• recipes
    • small plates
    • large plates
    • sweets
    • baking
    • salads and soups
    • breakfasts
    • pantry staples
    • drinks
  • about
  • contact
Lazy Cat Kitchen

A food blog with plant-based recipes from all over the world

Pumpkin crostini with rocket pesto

January 31, 2017 by Ania - 6

butternut squash, chickpeas, easy, gluten-free, healthy

pumpkin crostini sandwich

Sometimes, necessity really is the mother of invention. As we were driving to get food shopping done for upcoming recipes, our car broke down on the busiest and most dangerous road on the island, in pitch black, where speed limit isn’t a concept anyone seems to be familiar with and where people are often seen texting (yes! texting!!) while driving because they know the road, why would they need two hands while driving…!? To add insult to injury, I forgot to top up my phone… We had no other choice but to walk to the nearest petrol station in search of a towing service. Even though the sky was scattered with stars, it wasn’t the most relaxed or romantic walk. We had no torch, were wearing all dark and non-reflective clothing and I’m not known for my night vision either πŸ˜‰ . Every time a car blasted past, we stopped in readiness to throw ourselves into a ditch in case the driver hadn’t noticed us. Luckily, we did not have to walk very far, the guy at the petrol station was very friendly and helpful and the tow truck appeared within half an hour. The tow truck guy was such a character that he made us both laugh despite the rough night and kindly gave us a lift to the main town afterwards! The car is currently being fixed and we are hoping to be mobile again soon! Yay!

So, as we have no transport, I’ve had to come up with a recipe from what I already had in the house. This pumpkin crostini is inspired by one I enjoyed for breakfast at one of Warsaw’s vegan-friendly food spots. It’s simple but the combination of flavours and textures works a treat: creamy hummus, sweet pumpkin (sweet potato works great too!), slightly bitter and garlicky rocket pesto, sour pomegranate seeds, crunchy pine nuts and spicy chilli flakes. I recommend having it warm on a freshly toasted sourdough bread. It makes a great lunch or breakfast (if, like me, you don’t scrunch up your nose at savoury open sandwiches for the first meal of the day), but it will also make a pretty canapes if you are having friends around for a few drinks.

PS: If you make this pumpkin crostini, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram as @lazycatkitchen and use the #lazycatkitchen hashtag. I love seeing your takes on my recipes!

roasted pumpkin crostini

pumpkin crostini one

pumpkin crostini tray

pumpkin crostini side

5.00 from 1 vote
Print
  • makes: 4 crostini
  • prep: 15 min
  • cooking: 40 min

Ingredients

CROSTINI INGREDIENTS

  • 4 slices of toasted bread (I used sourdough bread)
  • Β½ cup hummus OR vegan ricotta
  • 4 slices of butternut pumpkin / squash (sweet potato works well too!)
  • 1 tbsp pine nuts, toasted on a pan
  • seeds of Β½ pomegranate
  • olive oil
  • Β½ tsp chilli flakes OR Turkish pul biber

ROCKET / ARUGULA PESTO

  • 28 g rocket / 1 oz rocket / arugula
  • 120 ml / Β½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 28 g / 1 oz walnuts, toasted on a pan
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • pinch of sugar
  • ΒΎ-1 tsp salt, adjust to taste
  • black pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Heat up the oven to 200Β° C / 390Β° F and line a baking tray with a piece of baking paper.
  2. Wash butternut pumpkin / squash and cut into 1.25 mm / 0.5 ” slices. Brush them with olive oil, season with salt and bake for 30-40 mins in the preheated oven, flipping the slices to the other side half way through baking time. The pumpkin is ready once the flesh is soft and nicely caramelised on the outside.
  3. Place dry rocket, garlic and toasted walnuts in a herb chopper with olive oil. Blitz into a fine pesto. Season with lemon juice, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar and nutritional yeast.
  4. Toast your bread slices, top with hummus or vegan ricotta and caramelised pumpkin slices. Season with black pepper, drizzle with rocket pesto and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts.
If you want more info on some of the ingredients that we use in our recipes, check out our glossary.
SHARE
asian veggie bowl portion
Previous:
Asian veggie bowl with oyster mushrooms
Next post:
Gooey chocolate orange brownies
gooey chocolate brownies orange macro

get a sweet e-book

on joining our mailing list

I’d like to receive new recipe emails and a link to your free e-book.
(By submitting this form you agree to our privacy policy.)
This recipe has been written by Ania. She is the cook, stylist and photographer behind Lazy Cat Kitchen. You can read about her journey into food blogging here. You can also check her out on Pinterest and Instagram.

