I love giving you 15-minute recipes, but once in a while there comes a dish that is worth the extra effort.  This Layered Summer Vegetable Torte is just that.  Yes, you have to grill some vegetables and make a simple vinaigrette, but this is a hearty, delicious, veggie-centric showstopper.  Every summer I have a few recipes that I put on repeat when I entertain at home, and this was one of my go-to’s from the Summer of 2021 and now it’s back in the rotation!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• it’s the best of summer in one dish;
• can be adapted for fall and winter months with different vegetables;
• can be assembled in advance and warmed through just before you want to serve;
• you can add in a layer of goat cheese or mozzarella if you like;
• can be eaten warm or room temperature;
• hearty, but light since it’s almost all vegetables!

Layered Summer Vegetable Torte Ingredients

• White balsamic vinegar: I prefer to use a white balsamic for a light colored dressing. Feel free to use a standard balsamic if that’s what you have. The dressing will just be darker, which is totally fine. My favorite white balsamic is this one, but the one from Trader Joes is perfectly good too. See bottom of post for substitution suggestions. 
• Olive oil: is my go-to oil for everyday cooking and salad dressings. Use a high quality olive oil for best flavor. 
• Dijon mustard: adds a nice creaminess and acidity to the dressing. 
• Maple syrup: is my sweetener of choice for dressings, but feel free to use raw honey if you like the flavor or omit. 
• Garlic: adds the perfect bite to the dressing.
• Basil: is the herb of summer!  Larger leaves are ideal for this recipe since it will be used as one of the layers in the recipe. 
• Eggplant: is one of the more hearty vegetables and gives the torte some heft.
• Zucchini: has a mild and almost bland taste, but the dressing in this recipe gives it so much flavor. 
• Yellow summer squash: adds a nice color to this dish.
• Sweet bell peppers: I prefer to use the fire-roasted peppers that come in a glass jar to keep things easy. 
• Tomatoes: I love using tomatoes in the summer since that is when they are in season and will taste the best!   
• Breadcrumbs: I like to use fresh breadcrumbs. You can make you own by taking soft bread and processing it in a blender or food processor until crumbs form. I used a leftover hot dog bun in these photos!
• Parmesan cheese: I like adding a little bit of cheese to this recipe. 

How to Make Layered Summer Vegetable Torte

1. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and arrange eggplant slices in one layer on the paper towels. Sprinkle the tops of the eggplant with kosher salt and allow to sit and sweat out for 30 minutes. If you don’t have time, just skip this step, but it does take some of the bitterness out of the eggplant. 
2. In the meantime, make the vinaigrette. Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl. 
3. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. 
4. Blot the tops of the eggplant with a paper towel to remove the excess moisture. Remove any remaining paper towels underneath the eggplant. Brush both sides of eggplant slices, squash slices and raw pepper quarters (do not brush jarred peppers if using) with the prepared vinaigrette. Try to save about a tablespoon of vinaigrette for when it’s time to assemble. Sprinkle one side of the vegetables with salt. 
5. Grill or roast all vegetables except tomatoes and jarred peppers, if using, until you get nice grill marks on both sides. You will use the tomatoes raw when assembling the torte. To make this even quicker, buy already grilled vegetables from the market, if available. Trader Joes has frozen grilled vegetables, but they’re a little too thin for this recipe. Allow the grilled vegetables to cool slightly before assembling. 
6. In a 9-inch springform pan (no need to grease it), layer all of the eggplant on the bottom, covering the entire base, including the edge where the ring meets the bottom. Next, layer the zucchini and then the peppers. Add a layer of basil leaves. Then, layer the tomatoes. Brush the top of the tomatoes with extra vinaigrette. Lastly, layer the summer squash. 
7. Cover and refrigerate up to 1 day, if making this in advance. If refrigerating, place on a plate in case the pan leaks. 
8. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top and either drizzle with a little olive oil or spray with olive oil. Sprinkle with grated cheese, if using. Bake until breadcrumbs are golden, about 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately or allow to sit and serve at room temp. 
9. To serve: Remove the ring from the pan and serve on the bottom piece of the pan or place a large spatula underneath and carefully transfer it to a serving platter. Slice into wedges with a large serrated knife. 

Tips For Making Layered Summer Vegetable Torte

• The torte can be assembled the day before you plan to serve it and bake it the day of. Wait to add the breadcrumbs and cheese until ready to bake.
• You can halve this recipe and make it in a 6-inch springform. If you don’t have a springform pan, you can use a deep dish pie plate or a loaf pan. If using a loaf pan, line with parchment paper so you can get it out easily. 
• This can be adapted for the fall and winter months with precooked butternut squash or sweet potatoes, parsnips cut lengthwise, etc. 
• KEY STEP: use a long serrated knife to cut the torte into individual pieces.  Gently saw through the torte, making sure to cut through the eggplant skin on the bottom.

Substitutions for Layered Summer Vegetable Torte

• White balsamic: either dark balsamic or white wine vinegar + a little honey or maple syrup
• Yellow Squash: if it’s hard to find, swap in more zucchini or grilled portobello mushrooms, sliced
• Breadcrumbs: skip or use GF or grain-free breadcrumbs
• Parmesan: use pecorino which is a sheeps milk cheese or your favorite vegan parmesan. I also love adding a layer of mozzarella or goat cheese to the torte.
• If there’s a vegetable you don’t care for, swap in a second layer of one of the vegetables.

If you give this recipe a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Lastly, subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes and updates.

For more delicious recipes and to learn how to be a better cook, check out my monthly online cooking classes. I have been teaching people for 15 years how to cook healthy food that their families love!  Join me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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