I’m sure the title of this blog post is mildly cringe-y to my British friends out there, who eat beans on toast the right way. And I fully understand the blasphemous implications of this recipe. But let’s just pretend this is just beans AND toast. And not beans ON toast. Because what’s in a name really? It’s beans! It’s toast! It’s really really good, and they only take about 15 minutes to throw together. There’s so many variations of this recipe, that yes, I tagged it as vegan and vegetarian, because if you eliminate the bacon, it’s just that! And if you want to use a different herb, be my guest! Or let’s say you want to add a fried egg on the top, which in that case, let’s be best friends.
This recipe is ridiculously delicious and simple. My husband turned up his nose at my dinner of beans and toast, but after a bite, he was hooked. So don’t let them drag you down. Because beans rule!
Let’s get started on this recipe!
Start by sauteeing your bacon, if you’re not making this vegetarian, until crisp. Add the onion and olive oil, sauteeing until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic, red pepper and fresh sage, cooking for an additional minute.
Drain one of the cans of beans, but don’t rinse. If you like soupier beans, don’t drain any beans at all. Add both cans to the pot and stir. Add salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes or until the beans are warmed through.
I like to grill my toast in the pan in a little olive oil until it’s nice and crisp. Then I top each slice with a generous spoonful of beans.
If you’re not vegan, top with parmesan and a runny egg! The options are endless.
- 3 slices of bacon, sliced into ¼ inch pieces (optional)
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
- 2 15 ounce cans of cannelini beans or great northern beans
- 1 lemon, juiced
- fried egg for topping (optional)
- grated parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
- 1 loaf of french bread or other artisan bread, cut into ½ inch slices
- In a medium pot over medium high heat, add the bacon if you're using bacon and cook until bacon is cooked through and crisp, about 7 minutes. Add the olive oil and onion, stirring frequently, and cooking until the onion is translucent. Add the sage, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook for one additional minute.
- Drain one of the cans of beans but don't rinse. If you like runnier beans, don't drain. Add the beans to the pot and a pinch of salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon into the pot and stir. Bring to a low boil and then turn down to low and simmer with the lid off for about 5-10 minutes or until the beans are warm. Taste for salt.
- Toast your bread in a toaster oven or grill it in some olive oil in a pan. Top the bread generously with beans and sprinkle with parmesan (optional) and top with a fried egg (optional).
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