Your comments about The Easy Vegetarian Kitchen over the past few months have been awesome. I've heard from so many of you through email, instagram, and comments that are making new recipes at home and getting excited about playing with seasonal ingredients. It's the exact reason I wanted to make this book. So to those of you who have been sharing- thank you! And if you make something and share it on instagram, be sure to tag it #naturallyella!
This pesto summer squash is straight from the book but I added a poached egg to move it from an appetizer to a solid meal. Summer squash usually gets mixed in with zucchini and I occasionally like to let it shine on it's own. The light flavor of the squash soaks up all the good flavor of the pesto.
Pairings for Pesto Summer Squash Bruschetta
Breakfast
While you could easily eat this bruschetta toast for breakfast, I actually prefer to ditch the bread. Instead of poaching the egg, I make an omelet that is stuffed with the grilled pesto summer squash and feta. It's an easy way to keep the meal gluten-free without worrying about the toast. Either way you prepare it, this meal goes well with:
Side: Bowl of fresh berries: blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries
Drink: Clean, full-bodied breakfast coffee
Lunch/Light Dinner
The nice thing about this recipe is that the pesto summer squash can easily be dressed up for a solid lunch or a light dinner. Instead of making another full recipe, I find it's best to let the summer flavors shine. For lunch or dinner I would pair this bruschetta with:
Side: Fresh sliced tomatoes sprinkled with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Drink: Sauvignon Blanc-medium bodied that is crisp/dry but if you can find one that has notes of lemon and/or fruit (like peaches).
Pesto Summer Squash Bruschetta with Poached Eggs
This pesto summer squash recipe is from The Easy Vegetarian Cookbook. The original recipe is doesn't call for the egg, but with the addition, this meal becomes the perfect lunch or light dinner.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Ingredients
- Squash
- 1 medium summer squash
- ¼ small red onion, minced
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pesto
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ cups packed basil leaves, plus extra for topping
- ⅓ cup parmesan cheese (look for cheese that uses vegetarian rennet)
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 pieces of toast
- 2 large eggs, poached
- 1 to 2 ounces feta
Instructions
- To make the squash, light the grill to medium-light heat. Slice the squash into ½ slices. Brush the squash and onions with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper. Grill 2 to 3 minutes per side until charred. Remove from grill, let cool slightly, cut the squash into cubes, and dice onion.
- To make pesto: In a food processor, pulse the garlic. Add the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse until well combined, adding more liquid (olive oil/lemon juice) as needed to thin the consistency. Toss the grilled squash mixture with ¼ cup of the pesto.
- Divide the squash mixture over the two pieces of toast. Finish with the poached egg, feta, and a sprinkle of basil.
Bella says
This looks divine! I love poached eggs.
Cristina @ I Say Nomato says
Pesto is so amazing, just the perfect sauce! I love the suggestions you gave for what to pair this with, that breakfast sounds divine!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Such a delicious meal! And this could totally be eaten at any time of day. Love it!
Natalie says
This looks delicious!
Stephanie says
This looks completely delicious. Totally healthy and bonus points for the beautiful color palette! I know what I'll be trying to make this week.
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- Stephanie
Eileen says
This sounds like the perfect quick lunch! And it's definitely a great way to eat as much fresh summer squash as possible. Love that beautiful poached egg yolk.
Marianne says
This looks fantastic! I haven't had summer squash this summer yet, oddly, but this looks like it's my perfect kind of meal! I love simple, tasty, light but still nourishing meals like this in the summer!
Marianne 🙂
Cassie says
Looks absolutely perfect! I think the poached eggs would taste awesome with the squash!
Kristi Rimkus says
It's funny that I often see shoppers reach for zucchini and pass up yellow summer squash. I love the change, and your use for it with summer fresh basil.
Jennifer @ Delicious says
I like the idea of pairing this Pesto Summer Squash Bruschetta with berries. I prefer it with poached eggs because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a poached egg for breakfast, right? But of course, I'm interested as well in trying the omelet version.
Lori says
Just ordered cookbook and am excited to receive it. I love the blog and want to support you.
Amanda says
How creative and beautiful! I think I could probably eat this any time of the day.
Sophie says
Love the colours and the added poached egg - looks like a perfect light dinner!
Heather says
Delicious! Thank you for sharing this. Definitely adding this to our morning lineup.
pia says
this looks so delicious!