Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto & Grilled Vegan-Chicken Ciabatta Sandwich (Recipe)

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Ciabatta Sandwich, made with Beyond Meat: Chicken-Free Strips

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Ciabatta, featuring grilled Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips

This healthy and delicious recipe is also available in a video cooking episode, here:

RECIPE:

Serves 4-6
Cooking Time: 7-10 minutes

Pesto Ingredients:

• 4 oz. Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Fresh Basil (1 bunch)
• 1/2 Cup Raw Pine Nuts
• 3-5 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Tbs. Capers
• 1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 Tbs. Dijon Stoneground Mustard
• Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• Olive Oil

Sandwich Ingredients:

• 1 Bermuda Purple Onion
• 1 Carrot (shredded)
• Arugula or Baby Spinach
• 4-6 Ciabatta Rolls
• 4-6 servings Beyond Meat: Chicken-Free Strips

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto – Ingredients

Step 1:
Rehydrate the Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Rehydrating and marinating sun-dried tomatoes

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar. Marinate for 3-5 minutes, or until the sun-dried tomatoes soften.

Step 2:
Make the Marinade for the Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips

Chicken-Free Strips in seasoned balsamic marinade

Pour 1/3 cup of broth from the sun-dried tomatoes into a food processor. Add: 2 tbs. of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbs. of Dijon stoneground mustard, 1 tbs. of raw pine nuts, 1 tbs. of capers, 5-6 basil leaves and 3 pieces of softened sun-dried tomato. Blend.

Pour the seasoned balsamic marinade over the chicken-free strips. Lightly toss, until the pieces are evenly coated. Set aside.

Step 3:
Caramelize the Onions

Carmelized Onions in Sauté Pan

Slice the onion unto thin rings.

Saute in olive oil, until they begin to caramelize. While the onions are sautéing, make the pesto.

Cooking tip: When the onions begin to soften, add a splash of broth from the rehydrating sun-dried tomatoes. It adds a rich layer of flavor.

Step 4:
Make the Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Making Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Drain the sun-dried tomatoes. *Save the broth. Place the rehydrated tomatoes in the food processor. Add the remaining capers, pine nuts, Dijon stoneground mustard, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Blend until creamy. Add a dash of sea salt, fresh ground pepper and the fresh basil. Set a few basil leaves aside, for the sandwich assembly. Blend the mixture again, until smooth. If the pesto is too thick add additional olive oil.

*Cooking tip: You may wish to save the sun-dried tomato broth for other recipes. It’s full of flavor and excellent as a soup base or a meat-broth substitute in vegan and vegetarian recipes.

Step 5:
Grill the Chicken-Free Strips.

Marinated Chicken-Free Strips

Grill the marinated Beyond Meat: Chicken-Free strips. Toast the ciabatta bread on the grill.

Cooking tip: Vegan protein cooks much faster than meat. Chicken-free strips will retain the delicious moist texture and grill up beautifully in approximately 3-4 minutes. Watch for golden color and grill marks, and they are ready.

Step 6:
Assemble

Spread sun-dried tomato pesto on the toasted bread. Add the layers of shredded carrot, arugula and a fresh basil leaf. Place caramelized onions onto the bed of greens. Top it with grilled chicken-free strips.

Serve warm. Enjoy!

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Ciabatta Sandwich, made with “Beyond Meat: Chicken-Free Strips”

Cooking Tip:
This recipe includes enough pesto for 4-6 sandwiches, with enough extra to refrigerate for later. It’s great the next day as: a vegetable dip, served on bruschetta or in pasta.

Bonus Meal:
Grill extra Chicken-Free Strips. Save in the refrigerator for a future meal. Prepare 3 minute angel hair pasta, stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto and Chicken-Free Strips. Voila! You have another quick, healthy meal in under 5 minutes.

Tagged: Beyond Meat, ciabatta, pesto, photo recipe, recipe, sandwich, sun-dried tomato, vegan, vegetarian