Easy Roasted Yellow Squash Bruschetta

Nothing makes me appreciate my garden produce like the belly-warming flavors of a beautiful roasted summer squash recipe. My signature recipe starts with slow-roasted yellow squash, topped with creamy chèvre, toasted pine nuts, sweet tarragon and liberal amounts of salt and pepper. Then finished with a drizzle of balsamic reduction on french baguette toast. 

As for bread, you can switch it up to taste. Since the squash is a little heartier, French bread seemed to lighten it up. However, if you prefer a crunch then you may go with a good sourdough.

Finding great ideas for finger foods and appetizers have always been my favorite. Mostly because the preparation and eating procedures are full of style. Preparing this simple yellow squash recipe as an appetizer or posh side dish. 

You can have this ready to serve any guest that pops over quickly.This appetizer is definitely a great one for special occasions. If you’re serving vegetarian types you can make it up as a small plate dinner tonight. Not just for summer, squash is a good choice in any season. 

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Personally, I’ve always loved Bruschetta, but not everyone likes or can eat tomatoes. So, finding an alternative to such a tasty dish can be tricky. Rather than just replacing ingredients in the dish, I wanted to recreate the dish. My friends at Divine Flavor, a Mexican family-run and grower-owned fruit and vegetable distribution company (based out of Arizona) helped perfect my recipe.

I love roasting veggies so I knew the concept I had in mind. Of course it just wouldn’t be right if there was basil or mozzarella included. I went through a list of about 20 combos for sliced squash before I knew what sounded right. Just a quick tossing of the squash, olive oil and spices and slide in oven. The toppings are fresh and quick. The bread can be sliced and put in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

These look beautiful with the pale yellow, white of the cheese and golden pine nuts. You could also serve over pasta, couscous or salad for more of a meal.

My food critic mother gets the most patient award for this one! I’ve been talking about this one for a long time and finally rolled it out. So nice to have a foodies in my family when I need opinions. On food that is haha.

I wanted something fresh and earthy. So in finding the right spice to replace basil I searched through my cabinet. Have you ever cooked with Tarragon? A favorite ingredient among French chefs, I had no idea just how well it would pair with yellow squash. 

Tarragon is fragrant as it is tasty and mild. So my kitchen smelled great as the squash slow cooked in the oven. 

Turns out tarragon is not only used to  treat insomnia but improves digestive health. It is said that it  “has the ability to fight certain bacteria.” It’s literally as simple as preheating the oven to 400, tossing the ingredients, throwing on a baking sheet and putting in the oven. 

SO…WHY SHOULD YOU LOVE YELLOW SQUASH?

This dish is filling, comforting and only containing 18 calories per squash. Gluten free and growing in my garden, it also has a lot of Folic Acid, Beta Carotene, Vitamin C, and even some Lutein for your eyes! Seriously, read any pregnancy blog and you’ll find yellow squash and zucchini to be on the must have list. 

I am pleased that you can leave the skin on yellow squash and brush with olive oil. It adds stability to the sometimes mushy squash once cooked, saves you a prepping step, and allows you to eat the whole vegetable, adding nutrients. However, leaving the skin on does mean finding the organic variety of yellow squash. This is very important so you aren’t putting undue pesticides in your body.

Best of all, it tastes heavenly! You know, that perfect complexity that occurs when all parts of your tongue are working at the same time? When you have earthy, tart, sweet, salty, black pepper-y, notes all floating on your tongue at once, you’ll know exactly what I mean!

Let me know what you think below on one of my best easy recipes!

Here are some tips on growing your own yellow squash from DIY Network.

How to grow your own squash from seed:

Step 1. Start seeds indoors.

“Put two seeds, 1″ deep into 4″ peat pots and water them until the soil was moist (Image 1). For best germination, you need to maintain the seeds at a constant temperature of 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Using grow lights is the best way to maintain a constant temperature.

Once the seedlings reach 2″ tall, use scissors to thin the plants to one per pot. Also, before you plant the seedlings outdoors, harden off the seedlings.”

Step 2. Prepare the Garden Soil

“the soil should be fertilized with a 10-10-10 formula, meaning there are added amendments of 10 percent of each need element — nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Using a garden fork you turn the fertilizer into the soil at least 12″ deep. Next, insert a soil thermometer into the ground to make certain the temperature is at least 70 degrees”

Step 3. Transplant the seedlings

“Dig a hole to the same depth as the peat pots. Set four seedlings, pot and all, in hills on the raised beds about 3′ apart. Pack soil around the seedlings and then lightly water the plants.”