White Beans on Toast

Serving beans on toast makes them a meal! This simple, sophisticated recipe pairs white beans with garlic, broccoli rabe, and Parmesan cheese.

Beans on toast. It sounds humble, but when you taste this you’ll be amazed. The recipe comes to us from the new cookbook Cool Beans by our pal Joe Yonan of The Washington Post, a book just as cool as it sounds. The premise: beans are one of the most economical, delicious, and planet-friendly foods that exist. And we all should eat more of them. Of course, that gets a hearty Amen! from Alex and me. We’re long time proponents of eating all the beans. Eating these silky, savory nuanced white beans over toast makes them into a tasty vegetarian meal, and topped with aged Parmesan: they’re a revelation.

Why to eat more beans

Why do beans have a bit of a sore reputation here in the US? They’re certainly not considered glamorous food. Almost no one replies to “What meal did you eat to celebrate your birthday?” with “a pot of beans” or “beans on toast”. Author Joe says in the book that could be because worldwide beans have almost always been associated with poverty.

But there are lots of reasons to change our hearts about beans here in the US. Indeed, so many cultures around the world celebrate them with great dishes (falafel! hummus! refried beans! lentil stew!). Here’s why to eat more beans, per Cool Beans:

They’re the cheapest source of protein in the world. They’re the only food that’s both categorized as a protein and vegetable by the USDA.
They’ve may help you live longer: the list of health benefits if beans is long: they’re nutrient-dense, rich in cancer fighting antioxidants and hearty-healthy fiber. Guess the commonality of Blue Zone diet countries where people live the longest in the world? They all eat 1 cup of beans per day.
They’re planet-friendly. Beans may be key to feeding the Earth’s growing population: they take less of a toll on the climate than animal proteins.

How to cook dried white beans…with more flavor than ever!

Have you ever cooked dried beans? Alex and I often settle for canned beans out of convenience (sorry, Joe!) But when we have time, cooking a pot of dried beans results in a transcendentally more delicious end product. Especially if you add flavorings to the pot while it’s boiling! Now that we have an Instant Pot, we love making beans in the IP because it’s so quick (see our Instant Pot Black Beans, Chickpeas, Refried Beans & Pinto Beans).

All of the recipes in Cool Beans use dried beans: though of course you can substitute canned in a pinch. But why not use this as a challenge? Take this as an opportunity to take 1 hour and make beans the right way. Here’s how to make the white beans for this beans on toast recipe:

Soak your beans overnight (or 4 hours)! Soaking beans helps them cook faster and more evenly. You can get away with 4 hours if you forget to do it the night before.
Add flavorings! Here’s the key to getting the very best flavor: add a few simple flavorings to the pot with the beans. Here you’ll add 1 onion studded with whole cloves, 2 carrots, bay leaves and (here’s the kicker): a sheet of kombu! Kombu is dried seaweed often used in Japanese cooking. It’s 100% worth seeking it out for the nuance of flavor that it gives! You’ve got to try this.
Simmer in water for 1 hour. Just 1 hour gets them perfectly tender.

Beans on toast: simple & sophisticated

The name for this recipe in the Cool Beans cookbook is this: “Garlicky Great Northern Beans and Broccoli Rabe Over Toast.” (Fancy.) We shortened it to “beans on toast” to be a little more internet-friendly…and, because beans on toast is a thing! It’s a British dish that’s basically baked beans served over toast. This version, though: is like beans on toast with a glam makeover. Here are a few notes about serving it:

Cook the beans with broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe is a green with a pretty bitter flavor: but it works well here with the savory beans. If you can’t find it in the store, try broccolini (our fave!), broccoli or Tuscan kale, which will have a sweeter flavor.
Use an artisan-style loaf for the toast. Not any old bread will do. Find an artisan-style bread loaf (or try our sourdough, Dutch oven bread, or artisan bread).
Spoon the broth and beans onto the toast. It will seem like there’s a lot of broth: but that’s what’s intended! Spoon on the beans first, then the broth. It softens the toast into a chewy, delightful texture.
Top with aged Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano). Wow, is this good topped with some aged Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese and a drizzle of olive oil! (If you eat fully vegan, please weigh in if you know of a good vegan Parm.)

About the book: Cool Beans

Cool Beans is all about demystifying the humble bean: since it may be the key to the future of food! It’s full of 125 incredible flavor-packed recipes and ideas for eating the world’s most versatile plant-based protein. Alex and I give it a hearty 2 thumbs up!

Alex and I know author Joe Yonan through Voraciously: Plant Powered, our project with Washington Post Food. Joe is the Food and Dining Editor at The Washington Post and was incredible to work with. We’ve always been admirers of Joe’s work, but with this book he’s truly outdone himself! It’s an incredible resource that we’ll be turning to again and again. Hats off, Joe!

Get it: Cool Beans by Joe Yonan

This white beans on toast recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, use vegan Parmesan or top with another savory element like capers.