tomato basil BLAT crostini
Juicy cherry tomatoes marinated in vinaigrette and spooned atop smoky tofu bacon, garlic sauce, and grilled bread...not to mention those fucking perfect avocados.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf ciabatta or sourdough, sliced
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 head bibb/butter lettuce
- 1-2 avocados, sliced
- 10 strips tofu bacon (recipe below)
tofu bacon
- 1 block firm or extra firm tofu
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
garlic sauce
- 3/4 cup vegan or regular mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
- In a bowl, combine the cherry tomatoes, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, basil, mint, oregano, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Pat the tofu dry (no need to press if using a super firm variety). Slice into thin strips and carefully lay on the prepared baking sheet. Some might break, this is okay! Whisk together the soy sauce, maple syrup, smoked paprika, chili powder, and black pepper. Pour over the marinade and flip each tofu slice to coat; brush any loose marinade over the slices. Let sit 5-10 minutes.
- Transfer the tofu to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the tofu is very crisp. Some of the thinner slices will crisp faster, so start checking after 15 minutes. Let the tofu cool – it will continue to crisp up. I need to stop saying crisp so much. Once cool enough to handle, crumble about half of the tofu. You should get 1 cup of slices.
- Heat your grill pan or grill to medium. Lightly brush the bread slices with olive oil on both sides. Toast 2-3 minutes per side. Alternatively, you can heat your broiler to high, set your slices on a baking sheet, and heat 1-3 minutes per side until properly golden and toasty.
- Spread garlic sauce onto one side of each bread slice. Add 1-2 bibb lettuce leaves, then 2-3 slices of avocado and 1-2 slices strips of bacon. Finish with a spoonful or two of marinated tomatoes. Garnish with fresh basil, as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
*Bacon...You are more than welcome to use regular bacon if you prefer! This will cut your prep and cooking time down by around 30 minutes.