Spring may have sprung, but it’s been wet, windy and cold here in the Bay Area. While I’m enjoying the longer days, I can’t wait for T-shirt weather to arrive. Until then, I’ll just bundle up and chow down on cozy food to stay warm.
If you’re in the same boat, consider preparing this vegan winter greens stew with herb dumplings. The one-pot dish is chock-full of veggies and comes together quite quickly. More important, it’s rich in flavor, thanks to the addition of two unexpected and crucial ingredients: molasses and mustard.
Vegan winter greens stew with herb dumplings can be served as a first course, but the creation is also hearty enough to stand on its own as a meal.
Recipe adapted from Tanya Holland’s California Soul.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for finish
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 leek (white part only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced and rinsed
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced and separated into light and dark parts
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- 1½ pounds mustard greens, ribs removed and leaves cut crosswise into 1"-thick pieces
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1½" pieces
- 4 stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1½" pieces
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- juice of 1 lemon
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
- finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup unsweetened nut milk
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, leek, light parts of green onions, garlic, thyme and Aleppo pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add mustard greens and cook, stirring occasionally, until just barely wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Add carrots, celery, vegetable broth, water and molasses; stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in Dijon mustard and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a medium bowl, combine the first nine ingredients (flour through lemon zest).
- Add nut milk and stir until just combined. Let dough sit for 15 minutes. Form into balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and arrange on a baking sheet lightly greased with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Bring stew to a simmer. Nestle the dumplings in the pot, cover and simmer until puffed and cooked through, 10-15 minutes.
- Uncover, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with dark parts of green onions.
