Vegetable Stack

Layered Goodness: Make the Most of Your Homegrown Veg

One of the joys of having a vegetable garden is being able to harvest a little of this and a little of that without needing huge amounts of any one thing. This layered vegetable stack is the perfect way to celebrate that abundance in a flexible, flavour-packed dish you can build your own way.

The beauty of this recipe is that it’s less about rules and more about inspiration. Once you’ve got a few simple staples on hand, the rest is up to you and your garden.

For this version, I used:

• A can of black beans for substance
• A selection of sautéed garden vegetables
• A layer of mashed cauliflower for creaminess and contrast

Each layer brought something different to the table…colour, texture, and taste. It’s a perfect use-it-up meal for when you have a variety of small harvests and want to bring them together into something satisfying and beautiful.

The best part? You can adapt it to the season. I’m already planning to make it again with the cabbage, zucchini, and spinach that are just about ready to pick. Any leafy greens, roasted root veg, lentils, or even leftover grains would work brilliantly too.

Tips to Make It Your Own:

• Roast or sauté vegetables before layering to deepen flavour
• Use herbs or pesto between layers for an extra punch
• Top with cheese or breadcrumbs and bake for a golden finish
• Serve warm with a side salad, or chilled as a colourful lunch stack

This dish is a great reminder that garden-to-table cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs a bit of creativity, and whatever’s growing well.

If we’re unlikely to eat them immediately I tend to freeze wraps. I have half-bags full in my freezer and at times like this, I’m glad I have them at the ready. They defrost very quickly and become perfect layers for this recipe.

My Vege Stack Recipe

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6 x wraps (or thin unleavened bread: tortilla,  home made chapati bread etc)
• 1/3 can of black beans (in chilli sauce)
• 1 x onion
• 10 x mushroom
• 1 x capsicum
• 1/3 cauliflower
• 1/2 tsp crushed garlic
• handful mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin and slithered almonds)
• 3 Tbsp Chow Chow pickle
• 1/2 cup grated cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2. Lightly grease the base of a round tin and place your first wrap down. Spread a layer of black beans.
3. Another wrap, and layer with sauteed onion.
4. Another wrap, and layer with sauteed mushroom and capsicum together.
5. Another wrap, and layer with mashed cauliflower (with 1/2 teaspoon of crushed garlic – and a dash of cream if you wish), topped with a handful of seeds.
6. Another wrap, and layer with Chow Chow pickle and a sprinkling of grated cheese.  Another wrap to top it off, and you’re done.
7. Bake in the until top wrap is crispy and golden brown (approx 15-20 mins).