Collard Green Wraps filled with sweet potato and quinoa are a tasty light lunch, side dish or appetizer. They're super easy to make and full of nutritious ingredients. A healthy sandwich alternative. Vegan and gluten-free.
I love how collard green wraps make it so easy to have a healthy no-bread wrap.
Simply mix up your favorite fillings, wrap them in healthy collards and voila - a veg-packed light lunch!
For these collard wraps, I've filled them with delicious sweet potato roasted with cumin, nutritious quinoa, black beans and peppers. Bliss.
They're filling, healthy, full of protein and taste divine!
Serve them up for a picnic lunch for a crowd alongside other wraps and sandwiches such as Coronation Chickpea Sandwich or a Protein Veggie Wrap. Or try one of these 25 Vegan Sandwiches!
Collard wraps are just like lettuce wraps - only with loads more flavor.
I love the slightly stronger taste of collards, plus they're a little thicker than lettuce and less prone to tearing. So they're ideal for rolling wraps.
Some recipes call for using the collards raw, but I find that a bit bitter. Simply blanching the greens in boiling water for a few seconds makes them easier to roll, tastier and easier to bite into. Win win!
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Why you'll love collard wraps
There's a lot to love with these easy, tasty collard green wraps. Here's why!
- Collards are a healthy and nutritious alternative to wheat or corn wraps.
- Sweet potatoes are baked with cumin before being added to the wraps, giving a delicious flavor.
- They're super easy to make.
- A great way to use up veggies, cooked quinoa and roasted sweet potato.
- Full of protein.
- Full of great taste!
Collard burritos
Depending on the time of year, you might be able to get collard greens with really big leaves.
If so, you can use this filling and make large wraps - and call them burritos!
Just roll the filling into large collard leaves and voila - a healthy vegan collard burrito.
Ingredients
You only need simple ingredients for these delicious wraps. Plus, they're totally customizable to the ingredients you have available to use up.
Collard Leaves - see above for tips
Quinoa - or substitute rice or couscous
Black Beans - or kidney beans. Use canned or pre-cook dried beans.
Sweet Potato - or substitute butternut squash.
Red Bell Pepper - or try other crunchy raw veg like matchsticks of raw carrot or cucumber.
Tahini - this sesame seed paste is widely available, but you could substitute with hummus.
Ground Cumin - it gives a great flavor to the roasted sweet potato.
Lemon Zest and Juice - for a bright, fresh taste.
How to prep collard green leaves for wraps
It's really easy to prep your collard leaves for wraps. Follow these step-by-step pictures for perfectly prepped greens.
First, here are a few tips:
- Use leaves that are intact and aren't torn.
- Larger leaves great for bigger wraps or burritos, but if necessary you can layer two smaller leaves overlapping slightly for your wrap.
- To make appetizer-sized collard wraps you can make large wraps and slice them, or use small leaves for small individual wraps. Large sliced wraps are easier to make as they're less fiddly.
- Wash the leaves well, then trim the bottom of the broad part of each leaf.
- Hold the knife flat to the leaf and slice off the bulbous part of the stem so it lays flat.
- Prepare a pan of boiling water and a bowl of iced water.
- Place the leaves in the boiling water for 15 seconds, then remove and plunge into the iced water. This blanches the greens so they're softer, slightly cooked, more pliable and tastier.
Step by step tutorial
This is a really simple recipe. Follow these step by step photos for perfect results! Then, scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full ingredients list and detailed method.
- Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C.
- Slice the sweet potato into sticks ½ inch wide/thick. Toss them with the oil, cumin, salt and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 15 or until cooked through.
3. Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
4. Add it to a bowl with the black beans, cumin, tahini, lemon zest and juice, salt & pepper. Toss to combine.
5. Slice the red bell pepper into strips.
6. Trim the collard leaves (as detailed above), by trimming off the bottom and slicing the bulbous stem flat.
7. Boil a pan of water and prepare a large bowl with iced water. Plunge the leaves into the water for 20 seconds, then remove and place into the ice water. Drain.
