Description
Creamy vegan polenta topped with a vibrant kale pesto and crunchy roasted chickpeas.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 cup packed kale, stems removed
- 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Toss the drained chickpeas with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy.
- While the chickpeas roast, bring the vegetable broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 20-25 minutes, or until the polenta is thick and creamy.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
- To make the pesto, combine the kale, walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Serve the polenta hot, topped with the kale pesto and roasted chickpeas. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil if desired.
Notes
- For extra creamy polenta, you can stir in a tablespoon of vegan butter at the end.
- Adjust the lemon juice and seasonings in the pesto to your preference.
- Ensure chickpeas are well-drained for maximum crispiness.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop and Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan polenta, kale pesto, roasted chickpeas, plant-based, dairy-free, healthy dinner