Basil Pesto and Red Pepper Torte
This simple but elegant Basil Pesto and Red Pepper Torte with cream cheese and brown rice is a great way to start your next party or get-together!
Ingredients
- 2 bags Success® Brown Rice
- 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup basil pesto sauce
- 1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
This simple but elegant appetizer combines basil pesto, cream cheese, Success® Brown Rice, roasted red peppers and pine nuts into one impressive dish. It’s so good that your guests will be begging you for the recipe!
Step 1
Prepare rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, line a 7-inch removable bottom or springform pan with plastic wrap.
Step 2
Combine rice, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3
Spread 1/3 of rice-cheese mixture on bottom of pan. Top with basil pesto. Add a second layer of rice-cheese mixture. Top with red peppers. Finish with remaining rice-cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
Step 4
Invert torte onto a serving plate. Remove plastic wrap and sprinkle top with pine nuts. Garnish with basil leaves. Serve with crackers or sliced French bread.
Party Time!
Looking for something special to serve at your next party or get-together? Impress your guests with this show-stopping torte! They’ll think that you spent hours on something that takes less than 30 minutes to whip up.
Work smarter, not harder and prepare this dish with Success® Boil-in-Bag Brown Rice. Using an innovative cooking method, our brown rice is ready in just 10 minutes, but has all of the delicious flavor and whole grain goodness you crave.
Torte Tips
We recommend using your favorite store-bought pesto for this dish but, if you have some time on your hands and really want to impress, try your hand at making your own! For homemade pesto, simply combine basil, Parmesan cheese, garlic, pine nuts, oil and salt in a blender. If you make your own pesto, double the batch and use the rest for this Creamy Pesto Chicken and Rice dish.
For this dish, you’ll need your favorite light or full-fat cream cheese. Mix that with the pre-cooked rice, then follow the steps to layer it all together. Then, let the torte sit in the fridge for at least an hour, to fully set. When it’s time to eat, invert the torte onto a beautiful serving dish and serve it with crispy bread or crackers. Your guests will be wowed!
More Meal Inspiration
If you’re looking to incorporate more plant-based recipes into your diet, take a look at this vegan meatloaf recipe.