Assemble the wraps:
8. Lay out a collard leaf and pile on the quinoa mixture, a few red bell pepper strips and a few sweet potato strips.
9. Fold the base and tip towards the middle over the filling.
10. Fold one side over, then roll it up, keeping the seam on the bottom. Enjoy!
Tips
- You can make the collard leaves ahead of time. Prep and balance them (instructions above), then keep them layered and wrapped in the fridge for up to a week. Perfect for healthy wraps all week long!
- You can make the whole wraps ahead of time too. Keep them in the fridge (best uncut) for up to 3 days. Perfect for picnics and potlucks!
- This recipe is perfect if you have leftover quinoa (or couscous) from the night before.
- If you're cutting the collard wraps, it's easiest with a serrated knife.
Serving Suggestions
These collard green wraps are delicious for lunch or a light dinner.
They're full of healthy quinoa and vegetables, so for a full meal, try them with Mexican Bean Soup, Greek Potato Salad, Green Salad or my easy Tomato Soup.
More sandwiches and wraps
I hope you'll love these easy vegan vegetarian collard wraps. You're sure to enjoy these other sandwich and wrap recipes too!
Rainbow Vegetable Sandwich
Peruvian Vegetable Sandwich
Vegan Chickpea Tuna
Vegan Fajitas
Get the recipe
Check out the Veggie Desserts + Cakes cookbook on Amazon
📖 Recipe
Collard Wraps with Quinoa and Sweet Potato
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheet
- Pot
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 medium (250g) sweet potato
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin divided
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- salt and pepper
- ⅔ cup quinoa or 2 cups cooked
- 1 15 oz (400g) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 3 tablespoon tahini
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 red bell pepper
- 8 large collard leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F/190 C.
- Slice the sweet potato into ½” slices, then cut each slice into ½" strips. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1 teaspoon of the cumin and salt and pepper.
- Spread onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked.
- Cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water and add to a mixing bowl with the beans, tahini, lemon zest and juice and remaining oil and cumin. Toss to combine.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Prepare a large bowl of iced water.
- Wash the leaves well, then trim each leaf across the broad part of the base. Hold the knife flat to the leaf, then run down gently to slice off the bulbous part of the stem so it lays flat.
- Place the prepared leaves into the boiling water for 15 seconds to balance, then remove and place into the iced water until cool. Drain.
- Slice the bell pepper into ½ inch strips.
To assemble
- Lay a prepared leaf on the worktop and add 2-3 tablespoons of the quinoa mixture along the centre. Add a few pieces each of pepper and sweet potato.
- Fold two opposite edges into the middle over the filling, then fold a third side over. Roll towards the final edge to form a little wrap parcel, keep the seam on the bottom to keep them closed. Repeat with the remaining leaves and fillings.
Video
Notes
- Store the wraps for up to 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Leaves can be prepared ahead of time and kept for up to 7 days in the fridge, in an airtight container, for use every day as wraps.
- This recipe is perfect if you have leftover quinoa (or couscous) from the night before.
- If you're cutting the collard wraps, it's easiest with a serrated knife.
- Use leaves that are intact and aren't torn.
- Larger leaves great for bigger wraps or burritos, but if necessary you can layer two smaller leaves overlapping slightly for your wrap.
- To make appetizer-sized collard wraps you can make large wraps and slice them, or use small leaves for small individual wraps. Large sliced wraps are easier to make as they're less fiddly.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Lauren | Delicious Little Bites
What a great idea to use collard greens for wraps.The leaves are so sturdy and tasty! Great recipe!
Jen
Love that these can be made ahead of time for easy to grab lunches all week. Makes eating healthier a breeze!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
What a great lunch! With this filling, you don't miss the meat. I like that you blanch the collard greens, because I agree: using them raw is too bitter. This is going into our regular lunch rotation!
Caroline
These just ooze healthiness! I'm a big fan of sweet potato and black beans, so they are always a win for me. Like the idea of the tahini in there too.
Danielle
What an awesome idea! These sound just incredible! Perfect for these hot summer day 🙂