A healthy appetizer perfect for holiday gatherings! Toasted baguette is topped with marinated white beans and sautéed kale for a tangy, savory starter.
The season of holiday parties is beginning… I don’t know about you, but I’m still pretty full from Thanksgiving. Not that I’ll be turning down cocktails or sugary treats when they’re offered to me… but somehow I feel less guilty indulging if I’ve had my kale fix. (Kale neutralizes out cookies, right?).
This appetizer is super simple to throw together (or even make ahead of time) and packs a garlicky-lemony-rosemary-ey punch…
Kale & White Bean Crostini
Author: Jeanine Donofrio
Serves: 15-18 crostini
Ingredients
- 1 small baguette, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1½ cups cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
- 3-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- A few teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary (reserve some for garnish)
- A few pinches of red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced (leave ½ of one intact for rubbing on toasted bread)
- ½ bunch kale (3-4 leaves), stems removed
- 1 shallot, chopped
- Splash of white wine
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
- Big shaving of fresh parmesan for each toast
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and drizzle the bread with olive oil.
- In a small bowl, place the cannellini beans. Stir in the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Set aside and let the beans soak up the flavors while you prepare the other ingredients. (Soak for at least 15 minutes, this step can also be done up to a day ahead of time).
- Toast the baguette slices in the oven until golden brown. While the slices are still warm, rub with the open side of a cut piece of garlic. Set aside.
- Chop your kale in half down the center and then into thin slices (in the other direction). It’ll cook down a lot but if your slices are too long and stringy they’ll be messier to eat. Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium skillet, add the shallots and cook for a couple of minutes until they soften.
- Add the kale and garlic, and cook for a minute more. Add a good splash of white wine.
- Stir, and cook for another 30 seconds or so, until the kale is nicely wilted but still vibrant green. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Mix the cooked kale with the white beans. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Assemble toasts with a baguette slice and a dollop of the kale and bean mixture. Top with the reserved rosemary, red pepper flakes, and a good shaving of parmesan. Taste one and adjust seasonings again — add more herbs if you wish, salt, pepper, or another squeeze of lemon if you like.
Notes
Alternatively, you can puree the white bean mixture together… either dollop the puree on the kale on each toast, or serve in a separate bowl for dipping.
These are my FAVORITE. What a perfect combination of flavors. 🙂 Definitely a crowd pleaser.
I love your webiste, the recipes, the pictures and the design !!! Everything 🙂
Can I ask you the board of the wooden board that you used to put your kale and white bean crostinis
*the brand
thanks! it’s the olive board from West Elm: http://www.westelm.com/products/mrk-olive-wood-paddle-board-d768/
These crostini look delicious Jeanini, so vibrate and fresh!
What a great appetizer idea! I love how every single recipe you post is something I would want to make 🙂
wow, this looks amazing!
by the way: i absolutely adore the design you’ve got going here. i think it’s one of the best web designs i’ve ever seen, and i’m quite picky. i love everything about it!
may i inquire the name of the fabulous font you make such excellent use of?
best regards,
andrea from norway.
This looks so delicious! I love that it’s so easy and simple, but it’s definitely is a great treat!
Georgeous!! I have said it before and I will say it again, your meals are food art!!
ha, thank you!
LOVE the kale and beans in the bowl photos. Perfect holiday appetizer!
YUM! wish i had this for my friendsgiving… note to self: christmas.
delightfulcrab.com
This has everything I’ve ever wanted. No like, in life.
This is definitely happening in my house. Yum.