Collard greens are often served sautéd or braised as a side dish, but collards can also be enjoyed in salads, and they make a great wrap! These fresh, bright green burritos are easy, and you can put any fillings you like inside! The best part about using a collard as your burrito wrap, is it’s a gluten free, totally unprocessed option. Looking for something paleo? Swap out the rice and beans for your favorite meat filling, like pulled pork or chicken and leave out the lime crema.
To make the burritos, get all of your fillings together and then blanch the greens. I used leftover rice with just the white part of a spring onion, plus canned tomato. To make the beans super easy, they’re just simmered with a garlic clove and ground cumin. Let most of the liquid boil off. The crema is just stirred together, and the veggies sliced.
To make the collards into flexible wraps, use a knife to remove the stem, and then a vegetable peeler to shave the stem down. Collards are really thick and sturdy, so just keep a careful eye on them and use tongs to pull them out of the water when they’re pliable, but still hold their shape. Rinse with cold water and pat dry before assembling the wraps.
Collard Green Burritos with Cilantro Lime Crema
6 large, untorn collard leaves
1 14.5 oz can black beans
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of salt
olive oil
2 cups cooked leftover rice
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
salt to taste
1/2 cup thinly sliced spring onion tops or scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 avocado, thinly sliced
Make the black beans. Drain most of the water off the beans. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a medium sized skillet. Add the garlic, when it sizzles, add the cumin and beans. Simmer about 10 minutes until the beans are softened and mostly dry.
Make the rice. Heat about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium low heat. Add the onions, and cook until translucent. Put the rice and tomatoes in the pan, using a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the rice. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until rice has absorbed any liquid. Season with salt.
Make the crema. Mix the cilantro, lime juice, and zest with the sour cream. Season with salt to taste.
Prep the leaves. Fill a large pot with water, add a large pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. While the water is boiling, use a knife to chop the stem from the leaves. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the thick part of the stem down to the leaf. Place the leaves in the boiling water, and boil for about a minute, until the leaves are softened, but still hold their shape. Rinse the leaves in cool water.
Assemble the wraps. Line up all of the filling ingredients. Use a clean towel to gently dry off a leaf, then place on a clean cutting board or counter. Place 1/4 cup rice, a few tablespoons of beans, 1 tablespoon cream, an avocado slice, and cilantro and scallions on the lower third of the collard leaf. Fold in the sides and roll like a burrito. Place seam side down on a plate. Repeat with remaining leaves. Serve at once or refrigerate until serving.
