Restaurant-Style Vegetable Nest

Transform your weeknight dinner routine with these stunning restaurant-quality vegetable nests that look as impressive as they taste. These golden, crispy potato cups filled with tender vegetables and melted cheese create an elegant presentation that will have your family thinking you’ve been taking secret cooking classes. Despite their sophisticated appearance, these delicious nests come together quickly and easily, making them perfect for busy evenings when you want something special without the fuss.

Ingredients

For the Potato Nests:

• 300g potatoes / 10.5 oz or about 2 medium potatoes
• 1 medium zucchini / about 200g
• 1 medium carrot / about 100g
• 1 medium onion / about 150g
• 1 medium tomato / about 150g
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp flour / 45g
• Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Chicken Filling:

• 300g chicken breast / 10.5 oz
• 1 red bell pepper / about 150g
• 150g suluguni cheese (or mozzarella) / 5.3 oz
• 1 bunch fresh parsley / about 30g
• 1 medium onion / about 150g
• 1 medium tomato / about 150g
• Olive oil for cooking
• Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste

For the Sauce:

• 1 cucumber / about 200g
• 100g sour cream / about ½ cup

Instructions

Preparing the Vegetable Nests

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
2. Wash and grate the potatoes using a coarse grater, then place them in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.
3. Grate the zucchini using the same coarse grater and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 5 minutes to draw out moisture.
4. Grate the carrot finely and dice the onion and tomato into small pieces.
5. Drain the potatoes thoroughly and squeeze out excess water using a clean kitchen towel.
6. Squeeze the salted zucchini to remove the released moisture.

Making the Nest Mixture

7. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained potatoes, squeezed zucchini, grated carrot, diced onion, and tomato.
8. Crack the eggs into the vegetable mixture and add the flour.
9. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then mix everything together until well combined.
10. Finely chop the parsley and fold it into the mixture.

Forming and Baking the Nests

11. Grease a muffin tin or individual ramekins with olive oil.
12. Divide the vegetable mixture evenly among the molds, pressing it down and up the sides to create nest shapes with hollow centers.
13. Bake in the preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 20 minutes until the edges are golden and crispy.

Preparing the Chicken Filling

14. While the nests are baking, cut the chicken breast into small, bite-sized pieces.
15. Dice the red bell pepper and onion, and chop the tomato.
16. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
17. Add the diced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened.
18. Add the chicken pieces and season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
19. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes until nearly cooked through.
20. Add the diced red bell pepper and tomato, cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Assembling and Final Baking

21. Remove the vegetable nests from the oven and reduce temperature to 160°C (320°F).
22. Fill each nest with the cooked chicken and vegetable mixture.
23. Top each filled nest with pieces of suluguni cheese or mozzarella.
24. Return to the oven and bake at 160°C (320°F) for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Making the Cucumber Sauce

25. While the filled nests are baking, finely dice the cucumber or grate it coarsely.
26. If using grated cucumber, squeeze out excess moisture.
27. Mix the prepared cucumber with sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Time and Serving Information

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4-6 people
Nutrition per serving: Approximately 380 calories, 25g protein, 4g fiber, rich in vitamin A and potassium

Why This Recipe is Healthy and Delicious

These vegetable nests pack an impressive nutritional punch while delivering restaurant-quality presentation and flavor. The combination of grated vegetables creates a fiber-rich base that helps you meet your daily vegetable intake goals in a delicious and satisfying way. Potatoes provide complex carbohydrates and potassium, while zucchini adds vitamins C and K with minimal calories.

The lean chicken breast offers high-quality complete protein essential for muscle maintenance and satiety. The colorful bell peppers and tomatoes contribute antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C, supporting immune function and overall health. The eggs in the nest mixture provide additional protein and help bind the vegetables together while adding essential nutrients like choline and selenium.

This recipe demonstrates how creative presentation can make healthy eating exciting and appealing. By transforming simple, wholesome ingredients into an elegant dish, you’re more likely to enjoy your vegetables and feel satisfied with a nutritious meal that doesn’t compromise on taste or visual appeal.