This healthy bruschetta recipe makes a healthy alternative to your classic bruschetta using delicious baked eggplant as the base. Topped with pesto, tomatoes, olives, basil and dollops of cashew cheese this eggplant bruschetta recipe will become a new household favourite. Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegan and Whole 30 compliant.
Eggplant bruschetta can make a great starter or as the meaty flesh of the eggplant is so filling it can also be served as a main with a side salad or rice or quinoa. It makes a hearty, colourful dish that is packed full of fresh Mediterranean flavours.
I love getting more veggies in my diet where I can so this recipe is a great way to do just that. We currently have tomatoes and basil galore in our garden, my little boy loves to pick and wash them both. He will then proudly give to me showing off his gardening skills knowing that he helped plant them.
Once cooked and brushed with olive oil and pesto the flesh of the eggplant becomes lovely and tender and soaks up the flavours of the pesto and the veggies. The tomatoes, red onion, olives and fresh basil give this dish a lovely freshness and burst of Mediterranean flavour topped off beautifully by the creamy cashew cheese.
Additional Recipe Notes for making Eggplant Bruschetta
- I used this dairy free Kale, Basil & Walnut pesto in this recipe which makes it Paleo and Whole30 compliant. I love making my own pesto, it is a great way to get some more greens into my diet.
- The cashew cheese adds a lovely nutty creaminess to this bruschetta, however if you are not dairy free and wish to use cheese then feta or Mozzarella will work too.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
For more tasty recipes and to see what I’ve been getting up to you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest or Twitter.
Have a lovely week!
Hope x
Serves 4
Baked Eggplant Bruschetta (Paleo, Gluten Free, Vegan)
Hope Pearce
Delicious and healthy eggplant bruschetta full of Mediterranean flavours
10 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save Recipe
5 based on 7 review(s)
Ingredients
Eggplant- 2 eggplants
- 2 Tbspn olive oil
- 4 Tbspn pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup black olives, pitted
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cashew cheese- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked*
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 Tbspn water
- 1 Tbspn lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tspn nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Add cashew nuts to a bowl and enough warm water to cover them, cover bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes while you make the rest of the dish. Alternatively you can use cashews that you have soaked overnight.
- Cut the eggplants in half through the stem. Make 4 slits with a knife lengthways inside the eggplant.
- Brush each side of the eggplant with olive oil.
- Place fan down (skins facing up) under the grill at 180c and grill for about 10 min until the skins have blistered slightly.
- Turn over and brush the inner side of the eggplant with pesto. Place about half of the chopped tomatoes, red onion and olives along the inside. Leave the rest aside. Press them slightly until the slits you have made which will help them hold.
- Grill for another 10 minutes. The eggplant should be tender but not falling apart.
- While you are grilling the eggplant add all of the ingredients for the cashew cheese to a high speed blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the eggplant from the grill. Top the eggplant with the remaining chopped tomatoes, red onion and olives.
- Roughly tear the fresh basil and add on top with dolops of the cashew cheese.(You may have some cashew cheese left over)
- Add a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Serve alone as a starter or alongside a salad or quinoa or rice as a main.
Calories
333 cal
Fat
24 g
Carbs
25 g
Protein
7 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info
7.8.1.276https://lovefoodnourish.com/eggplant-bruschetta-paleo-gluten-free-vegan/
Love Food Nourish
Serves 4
Hope Pearce
Delicious and healthy eggplant bruschetta full of Mediterranean flavours
10 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 7 review(s)
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 2 Tbspn olive oil
- 4 Tbspn pesto
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped in half
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup black olives, pitted
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked*
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 Tbspn water
- 1 Tbspn lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tspn nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Add cashew nuts to a bowl and enough warm water to cover them, cover bowl and let them sit for 10 minutes while you make the rest of the dish. Alternatively you can use cashews that you have soaked overnight.
- Cut the eggplants in half through the stem. Make 4 slits with a knife lengthways inside the eggplant.
- Brush each side of the eggplant with olive oil.
- Place fan down (skins facing up) under the grill at 180c and grill for about 10 min until the skins have blistered slightly.
- Turn over and brush the inner side of the eggplant with pesto. Place about half of the chopped tomatoes, red onion and olives along the inside. Leave the rest aside. Press them slightly until the slits you have made which will help them hold.
- Grill for another 10 minutes. The eggplant should be tender but not falling apart.
- While you are grilling the eggplant add all of the ingredients for the cashew cheese to a high speed blender or food processor and blitz until smooth and creamy.
- Remove the eggplant from the grill. Top the eggplant with the remaining chopped tomatoes, red onion and olives.
- Roughly tear the fresh basil and add on top with dolops of the cashew cheese.(You may have some cashew cheese left over)
- Add a sprinkle of salt and freshly ground pepper.
- Serve alone as a starter or alongside a salad or quinoa or rice as a main.
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Some other recipes you may like to try:
Paleo Mediterranean Baked Chicken
Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Poached Egg, Avocado & Pesto
Roasted Red Pepper, Tomato & Lentil Soup (Vegan)
13 Comments
CHIHYU
January 31, 2019 at 5:44 pm I can taste the yummy flavor right from here! So delicious!Hope Pearce
February 2, 2019 at 10:45 am Thank you ChiYu!Laura Duffy
February 2, 2019 at 7:51 am What a brilliant idea to use eggplant to make bruschetta! It sounds delicious with the cashew cheese and kale pesto. I'm definitely going to try thisHope Pearce
February 2, 2019 at 10:46 am Thanks so much Laura, I hope you enjoy it :)Megan Stevens
February 3, 2019 at 3:59 am I've never grilled eggplant, so your recipe instructions are so helpful. This dish is beautiful and looks so delicious!Hope Pearce
February 8, 2019 at 7:16 pm Thanks so much Megan, it is tasty way to enjoy eggplant :)Anne Lawton
February 4, 2019 at 7:08 am I love this idea for a meatless dinner, and that cashew cheese and kale pesto, yum!Hope Pearce
February 8, 2019 at 7:16 pm Thanks Anne, yes a great way get some more veggies in :)Mimi
February 4, 2019 at 6:15 pm It is truly a healthy alternative to the all-time classics. Although it looks so good that I think I love this laternative more now!Hope Pearce
February 8, 2019 at 7:17 pm Thanks Mimi, yes it is a great alternative!Catherine Baez Sholl
February 4, 2019 at 8:36 pm Oh wow, bruschetta on eggplant, so delicious!Hope Pearce
February 8, 2019 at 7:17 pm Thanks Catherine :)Anne Lawton
March 11, 2019 at 11:06 am I love this! Bruschetta and eggplant will be just perfect to make this summer when all of the fresh produce comes in!