Mediterranean Stuffed Avocados with Tahini Dressing

Ripe avocados stuffed with a vegan mediterranean-spiced quinoa, lentil and vegetable mixture tossed in sumac dressing makes a unique weeknight dinner in under 30 minutes. Drizzled with easy, creamy tahini dressing, this is a regular in our dinner rotation! It's also meal-prep friendly and suitable for vegan, gluten free and nut free diets.

As summer (sadly) comes to an end, it's time to start thinking about easy, 30-minute or less recipes.

These vegan stuffed avocados with a delicious sumac tahini dressing are suitable for your busy back-to-school/work schedule, and each component can be prepped ahead of time!

We love stuffed avocados for their versatility. It also doesn't hurt to get an extra serving of healthy monounsaturated fat, and who doesn't love a perfectly ripe avocado?

(Note: if you aren't an avocado fan, the filling is delicious on its own!)

We've been incredibly busy during the week as we head towards the holiday season. I know, it seems early, but in the food/editorial world, there's A LOT to be done to prep for holiday content.

We also have extensive travel plans in October, so we're doubling down on work and very much in need of easy recipes like this one.

We're guessing many of you are in the same boat, so here's a quick breakdown on how to get this on the dinner table ASAP!

What is sumac?

The mediterranean flavors in these delightful vegan stuffed avocados come from our savory sumac dressing.

Sumac is a bright red Middle Eastern spice. It comes from--you guessed it--the sumac plant. The red berries from the sumac spice bush are dried and ground into a fine powder.

While it can be tricky to find sumac at smaller grocery stores, specialty markets are likely to carry it. Especially Middle Eastern markets.

How to use sumac

Sumac is popular as a flavor enhancer for all kinds of dishes. Don't be fooled by its red color; the powder is not very spicy. Rather, it's bright and has a lemony flavor profile.

Sumac brightens up vegetables, salads, proteins, hummus, the list goes on. It's especially great to have on hand in the summer. You can pretty safely sprinkle sumac on anything going on the grill.

It's also a key ingredient in another of our current favorite spice blends: za'atar. While za'atar may contain a wide range of different flavors and spices, sumac is a pretty regular inclusion.

We love za'atar on crispy roasted chickpeas. They make for a perfect back-to-school (or work) snack!

Instructions

We all know avocados are the star of toasts, dips, salads, breakfast sandwiches, and much, much more. But leave them (mostly) whole, and they also make excellent vehicles for all kinds of fillings, vegan and meat-based.

Our first foray into vegan stuffed avocado territory were these fun taco stuffed avocados. That got us thinking about all the options to fill our favorite healthy fat-laden fruits.

Quinoa and lentils are two of our go-to vegan protein sources. They absorb different flavors and mix well into all the veggies we want to be eating.

We flavored our avocado filling with fresh chopped tomatoes, yellow peppers and cucumbers for crunch. The savory mediterranean flavors come from the two dressings we couldn't resist adding to these avocados.

First, sumac dressing.

It's just like a simple vinaigrette, with olive oil, lemon juice and extra herbs. In addition to sumac, we added oregano and marjoram. You can use just about any herbs you have on hand, although I must say oregano is my all-time favorite. Thyme would work well, too!

Tahini Dressing

Second, and the final step in this easy weeknight meal, is a super fast vegan tahini dressing. Drizzle the tahini dressing over your Mediterranean stuffed avocados just before serving. You can easily prep it ahead of time and store in a separate container.

This dressing is incredibly simple - just tahini, olive oil, lemon, a sweetener (we use agave), and a bit of salt and pepper. Whisk everything together, then add in a bit of water to thin it out.

With 30 seconds of effort, you'll have the perfect creamy vegan tahini dressing!

I use it on everything from roasted vegetables, to kale salads, and even by the spoonful. (Yep, it's that good!) If you're feeling ambitious, you can try making homemade tahini.

More Back-To-School Recipes

• Vegan Burrito Bowls - a back-pocket recipe that the whole family can agree on. Easy to customize and prep!
• Vegan Asian Lettuce Wraps - super flavorful, surprisingly easy. Served with a delicious peanut sauce.
• Creamy Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Pasta - an easy alternative to mac & cheese!
• Greek Chickpea Salad - my go-to salad for a busy night.

If you make these stuffed avocados, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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