. Lower the heat to medium-low. Hold the long stem of the leaf (or use tongs) and dunk it into the water for approximately 20-30 seconds, then quickly remove the leaf and lay it on a cutting board or another flat surface.
Each leaf will need to be done separately, so don’t pile all of them in the pot together. I like to parboil all my leaves during one prep time even when I’m not planning to make all the rolls at once. This is because, once they are prepared, they keep really well in the refrigerator.
Use scissors or a sharp knife to cut off the long stem to level with the bottom of the leaf.
Now, it’s time to stuff and roll the leaf. Begin by spooning 2-3 Tbsp of cooked bulgur onto the middle of the leaf, about 1/4 of the way up the stem.
Add all of the other diced and grated vegetables and drizzle with approximately 2 tablespoons of the peanut sauce.
Now it’s time to roll them up! Fold the side edges of the leaf over the middle-filled filled portion. And, make sure that your stuffing ingredients are not all pushed too far up the leaf. See my instructional photos to help with this.
Next, fold the bottom (stem end) up and over the filling. It looks like you’re making a little pocket for the filling. You want it to be nice and firmly folded, but be careful not to tear the leaf.
Begin to roll it up firmly to the end, then place the roll side down on a plate. You shouldn’t need a toothpick or anything to hold them in place because leaves are more flexible and stay in place due to the blanching in boiling water step above.
Lastly, use a sharp knife to slice them in the middle for easy serving because all of the colors on the inside make a beautiful and impressive display.
Serve immediately with the rest of the peanut sauce for dipping.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips & Suggestions:
GF option- Since bulgur is a wheat grain, it is not gluten-free, you might try buckwheat groats to replace it if you are gluten-sensitive.
Leaf Trimming- When trimming the collard leaf, make sure to leave the stem on for use as a handle to dip into the boiling water.
Bulgur- I like to make large batches of bulgur in my rice cooker and keep it in the freezer to easily add to recipes.
Lower fat- The creamy peanut sauce can be made with peanut butter or PB2 for a lower-fat option.
Storing- These keep well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. After that, they get a little chewy.
Terri has a number of Mini-Video Series available that include Plant-Based Basics, Recipes, & Beyond; 30-Minute or Less Recipes; and Sandwiches, Wraps, & Spreads.