Spiced Quinoa and Eggplant Rolls (GF)
These spiced quinoa and eggplant rolls were created by coincidence. It came about as I had some leftover quinoa one afternoon and only really had a couple of veggies left in the fridge on a Friday before going to the farmer’s markets the next morning.
I tend to come up with new recipes when I’m looking at my leftovers, what I have in the fridge and what I can create as a nice, simple dish. This is how this recipe was born.
You can serve it as an entree for when you have guests over (it’s a crowd-pleaser!) or as a main with maybe a side salad like this tabbouleh. I think that some hummus on the side would be perfect for these rolls as well.
Summer here in Australia is now over and I’m a little sad about all the beautiful fruits and vegetables that won’t be in season anymore.
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I’ve really enjoyed having an abundance of eggplants, tomatoes, corn, capsicum (peppers), leafy greens, berries, mangoes, plums, nectarines, and peaches, to name a few of my favourites.
I’m a big fan of eggplant and pretty much have been using it in 80% of our dishes over the past few months. I’ve been getting them at the farmer’s markets and through friends and family who are growing them at home.
It’s such a versatile vegetable! It’s also used in many different cuisines. Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian to name a few.
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Eggplant and Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
- Rustic Eggplant Patties in Tomato Sauce
- Spiced Roasted Pumpkin with Farro and Hummus
- Vegan Bruschetta Toppings Done Four Ways
- Easy Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
- Gluten-Free Tabbouleh with Quinoa and Pomegranate
If you try this recipe, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe on Pinterest.
Spiced Quinoa and Eggplant Rolls (GF)
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 15 rolls
Description
These spiced quinoa and eggplant rolls are packed with flavour and are the perfect appetiser to take to an event or enjoy at home.
Ingredients
- ½ cup / 100g quinoa, washed
- 2 tablespoons rice bran oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1/8 teaspoon hot chilli powder (more if you like it spicy)
- Half a medium-sized capsicum, chopped (aka pepper)
- 3 medium-sized eggplants, cut into ½ inch thin slices (aka aubergines)
- ½ cup / 125ml olive oil
- Salt
- A handful of parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- To make the filling: Bring quinoa and 1 cup / 250 ml water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. This typically takes 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, add the rice bran oil and onion to a medium-sized saucepan on medium heat.
- Once the onion starts to brown, add in the garam masala, turmeric, ginger, and chilli stirring to coat the onions in the spices well. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the capsicum and stir to combine all ingredients well. Reduce heat to low and cook until the capsicum is soft—season to taste.
- Combine it with the cooked quinoa and mix well. Set aside.
- Grilling the eggplant: Preheat a grill on a barbecue or stove grill to medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil and season with salt. Grill until golden-brown grill marks appear, which should take around 3-4 minutes on each side. Turn the eggplant and grill for a further 3-4 minutes. You can also do this in a frying pan.
- Make the rolls: Once all the eggplants are done, start by adding 1-2 tablespoons of quinoa mixture at the bottom of each eggplant piece and roll tightly. You can use toothpicks to keep together if they are coming undone easily. I find that placing the end of the eggplant facing down on the plate helps to keep it in place. Roll all the eggplant slices and sprinkle them with some fresh parsley, and a little more olive oil drizzled over the top.
- You can serve this warm or cold on its own or with some hummus.
Notes
Watch how to make these eggplant rolls in full here.
- Diet: Vegan
Oh man. Eggplant is one of those vegetables that I never really know what to do with! Sad, I know. I will definitely be trying this one! I’m not vegan, but I am absolutely adoring your recipes nonetheless.
Thanks Naomi! You are not the only one that has said that to us! We have grown up eating eggplant so it’s second nature to us. Hope you enjoy it! If you do want some more tips on how to use eggplant, just let us know 🙂
If I’m not the only one then maybe it would make a good post? I would certainly love to read that!!
Delicious – I can’t wait to try it out!
http://www.dianasgreentable.blogspot.com.au
Thanks Diana!