Endive Boat Appetizer
March 23, 2020 by Ginger Hultin MS RDN
Looking for a simple appetizer to bring to events and parties? Or maybe you just need an easy and filling snack for the week? I made these originally for a party that had some folks with dietary restrictions, and they were a huge hit. Endive is just fun to eat so that helps these get snapped up quickly. This Endive Boat Appetizer is the perfect snack or appetizer for any occasion. To make the recipe vegan-friendly, I swapped out the Greek yogurt and honey for Veganaise and agave nectar. I also took out the addition of olive oil, since Vegenaise contains olive oil and I wanted something light and creamy. This recipe definitely hits those marks.
This Endive Boat Appetizer recipe took some chopping and cutting, but it was still so simple to make and only took about 20 minutes total, including the assembly! If you can’t find endive leaves at your local grocery store, try finding a substitute such as little gem or small Bibb lettuce leaves. If you like to work ahead of time, especially if you are prepping for a special gathering or event, you can mix all of the ingredients together a day in advance (minus the pears) and store tightly sealed in your refrigerator. A few hours before the event, add the pears, stir, fill the leaves, and go.
Making the Endive Boat Appetizer
To get started, you will need a large mixing bowl, a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon for mixing, a whisk, a set of measuring cups and spoons, and a sharp chef’s knife or something similar. You are going to begin with adding the Vegenaise , agave nectar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to the large mixing bowl. Then, you’ll mix the ingredients together with a whisk to get rid of clumps.Â
Vegenaise is a great way to incorporate creaminess into many dishes, and it tastes so similar to mayonnaise. Swap it out for mayonnaise, or in this case, Greek yogurt, to make the recipe vegan friendly or if a friend or family member has an egg or dairy allergy. Agave is also a great substitute for honey (did you know honey is not vegan?) in many dishes, dressings, or drinks. You could also swap maple syrup for honey, but agave is more mild in flavor and is easily incorporated into dishes and drinks without detection. Another swap you can make is red onion instead of green onion if you like the taste and addition of purple/red to your endive boats. I really liked the look of all of the greens in the dish and prefer the taste of green onion, so it just depends on your preference. Â
After mixing the first set of ingredients, dice your pears and add them to the bowl (unless you’re prepping this more than a day in advance). Pears add extra sweetness and nutrients, balancing out the other flavors. Next, finely chop the celery, green onion, and parsley, adding each to the bowl as you go. Then, rinse and drain the chickpeas before adding them to the mix; they bring in some protein and additional fiber to round out this veggie-packed dish. Mix everything together until the ingredients are well combined and evenly coated with the vegenaise mixture. Now’s a good time to taste the mix and adjust as needed—add a little more of something if you like, or cut back on an ingredient if it’s too strong (I’m not a big fan of onion, so I usually use a bit less). Once you’re happy with the taste, you’re ready to fill the endive leaves!
Assembling the Endive Boat Appetizer
Now, this part was a little tricky. The ‘boats’ like to tip over as you attempt to fill them (patience is a virtue). I’ll be honest and tell you that having another person there to hold them for you is the easiest by far. Otherwise, try using a small spoon to put the mixture into the endive leaves while you hold each leaf with your other hand. I leaned the leaves up against each other to keep each one from tipping over. I had to transport these delicious boats to a party, however, so I would recommend waiting until you arrive at your destination and then assembling them, otherwise you are going to have a lot of capsized boats in your container. I would also recommend using a curved dish with a lip around the edges to prop the endive leaves up against so you don’t lose the filling of the boats. This will also make it easier to fill all of the endive leaves.
You can also get creative with the finished product and add some tasty almond slivers to the tops of each one for a nutty flavor (be aware of allergies, though). This Endive Boat Appetizer was a hit at the party I made them for – I didn’t have any to take home! I chose this recipe specifically because I had to create appetizers for many diet restrictions – vegan, soy-free, sesame-free, and gluten-free. So, my options were limited. but, I ended up creating an amazing, delicious spread of appetizers for everyone. Check out my other allergen and plant-based-friendly recipes on the blog: Crostini with Beans, Ricotta, Honey and Thyme, Garden Cherry Tomato Bruschetta, Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms, and more!
I was worried about adding the pears in with the rest of the ingredients because I didn’t want them to start browning and alter the look and flavor of the dish. I could have cut and added the pears at the party, but I chose not to for time sake. In my experience, adding the pears ahead of time turned out perfectly fine and they did not brown. If you are making this dish a day or so in advance, though, you may want to wait until a few hours the day of the event to put the pears in. That way, you will still have a bright green dish and preserve the flavor of the pears.Â
Let me know if you try this one!
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons Veganaise
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium sized, ripe but firm pears diced
- 2 15-oz cans chickpeas rinsed well
- 1 1/2 cup flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1/3 cup celery finely chopped
- 1/3 cup green onion thinly sliced
- 24 Belgian endives leaves from 5 heads
Instructions
- Whisk Veganaise, lemon zest and lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Add the pears, chickpeas, celery, parsley and green onion into the same bowl and stir to coat.
- Spoon the mixture into endive leaves. Arrange on serving platter and enjoy!
Nutrition
2 Comments
Leave a Comment
Ginger Hultin,MS, RD, CSO
Thanks for visiting! If you're struggling with a cancer diagnosis, autoimmune condition, gut health problems, or even a medical mystery, nutrition can make a HUGE difference in your day-to-day life. I run a virtual, concierge private practice where I partner with my clients over time to help them improve their health through nutrition. Be sure to visit the blog for easy, plant-based, anti-inflammatory recipes and our "Resources" page for a variety of self-paced programs, books, e-books, and nutrition podcast episodes.
Wow, What a recepi, It’s Healthy and Delicious making food.. My children really heppy to eat this Vegan Chickpea endive boats.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I’m so glad they loved it 🙂