Vegan Amaranth With Spinach-Tomato-Mushroom Sauce

Submitted by splitendharry

"I have no idea where I picked up this recipe, but it's the only one I use for cooking amaranth for other people. My family, who is very much NOT vegetarian, even enjoys this dish! Feel free to tweak ingredients and let me know how it tastes! This recipe is also great for cleaning out the refrigerator."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 10
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 cup amaranth
• 2 1⁄2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bunch spinach
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons basil
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons oregano
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon onion, minced

directions

1. Combine amaranth and water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat, cover to keep warm, and set aside.
2. While amaranth is cooking, stem and wash spinach leaves. Boil until tender (approx. 15-20 minutes). Dip tomatoes in boiling water to loosen skin, core, peel. Chop tomatoes coarsely.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, saute 2-3 minutes until onion is tender and garlic begins to brown.
4. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, basil, oregano, and 1 tbsp water to skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes.
5. Drain and chop spinach. Add to tomato mixture in skillet. Cook 10-15 minutes, mashing tomatoes slightly with a fork.
6. Serve sauce over warm amaranth.

Reviews

[24-7 Vegan]

The amaranth was thick and wet, like cream of wheat, the texture more like a porridge. My kids couldn't abide the "slimy, gummy, gooeyness." The sauce was tasty but unexceptional; I did reduce the basil and oregano (I had dried, while the amounts in the recipe looked like they were meant for fresh herbs).

 

[mileen]

Very good, it was my first time cooking amaranth. The grain does seem to get a bit gummy, perhaps from overcooking? But all in all it's a good dish. This same recipe is on food.com from another user, he says it's originally from cropsforthefuture.org

 

[Nicole F.]

Tried this last night. Mine came out less saucy and more scrambly - probably because I didn't blanch and remove the skins from the tomatoes. It was really tasty. I used lobster mushrooms that we found and dehydrated last fall. I would definitely make it again.

 

[jschoenbruncarter]

I cooked this today. I was a bit skeptical when I put it on the plate - it looked a bit like a pile of mush - but when I tasted it WOW. Delicious. I could eat it every day.