Roasted Kale with Crispy Quinoa is happiness in a bowl. The agrodolce sauce marries the veg and the crunch. Such a gleeful union. Kale is one of those vegetables that many people feel strongly about – they either love it or hate it. But I say – what’s not to love? It has everything to do with how you treat it. Treat it right and it will love you back!
This recipe is, admittedly, a labor of love. There are quite a few steps in the process, but in the end, it’s just a matter of cooking the quinoa, roasting the veg, making the agrodolce, and assembling the dish. You do dirty a few dishes, but if you clean up as you go, or if you have a partner who cleans up as you go (yes, I’m a lucky girl), it’s so worth it. Roasted Kale with Crispy Quinoa is restaurant worthy.
Roasted Kale with Crispy Quinoa
Equipment
- 3 baking sheets
Ingredients
TOPPING
- ¾ cup uncooked quinoa (2 cups cooked)
- 1 T chili crisp
- salt, to taste
SALAD
- 12 kale leaves (11-12 stems)
- ½ head green cabbage cored and sliced thin
AGRODOLCE
- 1 red onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 sage sprigs
- 1 T olive oil
- 1 rosemary sprig
- ½ cup honey
- 2 T water
- ⅓ cup raisins
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and cook the quinoa – Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, convection roast setting. Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
- Prep the veg – Strip the kale leaves from the stems and give the leaves a rough chop. Wash and spin dry. Chop the cabbage into bite-sized pieces.
- Roast the veg – Spread the cabbage out evenly on one baking sheet, and spread the kale out evenly on a second baking sheet. Drizzle both sheets with oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss so that the vegetables are evenly coated. Slide the cabbage into the oven first, and roast for about 10 minutes. Rotate the pan and slide the kale into the oven and roast both for another 10 minutes, or until both the cabbage and the kale are slightly crispy. Remove both vegetables from the oven and turn the heat down to 375 degrees.
- Toast the quinoa – Add the cooked quinoa to a baking sheet and add the chili crisp. Season with salt to taste and toss to combine and evenly distribute the chili crisp. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through until the quinoa is slightly golden and lightly crisp.
- Make the agrodolce – Thinly slice the red onion and place it in a bowl. Mince the garlic and set aside. Whisk together the honey and water. Put a small pan on medium heat and add a small splash of oil. Add in the sage leaves and the rosemary sprig. Pour in the honey mixture, it should fizz a bit, and stir until it thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Add the minced garlic, raisins, and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Stir again and let the mixture simmer slightly for 1-2 minutes, until it's glossy and has body. Remove the sage and rosemary and pour this over the red onion. Stir to combine.
- Toss the salad – Toss together the kale, cabbage and red onion agrodolce and pile in a large bowl.
- Garnish – Top the salad with the toasted quinoa and serve warm.
Notes
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