Summer Veggie Spiral Tart

For me, food is 50% about the taste and 50% about the presentation.

Now, I’ll admit that some of my absolute favorite foods don’t look so great on the plate—and that’s putting it nicely.

Indian food, for example, is one of my absolute favorites…but it takes some good lighting and about 1,000 different shots to get one that does it justice.

Conversely, some of the most beautiful dishes simply don’t taste as good as they look. In fact, I had to make ratatouille a few times before I realized that I don’t actually like it all that much…I just liked looking at it!

Finding a good middle ground can be tricky. But anytime I find a recipe that strikes that perfect balance between taste and presentation, I get pretty excited to share it.

Well, today I have a recipe that is both super tasty and a serious stunner on the dinner table.

Not only that, but it’s packed with healthy ingredients that make it a rock star in terms of nutrition.

This summer veggie spiral tart hits all the criteria for me: it’s healthy, delicious, and looks great on the plate.

If you take a few simple shortcuts, this recipe is actually pretty easy to prepare, too. It’s a lot of vegetable chopping, but by using a pre-made pie crust and pesto sauce, you’re cutting out a lot of the extra work and prep time.

That being said, if you’re feeling a little more ambitious than me, you can totally whip up your own pie crust and pesto sauce to use in this recipe. But I have to say, even using the pre-made stuff, this tart is bursting with flavor.

Let’s turn to the nutrients in this recipe. Thanks to all those veggies, it’s high in fiber and relatively low in calories.

A few nutritional highlights:

• Zucchini: high in vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, and B-vitamins
• Yellow Squash: rich vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium
• Carrots: full of beta-carotene (vitamin A), potassium, and biotin

When you start putting it together, you’ll realize pretty quickly that it’s not going to be perfect. But that’s okay! By the end you’ve added enough rolls that if you mess up one or two it really doesn’t matter.

You should, however, make sure to cut your strips as thin as possible to make it easy to roll. After the first few, you’ll probably get a good idea of exactly how thick the veggies should be.

You can also sub out other seasonal veggies for the ones I’ve used here if you’re looking to mix it up. Try sweet potatoes or eggplants to get a different flavor profile.

Break out your paring knife and pie pan and let’s get started!

Print Recipe

Summer Veggie Spiral Tart

This gorgeous veggie spiral tart tastes every bit as good as it looks. Full of fresh summer vegetables with a flavorful pesto base, it's sure to become an instant favorite.

Course

Main Dish

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 1 pre-made pie pie crust
• 1/2 cup pesto
• 1 zucchini
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 carrot
• 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated (optional)
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Course Main Dish Prep Time 30 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Servings servings Ingredients 1 pre-made pie pie crust 1/2 cup pesto 1 zucchini 1 yellow squash 1 carrot 1/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, grated (optional) 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Slice vegetables into very thin strips.
2. Press pre-made pie crust into pan and spread pesto and grated parmigiano reggiano on the bottom.
3. One by one, dip the veggie strips into some olive oil and curl into a spiral. Add to the center, then roll the next vegetable tightly around it. Continue rolling until the tart is completely full.
4. Bake in oven at 350 F for around 25 minutes, or until pie crust is golden and vegetables are cooked through. Let it cool, then slice, serve, and enjoy!

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