Vegetarian stuffing recipe

A two-flavour vegetarian stuffing option that tastes great and adds a burst of colour to any roast dinner.

This vegetarian stuffing is great to have in your repertoire when you’re cooking for a diverse group. It’s suitable for almost any dietary requirements. It uses oil instead of butter, and quinoa instead of breadcrumbs, making it gluten-free, dairy-free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. Quinoa is usually cooked like a grain, though it’s actually a tiny seed. It comes in white, black and red varieties and you can use any kind here. However since you get the jewel green from the courgette and purple from the beetroot, we used the plain white variety. This type is generally cheaper, too, keeping this vegetarian stuffing affordable.

Ingredients

• 3 shallots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2tbsp olive oil
• 1tsp each coriander seeds, fennel seeds and nigella seeds
• Handful each sage, parsley and chives, finely chopped
• 200g quinoa
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 1 courgette, grated
• 2 raw beetroots, grated

Method

1. Gently fry the shallots and garlic in 1tbsp oil for 5-6 minutes. Stir in the spices and herbs until fragrant.
2. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the pack instructions with the vegetable stock cube.
3. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Divide the shallot mixture and quinoa between two bowls. Add the courgette to one bowl and the beetroot to the other. Mix well, then shape into balls a little larger than a walnut.
4. Place on an oiled baking tray and bake the stuffing balls for 20-30 minutes until cooked.

Top tips for making vegetarian stuffing

This recipe uses dried quinoa which is rinsed and cooked. Don’t skip that rinsing step - the seeds have a natural coating called saponin which has a bitter taste. Some brands are ‘pre-washed' but we usually give them a quick rinse anyway

Raw beetroots do not stain hands and surfaces as much as cooked ones do, so there’s no need to wear disposable gloves while you prepare them. Just like carrots, you can peel them before grating, or simply trim and give them a good scrub with a vegetable brush.

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