Hey there, fellow food adventurers!
I'm so excited to share a recipe that's not only a feast for the eyes but also a celebration of fresh, healthy flavors. This week, we're ditching the usual heavy stuff and diving headfirst into a dish that's as light as it is satisfying: Vegan Zucchini Involtini Bake!
Now, I know what you might be thinking: 'Zucchini? Really?' But trust me, this isn't your average veggie dish. We're talking about tender ribbons of zucchini, lovingly rolled around a creamy basil 'ricotta,' all nestled in a vibrant tomato sauce. It's like a hug in a baking dish, and it's about to become your new favorite thing.
I’ll let you into a secret, like many of you, I've been doing my best to stay healthy. Let's just say, I've enjoyed the baking a little too much lately, so a big change was needed! It's time to get my trainers on and get back to doing some running - though some serious motivation is needed.
But back to our star of the show, these involtini may look fancy, but I promise they’re super easy to make. The trickiest part is slicing the zucchini thinly enough to roll it up without any, ahem, breakage. If you have a gadget for this, now's the time to show it off! I am a bit old school so I just used a knife and some careful hand eye coordination - it was not all pretty but we got there.
The sauce? It’s as simple as tossing a bunch of ingredients into a blender – no pre-cooking needed! And the basil 'ricotta' filling? A whiz and it’s done! The whole thing takes about 30 minutes of prep, and then the oven does the rest.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients:
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 600g of quality plum tomatoes (or 750g fresh)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ small onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- Chili flakes (optional)
- 15 large basil leaves
For the Basil Ricotta Filling:
- 135g raw cashews or flaked almonds (or sunflower seeds for a nut-free version), soaked
- 100g firm cotton tofu (no pressing needed!)
- 10 large basil leaves
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 garlic cloves
- Black pepper, salt
- 2 tsp white miso paste (or more salt and nutritional yeast)
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 45ml lemon juice
- 120ml almond milk
Remaining Ingredients:
- 6 zucchinis
- 2 tbsp coarse breadcrumbs (optional)
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- Fresh basil to garnish
Method:
- Tomato Sauce Magic: Throw all the sauce ingredients into a blender and mix till its smooth. Pour into the bottom of your baking dish.
- Basil Ricotta Dream: Drain the soaked nuts/seeds and blend with the rest of the filling ingredients. Feel free to leave it a bit ‘gritty’ if you like a ricotta-like texture. Don’t worry about it being a little loose – it’ll firm up in the oven.
- Rolling Time: Slice the zucchini thinly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let them sit for a few minutes to get a bit more bendy.
- Assemble: Place a spoonful of the ‘ricotta’ on each slice and roll it up. Tuck each roll-up into the tomato sauce, seam-side up.
- Bake: Sprinkle breadcrumbs and pine nuts over the top, bake at 200°C for 40 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
That’s it! You’ve just created a masterpiece that’s both healthy and impressive.
So, whether you're entertaining friends or just want a delicious and nutritious meal, this Vegan Zucchini Involtini Bake has you covered. And hey, if anyone asks, just tell them it's a traditional family recipe… from your own kitchen!
Happy cooking, everyone!