The perfect vegetarian lunch for busy days when you want something that feels fancy: sautéed mushroom pesto tartines with creamy goat cheese and fresh basil.

This post is sponsored by Back to the Roots. All opinions are my own.

Things on toast are kind of my favorite. (see Spring Vegetable Crostini, Grilled Peach Bruschetta, Edamame and Pea Pesto Crostini, Cucumber Caprese Bruschetta)

Mushrooms are also kind of my favorite! (see Mushroom Dumplings with Honey Teriyaki Dipping Sauce, Tagliatelle with Mushrooms & Sage Butter, Sushi Hand Rolls with Mushroom & Asparagus, Mushroom and Sage Cornbread Stuffing Muffins)

That’s why I’m so excited to bring you this Mushroom + Pesto Tartine recipe. It combines two things I love so much, and this recipe is made even more special by the fact that I GREW THESE MUSHROOMS.

Yes, the beautiful oyster mushrooms pictured here were grown by yours truly, and it was surprisingly fast and easy thanks to my partner for this post, Back to the Roots, who provided me with a mushroom grow kit to cultivate mushrooms right on my kitchen counter.

Click here for 20% off your own Back to the Roots
Organic Mushroom Grow Kit with code LEPETITCHEFSB!

Growing your own mushrooms is surprisingly easy with this at home kit

The growing process is very straightforward. An overnight soak of the substrate in a bowl of water on day 1 will get the process started. Then back into the growing box it goes , with a section cut out that the mushrooms will grow out of.

On days 2-6, store it on the counter and spritz twice a day with water (a handy spray bottle is included) for the next few days. Once the mushrooms begin to sprout from the substrate, days 7-10/11 are all about watching them grow, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly it happens! You’ll swear you can witness them growing before your very eyes- they’re known to double in size just about every day during this stage!

Once the mushrooms were at their optimal size, I simply removed them from the substrate and basically threw them directly into the frying pan! It’s always such an amazing experience to cook with food you’ve grown yourself, and a huge bonus is that you can flip the substrate around and repeat the process to yield a second crop!

When it was time to transform these homegrown beauties into something delicious, I settled on mushroom pesto tartines, (basically a fancy name for an open faced sandwich). I love tartines that feature beautiful vegetables as the highlight, with a creamy something or other at the base that the toppings can stick onto (see Goat Cheese and Delicata Squash Tartine, Whipped Feta Tomato Jam Tartines).

Fresh lemon juice and pesto sauce punch up the flavor of sautéed mushrooms and a schmear of goat cheese is the creamy base.

What you’ll need to make mushroom pesto tartines

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup oyster mushrooms, left whole or sliced if they are very large
• Pinch of sea salt
• A few grinds of freshly cracked black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup creamy goat cheese, softened- I love Trader Joe’s creamy goat cheese because it’s easily spreadable even when chilled
• 2 thick slices sourdough bread, toasted
• 2 tablespoons homemade or store bought pesto sauce
• Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
• Flaky salt, for finishing

Tips and tricks

• Watch the garlic closely so it doesn’t burn, and use a medium to low heat to heat the oil
• Mushrooms like to soak up cooking oil, so start with 2 tablespoons and add a bit more if the pan looks dry before the mushrooms are done cooking
• Don’t skip adding the lemon juice, as it adds a much needed brightness to the mushrooms and the overall dish. A splash of white wine or vinegar could also be used for a similar result.
• I like the way the tangy quality of sourdough compliments the goat cheese in this recipe, but feel free to use whatever type of bread you like as the base for this tartine. Brioche or a whole wheat boule would be lovely, too.
• If you don’t like goat cheese, burrata, ricotta or even plain Greek yogurt could take its place. For a vegan option, try hummus.

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Mushroom Pesto Tartines

The perfect vegetarian lunch for busy days when you want something that feels fancy: sautéed mushroom pesto tartines with creamy goat cheese and fresh basil.

Servings 2

Author Denisse

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 cup oyster mushrooms left whole or sliced
• Pinch of sea salt
• A few grinds of freshly cracked black pepper
• 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup creamy goat cheese softened
• 2 thick slices sourdough bread toasted
• 2 tablespoons homemade or store bought pesto sauce
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish
• Flaky salt for finishing

Instructions

1. Gently heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and garlic together in a skillet over medium to low heat for about one minute. Make sure the garlic doesn’t brown too much, or it will turn bitter.
2. When the oil is warm, add the mushrooms and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 4-5 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden with some crispy edges. Add the lemon juice to the skillet and toss to coat. Cook for one minute more. Remove the mushrooms from the heat and set aside.
3. Spread the goat cheese evenly over the toasted sourdough slices. Top with the mushrooms and pesto sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and flaky salt.