Stuffed Collard Greens (with Turkey and Quinoa)

Stuffed Collard Greens with turkey and quinoa are a spicy version of cabbage rolls that are hearty and healthy and a great way to change up dinner!

This recipe was originally published in January 2018 and has been updated with new photos and text, as well as a few tweaks to the recipe. 

Why you’ll love these stuffed collard leaves

• They’re great for meal prep. Just assemble the rolls and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

• They also freeze well, so you can store an entire batch in the freezer for 2-3 months, or freeze individual servings for quick meals.

• While there are a few steps to making them, these rolls are surprisingly easy to make.

• With a ground turkey and quinoa filling, they’re heartier than you think. Pair 2-3 rolls with a side salad and you have a complete meal.

What are collard greens?

Collard greens are large, leafy green vegetables, similar to cabbage leaves or kale. They’re normally dark green in colour, with thick ribs and a tough stem. The texture of the leaves themselves can be quite tough, so much so that they can withstand being boiled in water without falling apart or tearing.

The key to tender collards is cooking them low and slow. This helps soften their texture and even their flavour, as raw collards tend to taste a little bitter.

In this recipe, I’m using collard leaves in a pretty similar way as I would use cabbage leaves to make cabbage rolls.

Details on a few ingredients

Collard greens: Choose big, leafy greens that are dark green in colour. Also, avoid leaves that have tears or brown spots.

Ground turkey: The recipe calls for lean ground turkey, but you can also use ground chicken or lean ground pork.

Quinoa: I use tri-colour quinoa but red or white works too. You can also use brown rice or a rice blend. Whatever you choose will need to be cooked prior to being added to the stuffing mixture, so just use what you have on hand.

Tomato sauce: I like to use no-salt added tomato sauce and just add a pinch of salt and herbs. You can leave out these seasonings or add more to suit your taste. You can also use regular or seasoned tomato sauce and just leave out the added salt and herbs. Store bought or homemade marinara sauce would also work nicely in this recipe.

How to prepare collard greens for this recipe

• First, you’ll need to thoroughly wash the leaves. You can do this by placing the leaves under cold running water, or you can add the leaves to a large bowl of water and swoosh them around to help remove any dirt or grit. 

• Next, assess the edges of the leaves, and if any are damaged or wilted, just give them a little trim.

• Cut off the stem at the base of the leaves and then shave off a portion of the thick rib running up the middle of the leaves (see photos above). This makes it easier to roll up the collards.

• To soften the leaves even more, they’ll need to be cooked in hot water until they’re tender and bright green in colour. 

How to make stuffed collard greens with turkey

Prepare the filling

• Step 1: In a large skillet, add the ground turkey, salt, garlic and pepper and cook over medium heat.

• Step 2: When the turkey is almost cooked, add the chopped leek, onion, red pepper and jalapeño pepper.

• Step 3: Cover and continue cooking until the turkey is fully cooked and the vegetables have softened. Don’t over cook as the vegetables will get mushy.

• Step 4: Stir in the cooked quinoa and seasoned tomato sauce, and set aside.

Stuff the collard leaves

• Step 5: Place 3-4 tablespoons of the turkey mixture in the centre of a leaf.

• Step 6: Roll the top of the leaf over the turkey mixture.

• Step 7: Fold in the sides of the leaf.

• Step 8: Continue rolling until you reach the remaining part of the stem. At this point, you can cut off a little more stem, or just leave it as is. Repeat with the remaining leaves.

Arrange and bake

• Lay the rolled collard greens seam-side down in a greased baking dish (see above).

• Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls and sprinkle on some cheese (see below).

• Cover and bake on 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Storage, freezing and reheating

You can make these turkey collard greens in advance and store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Once cooked, store any leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy within 3-4 days.

These collard green rolls freeze well. Just let them cool completely in the refrigerator. Then, portion them out into freezer safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat these rolls, you can warm them in the microwave or in the oven on 350F until heated through.

Additional recipe tips and substitutions

• If you like your rolls saucy, you can add a layer of tomato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish before placing the collard rolls in the dish.

• These rolls are a little spicy, so if you’re not a fan of spicy, just leave out the jalapeño.

• I added a sprinkle of parmesan cheese to the tops of the collard rolls before baking, but if you need this dish to be dairy-free, just leave out the cheese. 

• If you like things extra cheesy, feel free to add more cheese. Mozzarella or cheddar would work well too.

• To keep this recipe gluten-free, make sure you use quinoa and avoid grains containing gluten.

Other ground turkey recipes you might enjoy

• Honey Garlic Turkey Meatballs

• Turkey Jalapeño Burgers

• Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole with Turkey and Eggs

If you make these stuffed collard greens, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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