You may also like

baked pumpkin falafels pita held

Baked pumpkin falafels

vegan potato skins plate close

Vegan potato skins with smoky chickpeas

Creamy pumpkin pasta with coconut bacon

carrot harissa salad

Carrot and harissa salad

    Comments

    Leave a comment

  1. Del's cooking twist says

    February 6, 2017 at 3:30 am

    Ok, this is definitely a must try this week. I already told my bf about this recipe (just after seeing it on your blog) and like me he loved everything about these tartines. Yes, sometimes simple is best!

    Reply
    • Ania says

      February 6, 2017 at 1:09 pm

      Thanks for kind words, Del πŸ™‚ Hope you’ll both like it! Ania

      Reply
  2. Lynda says

    January 10, 2018 at 9:02 pm

    This looks so good ! I might try this with sweet potato since I have that and may have to substitute some other ingredients, but I love the basic recipe. Yum!

    Reply
    • Ania says

      January 11, 2018 at 4:22 pm

      Thanks, Lynda! Hope it will hit the spot! Ania

      Reply
  3. Anya says

    April 17, 2019 at 5:36 am

    Loved it!! I just made it for lunch.looks amazing & tastes delicious.

    Reply
    • Ania says

      April 17, 2019 at 12:52 pm

      I’m delighted to hear that, Anya! x Ania

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Fields marked as * are mandatory
This form collects your name and email so that we can correspond with you and display your name and the content of your comment. Check out our privacy policy for more information.

I consent to having Lazy Cat Kitchen collect my name and email

Ania Marcinowska
Hi, I'm Ania. I love good food but I love animals more! Adopting a plant-based diet has been the best decision I've made and that's how this blog was born. It's a space where I want to show you that creating delicious plant-based food isn't actually hard at all.
read more

