Inspired by Southern flavors, this recipe for vegan stuffed collard green rolls with smoky jackfruit and sweet potatoes is full of flavor. It takes time to put together, the pay off is savory, smoky deliciousness. After baking in the oven, it’s so satisfying cutting into a collard green roll and getting to enjoy the umami goodness inside. And to top things off, these taste even better the next day.
A few things…
- ・I used canned Native Forest Organic Young Jackfruit packed in water. No jackfruit? Substitute 3 cups of cooked black-eyed peas.
- ・No liquid smoke? Substitute smoked paprika for the sweet paprika. It won’t be quite so BBQ-y or kissed with hickory, but it will still be okay.
- ・Finally, it can be tough to get all your collard leaves the same size. As long as they are roughly the same size and large, it’s all good. I did 4 rows with 3 rolls per row (or used 3 leaves per row), but if your leaves are somewhat smaller, you could probably get 4 rows with 4 rolls per row (using 4 leaves per row).
Serve these vegan stuffed collard greens with a side of fluffy mashed potatoes. So good! And if you can’t finish them right away, they freeze very well 😊
Check out additional UVK recipes, like Slow Cooker Vegan Coconut Collard Greens, Vegan Gnocchi with Sweet Corn, Collard Greens and Tempeh Bacon, Slow Cooker Vegan Cabbage Rolls with Sauerkraut Tomato Sauce and so much more.
Vegan Collard Green Rolls with Smoky Jackfruit and Sweet Potato
1 medium onion, finely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 large jalapeño, finely chopped (remove the seeds, if sensitive to heat)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed into small pieces
2 14 ounce cans of young jackfruit packed in water, drained, rinsed and shredded – (see note above)
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2-1 tsp hickory flavored liquid smoke (see note above)
1 cup cooked brown rice
14.5 ounce can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
6 ounce can of tomato paste
1 cup water
1 tsp red miso
12-16 large collard leaves (see note above)
1. First, you’ll sauté the aromatics for the collard rolls. In a large pot, add onion, garlic and olive oil. Saute over medium heat for 7 minutes or until the onions are golden. Spoon 1/2 of the onion-garlic mixture into a blender. Leave the rest of the onions and garlic in the pot. Set the blender aside for later in the recipe.
2. Next, you’ll work on the sweet potato and jackfruit filling for the stuffed collard greens. Add the jalapeño, thyme, paprika and chili powder to the pot. Saute for 2 minutes, then, stir in the sweet potatoes. Saute for 3 minutes.
3. Add the jackfruit, maple syrup, soy sauce, and liquid smoke to the pot. Stir until well combined, and cook an additional 3 minutes–stirring frequently. Spoon into a large mixing bowl and add in the cooked brown rice. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary (more soy sauce? more maple syrup? more liquid smoke?). Set aside to cool.
4. Now, it’s time to make the sauce. In the blender with the onions and garlic in it, add the fire-roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, water and miso. Blend until mostly smooth, and then, set aside.
5. Next, it’s time to prepare the collard greens to make rolls. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Submerge the collard leaves in it for 1-2 minutes–using a wooden spoon to gently push them under the water. Remove them from the water and rinse with cold water. The leaves should be very pliable.
6. Now, it’s time to start making the stuffed collards. Run a sharp knife along the midrib, and shave off part of it (see pictures above). This process will make the rolls easier to fold. Repeat until all the midribs are shaved down. Set leaves aside in a stack with the shaved midribs facing up.
7. Spread 1/3 of the sauce across the bottom of a 9″ X 13″ baking pan. Preheat the oven to 375º F. You are now ready to start folding the collard rolls.
8. Put 2 generous spoonfuls of filling towards the bottom of the leaf.
9. Fold up the bottom.
10. Fold up the sides.
11. Roll it up, and then, trim away any excess leaf.
12. Place in the 9″ X 13″ baking pan. Repeat until all the vegan stuffed collard green rolls are folded and the pan is full. Spread the remaining tomato sauce from the blender over the top. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake at 375º F for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven. Serve.
