June 5, 2019
Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Stuffed Tomatoes with Romesco
Fun Fact : I absolutely love tomatoes.
They’re so versatile and bright! And the best part? There are so many varieties and different ways to prepare tomatoes.
You can use them in creamy sauces or thick gravies. You can blend them, saute them, blister them, fry them, and even stuff them with herby quinoa and chickpeas – which is what we’re doing today!
This recipe is the perfect spring and summer recipe! I love the combination of the cooked quinoa with the fresh tomatoes. And the romesco is so darn good, I slather that stuff on literally everything! I always double the recipe because it’s so tasty!
Grab a refreshing drink and let’s get to making the most delicious Herbed Quinoa & Chickpea Stuffed Tomatoes with Romesco, shall we?
This dish is fairly simple – which is perfect for the hotter months. The less cooking, the better! Especially here in Fresno where it easily rises past 100 degrees most of the summer. Don’t worry, we’re used to it.
You can keep the quinoa and romesco separate so it’s a great recipe for meal prepping during the week as well! This dish is also gluten free, whole foods & plant based! Cheers to minimally processed meals!
I don’t know about you guys, but when it’s hot out, I crave fresh and seasonal ingredients, and this recipe is all of those amazing things!
We start by cooking the quinoa with lots of herbs, seasonings, and the most natural vegetable broth you can find. If you make your own veggie broth, even better!
While the quinoa is cooking, blend up all the romesco ingredients and set aside. Then, you scoop out the tomato pulp.
Once the quinoa is done cooking, all you have to do is stuff your fresh tomatoes, spoon on a little romesco, and BOOM! You’ve got a healthy and delicious meal that was prepared in just about 30 minutes!
We hope you guys love this recipe as much as we do! As always, if you give it a try, make sure to snap a photo, share it to Instagram, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs so I can see all of your recreations! I love seeing all your pictures!
Til next time, friends!
XOXO!
- 1 TBS avocado oil
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinced thoroughly
- 1¾ low sodium vegetable broth - preferably organic
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 2 TBS fresh italian parsley, chopped
- 2 TBS fresh dill, chopped
- 2 TBS fresh chives, chopped
- 2 TBS fresh basil, chopped
- 1 TBS fresh thyme, chopped
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 - 15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
- 8 large tomatoes
- Sea Salt to taste
- Vegan Feta Cheese for garnish, optional
- 1 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers
- 2 TBS unsalted almonds
- 2 TBS pine nuts
- 1 TBS avocado oil
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 TBS tomato paste
- 2 tsp sherry vinegar
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
- In a medium saucepan on medium high heat, add avocado oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add shallots and saute until they begin to slightly brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the quinoa; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the broth, fresh lemon juice, and cracked black pepper; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the liquid is absorbed, abour 20 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, make the romesco. Place all the romesco ingredients in a blender or food processor; process until smooth and set aside.
- Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and carefully scoop out the tomato pulp, leaving the outside shells of the tomatoes intact; discard the pulp.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with parsely, dill, chives, basil, thyme, lemon zest, and chickpeas; stirring to combine all the ingredients. Tasre and adjust seasonings.
- Divide the quinoa mixture evenly among the tomatoes and top with about 2-3 tablespoons of Romesco.
- Enjoy!
