These mushroom toasts are an amazing lunch or light dinner recipe. They're topped with crispy fried mushrooms, cavolo nero and pesto made from any vegetable tops you need to use up!
Meet my new favourite work from home lunch!
We've been trying to waste less food so when we had some carrot and beetroot tops leftover we decided that pesto would be the perfect thing to do with them.
Although the pesto would be wonderful with pasta, for this recipe it's spread on crunchy toast and topped with buttery fried mushrooms, cavolo nero and a sprinkling of crumbled feta.
And oh wow it is just the best combination. It's buttery, garlicky and super comforting while still being pretty easy to throw together.
Why we love these mushroom toasts...
This is a great vegetarian main course or ideal as a work from home lunch since it's full of delicious ingredients.
It's a good make ahead recipe because you can put together the pesto and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use then simply fry the vegetables and toast the bread before serving.
It's full of healthy ingredients thanks to the mushrooms and cavolo nero as well as all the goodness in the pesto.
This recipe is a great way to cut down on food waste by using up any vegetable tops you've got lying around in the pesto.
Mushrooms on Toast Ingredients
This section is here to provide further tips and ideas for alternative ingredients. The full recipe and instructions are included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post!
Vegetable Top Pesto: This pesto is a combination of pine nuts, vegetable tops (we used carrot and beetroot), garlic, parmesan, lemon juice and olive oil.
Mushrooms: We just used regular button mushrooms but any would work.
Butter: Because you can't make anything this good without a bit of butter.
Cavolo Nero: This is delicious in this recipe but you could also use kale or spinach if you prefer.
Bread: You can use whatever bread you like here, just something that toasts well.
Feta: This adds the perfect saltiness.
How to make mushroom and cavolo nero toasts
Make the pesto: Put all the ingredients apart from the olive oil in the blender and mix until combined then stream in the olive oil and blend until fully mixed.
Cook the vegetables: Melt the butter over a medium high heat and cook the mushrooms until they're browned and slightly crisp. Put the mushrooms on a plate then add the cavolo nero with chilli flakes, salt and some water and allow to cook for a couple of minutes.
Assemble: Toast the bread to your liking then spread with pesto, top with mushrooms and cavolo nero and sprinkle with feta.
Equipment you need to make this recipe...
Want more? Try these other mushroom recipes!
- Mushroom Gnocchi with Thyme
- Mushroom Orzo with Beetroot & Feta
- Potato & Mushroom Egg Bake
- Pork Pasta with Dried Mushrooms & Spinach
- Skillet Truffle Mushroom Pizza
- Mushroom Stew with Cheesy Dumplings
- Mushroom Alfredo
Mushroom Toasts with Vegetable Top Pesto
Ingredients
For the Pesto
- 50 g Pine Nuts
- 80 g Vegetable Tops I used carrot and beetroot
- 1 clove Garlic
- 40 g Parmesan
- 2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 80 ml Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
For the Toasts
- 250 g Mushrooms sliced
- 25 g Butter
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 8 leaves Cavolo Nero halved crossways
- Pinch Chilli Flakes
- 4 thick slices Bread
- 50 g Feta crumbled
Instructions
- Start by making the pesto. Put all the ingredients apart from the olive oil in a blender and blend until chopped and combined. With the motor running stream in the olive oil until fully mixed. Set aside until ready to use. This recipe will make more than you need so you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Put the butter and olive oil in a frying pan over a medium high heat. Once the butter is melted add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the mushrooms onto a paper towel lined plate.
- Put the cavolo nero into the same pan and add a pinch of salt, the chilli flakes and 50ml of water. Cover the with a lid and let steam for a couple of minutes until wilted.
- Toast the bread on a griddle or in a toaster while the mushrooms and cavolo nero cook. Spread each slice of toast with some of the pesto, top with mushrooms, cavolo nero and sprinkle over the feta.
Notes
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Beth Sachs says
My favourite weekend brunch! Loving the veg top pesto!
Aimee Mars says
I love the idea of using leftovers for something new! This is a great way to take care of those last bits of produce. It's such a unique but delicious flavor combination.
Julie says
I can see serving this dish for parties too as an appetizer. Sounds delish.
Roxana says
This is a very interesting recipe. I love all the useful tips. And the amazing ingredients.
Lima Ekram says
I am always looking for easy work at home lunch ideas and this is a great one! Thank you!