Grilled Summer Squash Crostini with Goat Cheese and Pesto

Summer is finally here! Soon the grocery stores, Farmer’s Markets, and backyard gardens will be overflowing with delicious summer produce. I recently planted a few herbs and veggies, including zucchini. I especially love zucchini because it is such a versatile vegetable for a variety of meals and recipes during the summer.

You can use it in pasta dishes like this No-Bake Grilled Vegetable Lasagna and muffins like these Zucchini Apple Spice Muffins. Zucchini can be spiralized to make a delicious Zucchini Tomato Basil Salad with Lemon Basil Vinaigrette.

You can stuff them and make  Tex-Mex Stuffed Zucchini with Avocado Salsa. For a simple, no-fuss dinner you can make this one dish Italian Chicken, Mushroom, and Zucchini Skillet.

The list goes on and on with uses and tasty recipes for zucchini. One of my new favorites ways to eat zucchini is this Grilled Summer Squash Crostini with Goat Cheese and Pesto.

Crostini are fun to get creative with and the possibilities are endless. This recipe features hearty eureka!® Organic Bread, goat cheese topped with Basil Pesto and grilled zucchini and yellow squash that has been tossed with Balsamic Vinegar.

Since the bread is the base for all of these tasty toppings, be sure to start with, good bread that is both hearty and flavorful. Eating better doesn’t have to be boring or lacking in flavor.  I like eureka! Organic Seeds the Day® because it is both healthy and full of flavor and texture (plus, it contains no high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives).

The concept of crostini is simple. Start first with slices of toasted bread (brush the tops with olive oil before toasting). Then, top the toasted baguette with almost any ingredient you like.

You can add extra flavor, as well, by rubbing the tops of the toasted bread with garlic cloves if you like. Or, try flavored olive oils, like herbed olive oils, when toasting the bread.

While the bread is toasting, you’ll prep the squash by grilling it and tossing it with olive oil. Spread goat cheese and pesto on top of the toasted bread, then top it with the grilled squash and a few shavings of fresh parmesan.

Crostini, like this, is excellent for summer entertaining. It is best assembled just prior to serving so it stays fresh. However, you can prepare some of the elements in advance – like grilling the squash, preparing the pesto if you choose to make homemade, and shaving the parmesan.

Crostini is also a fun way to mix up the lunch routine. Often in the summer I’ll make something like this rather than a sandwich for lunch. It feels a little bit special even though they’re so easy to prepare.

Grilled Summer Squash Crostini with Goat Cheese and Pesto

Yield: 12 crostini

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Grilled Summer Squash Crostini with Goat Cheese and Pesto is a great way to savor the abundance of zucchini and yellow squash during the summer months.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 medium Zucchini, sliced into rounds
• 1 medium Yellow Squash, sliced into rounds
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper, to taste
• 6 Slices eureka! Organic Seeds the Day Bread, sliced in half into triangles
• 2/3 cup Goat Cheese
• 2/3 cup Pesto, such as Basil Pesto
• 3 tablespoons fresh shaved Parmesan

Instructions

1. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. A gas grill or indoor electric grill will also work.
2. Brush the sliced squash on both sides with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Place the squash on the grill and grill until grill marks start to appear and squash becomes tender. Flip and repeat.
3. After grilling the squash, remove it from the heat and set it aside on a plate. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and gently toss to coat.
4. Meanwhile, brush the tops of the bread lightly with olive oil. Toast the bread.
5. Spread the goat cheese on top of the toasted baguette, dividing it evenly between all of the slices - about 2 - 3 teaspoons per slice. Then, do the same with the pesto, spreading it on top of the goat cheese.
6. Top the pesto with the grilled squash and sprinkle with shaved parmesan. Serve immediately.

Notes

It is best assembled just prior to serving so it stays fresh. However, you can prepare some of the elements in advance - like grilling the squash, preparing the pesto if you choose to make homemade, and shaving the parmesan.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Balsamic Vinegar
• 
  Glass Prep Bowl Set
• 
  Filippo Berio Olive Oil, 25.3 Ounce
• 
  Pastry Brush
• 
  Tongs
• 
  Grill Pan

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 131Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 182mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 5g

GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.

Did you make this?

I’d love it if you let me know what you think! Snap a photo and tag me on Instagram at @goodlifeeats with the hashtag #goodlifeeatsrecipes so I can see what you’re cooking up in your kitchen!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of eureka! Organic Bread. The opinions and text are all mine.