Balazs and I often have people over for movie-evenings or wine-nights and till recently I used to serve cheese platters and dips with chips as a side-snack. But last Thursday I felt a bit adventurous and decided to try my hand in homemade bread spreads. My grandma used to say that the simplest foods, if done well, are the most enjoyable of all. I think she might have been right.
It’s probably fair to say that most people enjoy fresh, crispy and beautifully grown bread, right? Somehow it makes us feel full, satisfied and happy in a way. I love Italian ciabattas, French baguettes – often shamelessly stuff myself on ficelles and Balazs adores the onion based bread from our local bakery.
So to complement the delicious breads, I made three very different spreads.
This Italian basil-tomato-cheese spread is probably my favourite of all. I always joke that I should’ve been Italian as I adore garlic, tomatoes and I could eat pasta like it’s my job. Anyway, this spread is a treat for cheese-lovers and those who enjoy the rich taste of sun-dried tomatoes.
The French tuna spread with capers, anchovy fillets and parsley surprised me the most as I’m not huge on parsley but it complemented the tuna so well that I couldn’t stop eating it.
And a simple avocado, garlic spread is always a safe option for parties or cozy evenings in. I used a bit of soy sauce for it. It gives the avocado a very enjoyable flavour.
Perfectly light, flavourful and fun food for summer nights where people can just dip their breads in the spreads or simply spread them with a knife! If you have some leftover, you can always refrigerate them for next day’s lunch or an early supper. Enjoy!
PrintSpread Some Joy with these Homemade Bread Spreads
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 3 spreads 1x
Description
Enjoy a trio of homemade bread spreads featuring Italian basil-tomato-cheese, French tuna with capers, and a simple avocado spread, perfect for dipping or spreading on fresh bread.
Ingredients
Basil-Tomato Cheese Spread (Italian Recipe)
- 8 fresh leaves of basil, washed and drained
- 3 cloves of garlic, cleaned and finely chopped
- 1 handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 handful of pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) of extra virgin olive oil
- 9 ounces (250 grams) of cream cheese (on room temperature)
- 6 pieces of sun-dried tomato
- salt and pepper to taste
Tuna Spread (French Recipe)
- 2 cans of tuna (packed in olive oil)
- 4 spears of green onion
- 1/2 stick (2 ounces or 1/4 cups or 4 tablespoons or 57 grams) of unsalted soft butter
- 1 handful of capers
- 3 diced anchovy fillets
- 1/2 handful of chopped parsley
- freshly ground pepper to taste
Avocado Spread
- 1 large avocado (peeled and chopped)
- 3 cloves of garlic, cleaned and finely chopped
- 1 small tomato (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce (depending on your taste)
- 1/2 small onion (finely chopped)
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- For the Basil-Tomato Cheese Spread: Toast the pine nuts in a dry saucepan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Remove from heat.
- In a food processor, combine the toasted pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh bread.
- For the French Tuna Spread: In a bowl, mix the drained tuna, capers, anchovy fillets, and parsley. Combine well. Serve with fresh bread.
- For the Avocado Spread: Mash the avocado in a bowl until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce and mix well. Serve with fresh bread.
Notes
If you are not a garlic fan, you can always use less of it. The same applies to parsley and capers. These spreads can be refrigerated and enjoyed the next day. Serve with a variety of breads for dipping or spreading.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 spread
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 12 grams
- Carbohydrates: 8 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Protein: 6 grams
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
How long can they be stored?
Hi Diana. I visited your site today for the first time….n I have fallen in love with your simple yet awesome recipes. I am a pure vegetarian.. (no eggs too). When I make them,I will let you know…I’m sure my husband will love it…Thanx..Have a great day.
Indu, aww thank you for such a sweet note:)
asking the same question as rachel… how long would these store in the fridge? btw these were a huge hit at my housewarming! I put then in mason jars and set them on a slate tray to label. already passed on this link to a handful if people who raved about them!
how long can these spreads be stored in the refrigerator?
yes, you totally can, Appu.
Hi.. they look yummy and very easy to prepare. Can i preserve these spreads in the freezer? Cheers,
They all look amazing but I’d probably make the basil tomato spread first. Super yum! I featured this post over at my blog today. Thank you so much for the recipe :)
Ali, the basil one is my favourite too and thank you so much for featuring the recipe on your blog. Totally made my day! xo
These all look so tasty and what a great idea to serve with win! I love the color of all of them too! :)
Aww..thanks, Tamara
Nothing like home made dips! I like the ingredients you used