I adore this recipe. It tastes like a rich cream sauce but is made with pureed white beans and pesto. I consider it clean eating with fresh ingredients – tomatoes, zucchini, and beans.

My only gripe about making this dish is cutting the crusts off the bread. I have yet to find an efficient way to do this. However, the nuisance is worth the final product. 

To adapt it to be vegan consider making your own pesto as most store-bought contains parmesan. I sprinkled parmesan on top at the end which could also be skipped if you were going for vegan. 

Zucchini and Pesto Strata

2014-08-05 07:36:57

Serves 4

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Cook Time

30 min

Cook Time

30 min

Ingredients

1. 1/2 cup basil pesto, store-bought or homemade
2. 1 cup canned white beans, drained and rinsed
3. 3 tbsp olive oil
4. 1/2 cup vegetable broth
5. 4 cups cubed day-old French or Italian bread, crusts removed
6. 1.5 lbs zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced
7. Salt and Pepper
8. 4 ripe plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
9. 1 roasted red bell pepper, bottled or homemade

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In food processor, combine pesto, beans, and 2 tbps of the olive oil, and blend until smooth. Add the broth and process until well blended. Set aside.
3. Spread about two thirds of the bread cubes in the bottom of a lightly oils gratin or baking dish and layer half of the zucchini slices on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about half of the pesto sauce on top of the zucchini and top with half of the tomato slices. Sprinkle the chopped roasted red pepper over the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. Top with a layer of the remaining zucchini slices. Season with salt and pepper and top with the remaining pesto, followed by the remaining tomato slices. Season with S&P.
4. Top with the remaining bread and drizzle with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Cover tightly and bake until the vegetables are tender and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
5. Remove the lid and bake until the top is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

By Robin Robertson

Adapted from Quick-Fix Vegetarian

Adapted from Quick-Fix Vegetarian

Sans Carne https://sanscarne.com/