Follow us on Insta

  • Have you rolled up your sleeves for Xmas yet? I have, but that sort of comes with the territory...first up is a super simple yet deliciously xmassy #recipe for soft #vegangingerbread cookies (link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ) They are fun to make and decorate (although I'm not going to win any awards in that department 😜), they can also be made both #refinedsugarfree and #glutenfree if needed. #veganxmas #veganchristmas #vegancookies #weekendtreat #letsbakevegan #letsbake #egglessbaking #vegandesserts #xmascookies #crueltyfree #glutenfreevegan #veganfood #veganfoodlover #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan
  • Hope your day is good, guys? I'm photographing one of these dishes that tastes great, but is not a looker and losing my temper and my mind...πŸ™„πŸ€― meanwhile here is a throwback to an old recipe of mine, but perfect for this time of the year β˜” #veganbourguignon with #celeriacmash - #recipe link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ #veganfood #vegancomfortfood #whatveganseat #eatrealfood #letseatvegan #dinnerinspo #dinnertime #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #winterfood #winter #comfortfood #eatwellbewell #eatmoregreens #eatplants #plantbased #plantbasedmeals
  • When you book your favourite restaurant to celebrate your 10 year anniversary πŸ‘©β€β€οΈβ€πŸ‘¨ a month after the actual date cos life got in the way, get there against all odds to find that all the car parks in the entire of #Bath (thanks Xmas market!!) are full and end up eating nut bars and bananas in a supermarket's car park for lunch instead...yup, that's how romantic it's been today!! On the blog, a #recipe (link in my bio) for lunch I wish we have had. Enjoy 😘 #veganrisotto #mushroom #mushroomrisotto #whatveganseat #veganfood #vegan #veganrecipes #letscookvegan #veganfoodspace #veganfoodlover #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #kitchn #dinnerinspo #dinnertime #glutenfreevegan #glutenfree #vegancomfortfood #plantbased #dairyfree
  • If you are not cooking for a crowd or have 'annoying #vegans ' (this is what we are when we are not around, we know...😜) coming round for dinner and need to put something together that does not take a day to prepare, these cute individual #pithiviers might do the job (#recipe link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ), not too complicated and they go well nicely with cranberry sauce. Enjoy 😘 #whatveganseat #thanksgiving #veganthanksgivingdinner #veganthanksgiving #veganfood #vegan #loveanimalsdonteatthem #veganfoodlover #vegansofig #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #veganfoodshare #vegandinner #vegandinnerideas #festiveseason
  • Okay so if you are after something that's easy to make yet feeds a crowd πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘¦πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘©β€πŸ‘§πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘§πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘¨β€πŸ‘§ I might have just the thing for you - #veganpotatogratin that's fragrant with rosemary and thyme, creamy with crispy top - heaven on a plate πŸ‘ŒπŸ€€ #recipe link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ #vegancomfortfood #whatfatveganseat #vegandinner #veganthanksgivingdinner #veganthanksgiving #veganfood #veganfoodlover #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #veganfortheanimals #veganblog #veganfoodblogger #veganside #vegansides #glutenfreevegan #glutenfree #dinnerinspo #dairyfree #plantbased #plantbasedmeals #potatoes #potatolove #carbs
  • If you're not a pumpkin pie fan, how about breaking the rules and making this creamy #vegan #peanutbuttermousse with a layer of decadent ganache on top? It's easy, the link to the recipe including a how-to #recipevideo is in my bio πŸ‘ˆ Enjoy 😘 #veganthanksgivingdinner #veganthanksgiving #letseatvegan #letscookvegan #vegandesserts #veganfoodlover #aquafaba #whatveganseat #veganfood #veganfoodblogger #veganrecipes #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #eggless #loveanimalsdonteatthem #plantbased #vegansofig
  • For all you #vegan #pumpkinpie fans out there, I didn't want you to miss out on this #Thanksgiving staple so I tinkered a little and I have a cracking NEW RECIPE (link in bio πŸ‘ˆ) for it, just in time....phew πŸ˜…. It's not difficult to make at all, the filling comes together in seconds and it's silky smooth, rich, custardy and fragrant with pumpkin pie spices, we love it πŸ€€πŸ‘Œ#veganpumpkinpie #veganthanksgiving #veganthanksgivingdinner #veganfood #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #whatveganseat #letsbakevegan #egglessbaking #veganbaking #letseatvegan #plantbased #veganfoodlover #veganrecipes #veganfoodporn #glutenfree #glutenfreevegan #bestofvegan #letsbakevegan #veganpie
  • I've been teasing you with #thanksgiving recipes all week, but this is the main dish that should grace your #veganthanksgiving table - #veganwellington with deliciously rich gravy. Duncan and I have made a #recipevideo (link to written recipe in my bioπŸ‘ˆ) to show you how to put it together. It always gets lots of compliments, it's full of flavour, contrasting textures and can be made #glutenfree too. Enjoy!! 😘 #beetwellington #veganlife #veganfoodlover #vegans #veganshare #vegandinner #bestofvegan #plantbased #beetroot #veganroast #veganfortheanimals #veganforlife #veganfood #vegan #veganrecipes #foodvideo #veganfoodporn
  • Have you worked out your #veganthanksgiving menu yet? If you still have room for some inspiration, may I humbly suggest this cracking way to make #brusselsprouts truly shine? These miso roasted sprouts with jammy #cranberries and pecans are one of my favorite #festive sides...πŸ€€πŸ‘Œ #recipe link in bio 😘 #thanksgivingsides #thanksgiving #whatveganseat #plantbaseddiet #plantbased #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #eatmoreplants #eatyourveggies #eatrealfood #crueltyfreefood #crueltyfree #loveanimalsdonteatthem #veganfood #veganfoodlover #vegansofinstagram #vegansofinsta
  • If you are looking for a #vegandessert for #thanksgiving, look no further!! Here is one of my personal favourites, #veganpecanpie (link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ). It's nutty, caramely, moreish, an absolute knock-out!! It's #refinedsugarfree and can be made #glutenfree too if you need it to be 😘 #letseatvegan #letsbake #lovebaking #pecanpie #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #whatfatveganseat #glutenfreevegan #vegandesserts #veganfood #veganfoodshare #veganbaking #veganbaker #veganthanksgivingdinner #vegantreat #veganthanksgiving #bestofvegan
  • This beautiful #veganside of #roastedsweetpotatoes with #misodressing really would appreciate an invite to your #veganthanksgiving table 😜 Super easy to make, a guaranteed crowd pleaser and naturally #glutenfree too!! #Recipe link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ, as always 😘 #glutenfreevegan #whatveganseat #eatrealfood #carbsarelife #carbs #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #veganthanksgivingdinner #eatyourveggies #eatplants #loveanimalsdonteatthem #thanksgivingsides #letseathealthy #healthyfood #letseatvegan #thrivemags
  • Happy Monday guys!! As many of you are probably already thinking about the upcoming #thanksgiving , I am here to help you tackle #veganthanksgiving menu cos no one likes being left out, right? I hope you'll include these easy to make #hasselbackpotatoes potatoes with garlic and herbs and I hope that you'll spared the sight of the poor dead turkey πŸ¦ƒπŸ˜­ (that's the hardest bit, isn't it?) #recipe link in my bio πŸ‘ˆ #veganthanksgivingdinner #whatveganseat #loveanimalsdonteatthem #veganfood #veganfoodlovers #veganfoodshare #veganfoodspace #lovecarbs #carbsarelife #potatolove #potatoes #vegansofig #vegansides #feedfeed @thefeedfeed.vegan #thrivemags

Follow on Instagram

Like us on Facebook

Lazy Cat Kitchen
Lazy Cat Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca.

Follow Us On Pinterest

Copyright © 2018 · Privacy Policy · Theme by Lazy Cat Themes · Logo by Sarah from The Small Object