Easy Bruschetta With Pesto And Sun-Dried Tomatoes features homemade basil Pesto, sautéed zucchini and delicious sun-dried tomatoes. If you're looking for a very best crowd-pleasing appetizer for birthday party, Thanksgiving or Christmas, you can count on this Basil Pesto Bruschetta to deliver. Easy to make and absolutely delicious!
Bruschetta With Pesto And Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Despite 5 different layers, this sun-dried tomato appetizer comes together quickly and easily. Let me break it down for you:
1st layer - crispy baguette: buy it in a grocery store, slice it and toast for a few minutes. How easy it that?
2nd layer - cream cheese: who doesn't have it in their fridge?
3rd layer - sun-dried tomatoes: store-bought jar of these will last you a long time;
4th layer - Basil pesto: can be store-bought, but so easy to make at home;
5th layer - sautéed zucchini: super easy and quick to make at home using just 2 ingredients.
Recipe makes 12 Bruschetta with zucchini and is perfect for a small party. If you're hosting a large gathering of people, feel free to double the recipe. You can even ask your guests to help you to assemble this delicious cream cheese Bruschetta.
Variations of Bruschetta with Pesto
- I'm giving you a classic Pesto recipe with fresh basil, however it's equally delicious with other herbs such as spinach or arugula. You can also mix and match.
- Substitute Goat cheese for cream cheese. It will give you more robust and earthy flavor.
- Finally, you can use eggplant in place of zucchini. Japanese eggplant would work best since its thinner and will lie perfectly on a small baguette.
Best Bread for Bruschetta
I recommend making Pesto Bruschetta with French baguette. However, if you want to squeeze more nutritional benefits into this recipe, choose whole grain baguette available in the bakeries of most grocery stores.
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Recipe
Bruschetta With Pesto And Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Ingredients
For Basil pesto
For crispy baguette
- 12 slices baguette
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For assembling
- 12 tablespoon cream cheese use vegan if needed
- 6 slices sun-dried tomatoes cut in half* (Note 1)
Instructions
To make crispy baguette
- Preheat the oven to 430 F. Drizzle or brush baguette slices with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, place on a parchment lined baking dish and toast in the oven for 7 minutes.
To make Basil pesto
- In a bowl of food processor blend together 1 cup of Basil, 2 cloves of garlic, ½ cup of Parmesan cheese, ¼ cup of Pine nuts, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. While machine is still running, slowly pour in olive oil and lemon juice. You might need anywhere from ½ cup to ⅓ of a cup of olive oil.
To make sautéed zucchini
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet and on a medium heat. Arrange zucchini rounds in one layer, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes until zucchini start to brown at the bottom. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer zucchini on a paper towel lined plate.
To assemble
- Spread 1 tablespoon of cream cheese on each baguette slice. Top with sun-dried tomato. Spread 1 or 1 ½ tablespoons of Pesto sauce on top of sun-dried tomato and top with zucchini slice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Iryna Bychkiv is the founder and writer of the culinary website Lavender & Macarons, where she shares clean, European-inspired recipes that are delicious, easy to prepare, and made with wholesome ingredients. Iryna loves creating meals that are simple yet healthy and unique, including vegan and vegetarian recipes.
Iryna is also a freelance writer for MSN and Associated Press Wire.
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