summer vegetable tian $6.60 recipe / $1.10 serving

summer vegetable tian

$6.60 recipe / $1.10 serving

Why can't vegetables be plentiful and yummy all year long? I don't know but I intend to enjoy them while they're around!

I like to enjoy vegetables and their natural subtle flavors. I'm not all for frying or smothering with thick, rich sauces... but sometimes, I want something a little more. This vegetable tian lands half way between both worlds. The vegetables are sliced thin, seasoned only with a little salt, pepper, and thyme and then topped with just a small amount of flavorful cheese. Roasting the vegetables magnifies their flavor and gives them just a hint of sweetness. It's veggie-tastic.

Creamy cheeses work really well with this dish but I happened to have a four cheese Italian blend on hand so I used that.




Total Recipe cost: $6.60
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Cost per serving: $1.10
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 1 hr.

INGREDIENTS		COST
1 Tbsp	olive oil	$0.11
1 medium	yellow onion	$0.70
1 tsp	minced garlic	$0.08
1 medium	zucchini	$0.71
1 medium	yellow squash	$0.85
1 medium	potato	$0.91
1 medium	tomato	$1.65
1 tsp	dried thyme	$0.05
to taste	salt & pepper	$0.05
1 cup	shredded Italian cheese	$1.49
TOTAL		$6.60

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saute both in a skillet with olive oil until softened (about five minutes).

STEP 2: While the onion and garlic are sauteing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables.

STEP 3: Spray the inside of an 8x8 square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish. Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.

STEP 4: Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Step By Step Photos

This is what I started out with: tomato, potato, onion, zucchini, yellow squash, and garlic.


Dice the onion and get it cooking with the garlic and olive oil in a skillet.


Meanwhile, slice the veggies very thin. (I didn't dare try to use my mandolin again!)


When the onions are soft and translucent, place them in the bottom of a baking dish (8x8 or round pie size). I sprayed the inside of my dish to make sure nothing would stick... I have a hunch that rubbing it with butter would add amazing flavor but I didn't think of that till just now.


Alternate the vegetables in the dish. They don't have to be pretty. I started out with it looking nice and in a distinct pattern but then I realized that I had a bunch left over and just started jamming them in there... I didn't want to waste any precious veggies. It all worked out in the end. Oh yeah, sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme. GENEROUSLY.


Cover the dish with foil and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is nice and golden brown. ENJOY!