Looking for a great vegan/vegetarian/dairy-free appetizer option for the holidays? Try my easy, fast, delicious “Cheesy” Vegan Tomato Pesto Bites! I partnered with Daiya Foods for this sponsored post – and you can also enter to win a Panini Press plus $75 worth of coupons for Daiya Foods!
Going dairy-free has been fairly easy. However, I’ve had the hardest time missing real cheese. Do you know how hard it is to be a food blogger and avoid cheese at all of these amazing food events, especially the wine events? There is always, always GOOD cheese! It’s crazy difficult, and sometimes I do indulge and then pay for it for the days after.
Daiya Foods
Luckily, there are brands like Daiya Foods, who work hard to constantly improve their plant-based products. Some pizza places even use their Shreds (similar to shredded cheese) as dairy-free cheese options. All Daiya products are dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and free of eggs, peanuts, fish, and shellfish. That’s quite a feat to create products that are allergen-free!
Recently, I had the opportunity to try the new and improved Daiya Cheddar Style Slices and the Daiya Swiss Style Slices. I was admittedly impressed! They were more flavorful and had less of a processed factory taste than other vegan “cheese” alternatives.
I’ve enjoyed the slices to be delicious in grilled cheese sandwiches, and have used them to create some delicious party appetizers. I hope you enjoy the recipe I’m sharing today — and that you enter to win today’s Day 9 of my 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways: a panini press and a
“Cheesy” Vegan Tomato Pesto Bites
These are SO super easy to make because I use a lot of shortcuts. You start with wheat bread slices, and you could definitely use gluten-free bread slices if you want.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out bread circles and then cut out Daiya slices with the same cookie cutter. Top the bread slices with one Daiya slice.
Look how cute the Daiya Swiss style slices are: they have holes in them just like regular ol’ Swiss cheese slices do!
Then you top each bite with a small teaspoon of pesto. I use store-bought pesto, but you could also use your own homemade pesto made without any cheese. My creamy avocado pesto would be great for this appetizer – just make it without parmesan cheese for a 100% vegan dish!
Finally, top each bite with a spoonful of sun-dried tomatoes. Again, you can totally use jarred sun-dried tomatoes – or you can make your own.
Pop into a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes, just until the Daiya slices have melted. Serve and impress your guests! 
Vegan Tomato Pesto Bites recipe
“Cheesy” Vegan Tomato Pesto Bites
Ingredients
- 8 slices white or wheat bread
- 4 Daiya Cheddar Style Slices
- 4 Daiya Swiss Style Slices
- 1 jar pesto
- 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Using a circle cookie cutter or pastry cutter, cut out 2 circles from each slice of bread
- Using the same circle cutter, cut out circles from the Daiya slices
- Top each slice of bread with one Daiya circle slice, then top with about a teaspoon of pesto sauce, followed by a teaspoon of sun-dried tomatoes.
- Place each appetizer bite onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, just until the slices have melted.
- Serve immediately.
Enter to Win
ENTER TO WIN: Simply follow the prompts in the Rafflecopter widget below starting with leaving a blog comment. Then you also have several options for additional contest entries.
PRIZE: A Panini Press and $75 worth of coupons for Daiya product (value $115)
DEADLINE: Friday December 16 11:59pm
WHO IS ELIGIBLE: Must be 18+ years or older, and have a physical mailing address on the continental US to enter to win.
12 DAYS OF HOLIDAY GIVEAWAYS
DEC 1 – ENTER TO WIN: 4-pack of tickets to ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo
DEC 2 – A one-year supply worth of Oregon Fruit Product’s Pourable Fruit + Le Creuset bakeware
DEC 3 – A super cool Truly Pawsome pet subscription box
DEC 4 – Bacon lover’s giveaway package: win Smithfield Bacon for a Year ($416 value)
DEC 5 – Some of my favorite new travel bags and accessories!
DEC 6 – Travel Bliss giveaway package
DEC 7 – Wine & Beer Bliss giveaway package
DEC 8 – Foodie Tech Lover’s Giveaway: Verizon Ellipsis 10 tablet ($299 value)
DEC 9 – Food Bliss Giveaway: Panini Press + $75 worth of Daiya product coupons
DEC 10 – Kid Bliss Giveaway Package
DEC 11 – Savory Food Bliss Giveaway Package
DEC 12 – Sweet Food Bliss Giveaway Package
Be sure to check UrbanBlissLife.com daily to find out the awesome specific prizes that I will be giving away each day! Or, better yet, subscribe to receive daily posts in your email so that you don’t miss a single post!
This recipe looks amazing! Great for the upcoming holiday season. I didn’t see the link …is it up yet?
Can’t find the rafflecopter, but this looks delicious. I’ve made a panini at home before, but kind of rigged it myself using a regular, ridged pan.
Hi Courtney – so sorry about that! Was having some technical difficulties this morning, but the Rafflecopter widget is back up. Thank you for entering the giveaway! :)
Hi Laura – so sorry about that! Was having technical difficulties this morning. The contest widget is now up! Thank you for entering!
I would love a panini press!
Have you ever tried dairy free Heidi Ho cheeses? Delicious!
So excited to see a vegan holiday appetizer recipe! love it!
I love a good ham sandwich.
Wow I’ve never seen the Swiss before – this is indeed perfect for my vegan friends and I like the way you put this together with even some red and green holiday color for holiday appetizers this time of year!!
Croque monsieur of course :)
Those apps looks so good! I’ve never tried vegan cheese, but this looks great. Love pesto/cheese/tomato combo….I make a great brie with pesto in puff pastry.
These would look so pretty on a table at a party. How fun. I love bite size food!
Perhaps it’s because you mentioned cheese, but I love love love me a good grilled cheese. Ooey, delicious, warm, toasty, grilled cheese. I don’t eat too many sandwiches, but when I do I go big (and they usually involve lots of melted cheese) ;)
Though I’m all about real cheese. These look quite interesting though. And if they melt the way they seem to look on the packaging I’d be all over trying them.
Grilled Cheese with tomato
I like grill cheese.
My favorite sandwich is grilled cheese with ham, with some garlic powder added to the butter.
I love roasted vegetable sandwiches…sometimes with grilled chicken!
I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches like any kid ha ha
chicken cutlet on garlic bread with sauteed mushrooms, onions and green peppers with jalepeno monterey jack cheese.
Brie cranberry apple!
I love a grilled ham & cheese sandwich!
I love pork roll & cheese!
I like an egg salad sandwich.
pesto chicken paninis
This is so awesome. My favorite sandwich is definitely a turkey, bacon and cheese Panini on baguette!
I love grilled cheese with bacon and tomato the most.
Hummus with feta and roasted red pepper on ciabatta or other hardy bread
I do want to try that recipe. Looks great!
I love a good egg salad sandwich and soft japanese bread
My favorite sandwich is roast beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes on whole wheat bread.
My favorite sandwich is turkey, ham, cheese, pickles, mayo, mustard, lettuce and some jalapenos.
A good ol’ grilled cheese is my fave.
i really love chicken sandwiches
My favorite sandwich is grilled cheese with tomato and basil.
My favorite sandwich is BLT
My all time favorite sandwich is a BLT!
I love roast beef sandwiches!
ham and cheese is my favorite.
My favorite sandwich is inexplicably made from food items that aren’t that fun on their own: Corned beef, pumpernickel, saurkraut, thousand island dressing, and the one thing that is good on its own swiss cheese. Yes the reuben takes a mish mosh of not so grand ingedients and turns them into something delicious!
My favorite kind of sandwich is a pesto mozzarella tomato panini!
My favorite sandwiches are chicken salad!
i love chicken sandwiches
My favorite kind of sandwich is a BLT.
My favorite is grilled cheese with sharp cheddar & sunflower seeds!
My favorite kind of sandwich is a California club.
i love turkey sandwiches
I loveegg salad on japenese bread
I love Ham and Cheese sandwiches!
favorite sandwich is a grilled cheese with tomato
My favorite sandwich is OLIVE LOAF! Don’t laugh and don’t hate on the olive loaf! lol
My favorite sandwich right now is a tempeh bacon sandwich, with sauerkraut, cucumbers, a dollop of hummus!
ham and cheese
I like a mozzarella grilled cheese with tomatoes and pesto.
My absolute favorite is a BLT made with a perfectly ripe Black Krim tomato fresh from the garden.
i love chicken sandwiches
grilled cheese for sure!
My favorite kind of sandwich is toasted Tomato and Avocado with Daiya Cheese
Chicken (any kind) or steak with lots of provolone and veggies.
Grilled Cheese
Grilled Cheese Sand which!
Tempeh Reuben, yummm ??
I want a panini press soooooo bad!!!
My very favorite sammie is coconut “bacon”, lettuce and tomato on thick sliced sourdough bread!
My favorite sandwich is any meat & cheese with lettuce & a good mustard. The mustard must be between the meat & cheese!
I like a good grilled cheese.
Ham and cheese!
Grilled cheese.
I love a tuna sandwich with cheese and lots of veggies.
I love a Hot Ham and Cheese with lots of Mayo