Quinoa dressed with olive oil, honey, lemon, shallot, and garlic, tossed with blueberries, basil, and goat cheese, spooned into endive leaves. One bite per leaf.
I served these at a dinner party as an appetiser and spent more time making them than anything else on the menu, but they were the only thing people talked about afterward. Cooked quinoa dressed with olive oil, honey, lemon juice, shallot, and garlic, then tossed with fresh blueberries, chopped basil, and crumbled goat cheese. Spooned into individual endive leaves.
Each leaf is a single bite. The endive is bitter and crunchy, the quinoa is earthy and dressed, the blueberries pop with sweetness, and the goat cheese is tangy and creamy. You eat it with your hands, one leaf at a time.
Tips for Making Quinoa Stuffed Endive
Make the dressing before the quinoa cools
Whisk olive oil, honey, lemon juice, finely chopped shallot, minced garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Pour it over the warm quinoa.
Warm quinoa absorbs dressing better than cold. Let it cool in the dressing so every grain is coated.
Assemble just before serving
Separate the endive into individual leaves by cutting the core off and pulling them apart. Fill each with about two tablespoons of the quinoa mixture.
If you assemble too early, the endive wilts and the goat cheese softens into the quinoa. These are meant to be crisp.
Quinoa Stuffed Endive with Blueberry and Basil
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Yield: Serves 4
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Diet: Vegetarian, Omnivore
Description
Sweet and savory quinoa, blueberries, and basil are nestled in crisp endive leaves. A light vinaigrette and goat cheese complete this refreshing salad.
- 1/2 cups (118 ml) uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cups (237 ml) water
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 finely chopped shallot
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- pepper
- 3/4 cups (177 ml) fresh blueberries
- 3 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
- 1/4 cups (59 ml) crumbled goat cheese
- 2 heads of endive
Instructions
- Place quinoa and water in a small pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover with a lid.
- Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, until water is absorbed.
- Fluff and set aside to cool.
Make the dressing
- Place all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine.
- Drizzle quinoa with dressing to coat evenly.
- Add blueberries, basil, and goat cheese to the dressed quinoa and stir gently to combine.
- Cut the core off the endive and separate into individual leaves.
- Spoon approximately 2 tbsp of the quinoa mixture into each endive leaf.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, toast the quinoa in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before cooking.
- Substitute crumbled feta cheese for goat cheese if preferred.
- To prevent wilting, assemble the salad just before serving.
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 10
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of endive should I use?
Belgian endive (the pale, torpedo-shaped heads). Two heads give you enough leaves for appetiser portions. The inner leaves are smaller and work as one-bite servings.
Can I use a different fruit?
Raspberries, pomegranate seeds, or diced strawberries all work in place of blueberries. The fruit needs to be small enough to fit in the endive leaf and sweet enough to contrast the bitter endive.
Can I make the quinoa mixture ahead?
Yes. The dressed quinoa keeps in the fridge for up to two days. Add the blueberries and goat cheese just before assembling so they stay fresh.
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