These quinoa spring rolls are actually not spring-like at all. They're filled with winter-inspired ingredients like kale, sweet potato + quinoa!

Sweet Potato + Kale Quinoa Spring Rolls -- a seasonal spin on a delicious gluten-free meal (they make great leftovers too!)

There's something just a tiny bit odd about combining classic winter produce into a dish with the word “Spring” in the title, but we're just going to roll with it. Because these quinoa spring rolls are totally amazing and make for one light and tasty (and resolution-friendly!) meal.

If you aren't already familiar, spring rolls are commonly found in Asian cuisine and are essentially burritos with an Asian twist. They're rice papers filled with whatever you'd like – usually veggies, noodles and sometimes a protein. Luckily for those of us who are gluten-free, you can pretty much count on spring rolls being a GF-friendly option, just make sure they're not fried or have any added soy sauce.

Typical veggies found in spring rolls include carrots, cucumbers, bell peppers, avocado, bean sprouts and thai basil. Most of those aren't in season at the moment (except for carrots), and are quite expensive at the store, so instead, I opted for what I could find at the farmer's market this week: kale, sweet potato and garlic.

This winter-inspired spring is far from traditional, but that's okay because it's filled with nutritious ingredients. In fact, the only thing remotely traditional about them is that we do actually use of rice paper, but even then I opted for the healthier brown rice version to boost nutrition even more.

The filling is simple. It's just a quick massaged kale salad tossed with some quinoa and then layered sweet potatoes roasted in coconut oil. The dressing for the salad doubles as the dipping sauce too, so prep is totally minimal.

For the sauce…oh the sauce…the base is my fave: tahini. Then comes the garlic which is freshly grated for a nice bite, along with a splash of lemon juice, some miso paste, some ginger (which is totally optional) and some water to thin it out. Whisk it together, toss it over the kale and quinoa, drizzle some on top and then reserve the rest for dunking.

All that's left is to wrap these beauties up like little burritos and get to dippin'! (and eating of course)

More Scrumptious Spring Roll Recipes to try:

Prep: 5

Cook: 25

Total: 30

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato diced
2 teaspoons coconut oil
2 cups kale
1/4 cup cooked quinoa
4 brown rice paper wraps or regular rice papers
Salt + pepper to taste

for the dressing:

3 tablespoons tahini
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons wheat-free tamari
1 teaspoon miso paste
1 small clove garlic grated
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Water as needed

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss sweet potatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 20 - 25 minutes until soft and starting to brown.
While sweet potatoes are roasting, toss kale and quinoa with 1 tablespoon of dressing and massage until kale has softened slightly. Set aside.
Using a large bowl of warm water, gently dip 1 rice paper at a time. Once the rice papers are a little soft, place them on a clean surface.
Lay the kale-quinoa mixture on the center of the paper, then top with some sweet potato. Like a burrito, first fold in both sides, then fold the closest edge to you over the filling and tightly roll away from you. Repeat with remaining rice papers.
When ready to serve, slice in half (optional) and dip in the remaining dressing!

Nutrition

cuisine: Asian, Chinese

course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

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YOUR TURN…

Have you ever tried spring rolls before? What are your favorite fillings? Let me know how the recipe turns out for you by leaving a comment below! I also love seeing your own versions of my recipes, so snap a pic and tag it #simplyquinoa on Instagram!

xx Alyssa

Sweet Potato, Kale + Quinoa Spring Rolls

More Scrumptious Spring Roll Recipes to try: