Gluten Free Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans and Kale Recipe

I have a question for my gluten-free vegan readers – do you really want vegan food that tastes “meaty?” Honestly, I am curious because I often hear vegan and vegetarian food described as having a “meaty substance” and yet these are dishes for people who have decided, for one reason or another, to eliminate meat from their diet.

I suppose the point is that by adding ingredients to a vegan or vegetarian dish that are “meaty” it makes it more palatable to people who think that meat is essential to a meal (like my husband).

But is “meaty” really the right adjective? Maybe not – I think the correct word is “umami.” Umami is defined as savoriness and is one of the 5 basic tastes, the other 4 being sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Adding savoriness to a meatless dish would certainly make it more complete for someone accustomed to eating meat.

As we head into fall I love the idea of one-pot meals that are filling and wholesome and somewhat traditional but with a twist. I also love the idea of leaning into a less meat-filled diet and of packing more nutrients and fiber into my recipes where ever I can.

This dish is meat-free, packed with fiber from the red beans, filled with nutrients from the kale and has a savoriness, or “umami” if you will, not necessarily associated with a meatless meal. It also happens to be topped off with dumplings which kind of distracts from the fact that it is filled with kale for people who “don’t like that green stuff”(like my husband).

This simple and savory Gluten Free Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans and Kale recipe started with a package of Hurst Family Harvest Bayou Cajun Red Bean Soup Mix which contains high quality, non-GMO beans and a flavor packet filled with spicy, smoky, all natural, gluten free ingredients and no MSG. It gets an extra boost of umami from dried mushrooms, gluten free soy sauce and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe

Gluten Free Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans and Kale Recipe

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr 15 mins

Total Time1 hr 30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 Servings

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Gluten Free & More

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 packet Hurst Family Harvest Bayou Cajun Red Bean Soup Mix
• ▢ 1 onion - chopped
• ▢ 1 ounce dried porcini or shitake mushrooms
• ▢ 1 tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 pound kale - ribs removed and coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ ¾ cup gluten free flour blend
• ▢ ¾ cup corn meal
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ¾ cup water
• ▢ 1 bunch green onions - minced, use divided
• ▢ Crushed red pepper – optional garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• ▢
  Pour the beans into a pot, cover with warm water and let soak for 4 hours or over night reserving the flavor packet. Drain the water, add the onion, dried mushrooms, reserved flavor packet along with 10 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until the beans are tender. Add the soy sauce, pepper, kale and balsamic vinegar, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes. You may need to add a little more water if you want your beans soupier.
• ▢
  In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the olive oil and water and whisk until combined and fairly smooth. Add ½ cup of the minced green onions and stir, reserving the remaining green onions for garnish.
• ▢
  Taste the beans and add some more salt and black pepper if needed. Drop the cornmeal mixture onto the simmering beans by big tablespoonfuls. Cover the pot and let simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with the remaining green onions and some crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Gluten Free Cornmeal Dumplings with Red Beans and Kale Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 214 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Sodium 350mg15%

Potassium 513mg15%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 6g24%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 9g18%

Vitamin A 5694IU114%

Vitamin C 70mg85%

Calcium 137mg14%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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