Vegetarian and Gluten Free Egg and Vegetable Ciabattas with Basil Pesto Recipe

Monday, April 21, 2014

Dressed with fresh basil pesto, these ciabattas are topped with soft, pan-fried vegetables and a crispy fried egg for a delicious and flavorful vegetarian-friendly, gluten free sandwich!
These elegant sandwiches are easy to suitable and gluten free! Use your favorite pesto in place of fatty mayonnaise.
Yield 2 sandwiches

Vegetarian and Gluten Free Egg and Vegetable Ciabattas with Basil Pesto 

In my days before Coeliac Disease, I had a thing for gourmet sandwiches. You can't beat a good bit of bread paired with delicious fillings, can you? It's filling, quick and convenient! Well, you won't be surprised to know what I miss most about being able to eat gluten is convenience foods! When you're in a rush and need a quick lunch, your options tend to be things that would make a coeliac cower in fear: prepackaged sandwiches, wraps or bowls of pasta. This sandwich, ready in 10 minutes flat, was my response to the lack of convenience foods available to coeliacs.

These aren't just ordinary ciabattas, these are gluten-free, cheese-topped ciabattas filled with a medley of pan-fried vegetables, cheese, tomatoes and a crispy fried egg with a perfectly runny yolk. Instead of mayonnaise, butter or oil, I've spread some basil pesto on the bread, so it's better for you than traditional sandwiches.

This is going to be one of those sandwiches you keep coming back to. I promise. You can mix and match the fillings: add meat or keep it vegetarian and use different vegetables. The versatility is endless! You could also substitute the ciabattas for other gluten-free bread and still have delicious results.
The runny yolk in the fried egg on this gluten free sandiwch helps keep it moist .

Finish these vegetarian and gluten free ciabattas off in the grill/broiler for a delicious crunch!


For the ciabattas
1/2 cup hazelnut pesto
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 tbsp butter
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, sliced
2 gluten free ciabatta loaves
2 eggs
Melted cheese, homemade pesto and fried egg combine for a delicious sandwich


Vegetarian and Gluten Free Egg and Vegetable Ciabattas with Basil Pesto
  1. Preheat your grill or broiler to high.
  2. Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms and peppers until soft. Set aside.
  3. Fry the eggs in the saucepan with a bit of added oil. 
  4. Spread pesto on the top buns and sprinkle over some cheese.
  5. Layer sliced tomato with the pan-roasted vegetables and an egg on the bottom bun. Top with cheese and a bit of salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Grill/broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and melted and the ciabatta is toasted.
  7. Serve hot.
Pan roasted vegetables and fried egg sandwich on gluten free ciabatta

Gotta have convenience food?  You'll love:

Tom Yum Fishball Noodle Soup

Garlic Braided Spaghetti Loaf

Curried Cashews with Poppyseed

This is how celiacs do convenience food: 10 minute vegetable and egg ciabatta sandwiche


  1. Those look amazing! I love anything pesto! Especially on a sandwich!

  2. Hi Anyonita! These look fabulous and I think I could get my kids to eat them for breakfast, minus the mushrooms. Question...where do you find your gluten free ciabattas? I would like to stockpile some. Haha! Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hi Michelle! I'm not sure if you're in the UK or the US? I'm in the UK and get them from Asda. Alternatively, you could buy them online, just do a web search for gluten free ciabattas. :)

