Lemony White Bean Bruschetta Bites

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• ❤️ Why you will love this recipe
• 🗒 Ingredient notes (+substitutions)
• 📝 Variations
• 🍴How to make White Bean Bruschetta Bites
• 💡Helpful tips
• 🍽Serving suggestions
• 🌱More white bean recipes
• 📖 Recipe

❤️ Why you will love this recipe

• Very easy and quick to prepare
• Perfect earthy antipasti recipe to feed a crowd
• Versatile and easy to customize
• Healthy: low-in-fat and packed with fiber
• Naturally vegan and dairy-free

🗒 Ingredient notes (+substitutions)

• Bread: you can use a few different types of bread to make bruschetta, as long as it is sturdy enough to hold onto the topping ingredients. I love French baguette as it makes for the perfect small or bite-size bruschetta, but other great ideas include, ciabatta bread, sourdough bread or country loaf (especially for larger toast).
• White beans: I used cannellini beans for their ultra-creamy texture and nutty flavor. Other beans you can use include Navy beans and Great Northern beans. Butter beans are bigger and would work too, but try using a larger piece of bread to serve the bruschetta.
• Tomatoes: contrary to the more popular bruschetta topping, the flavor isn't focused on the tomatoes, but I like adding a few sweet cherry tomatoes for added flavor and texture.
• Fresh herbs: fresh parsley is great in this Italian-style crostini recipe, but feel free to add fresh basil, mint or even rosemary or oregano for an authentic Italian version.
• Red pepper flakes: add a pinch to the mix for a mild spicy flavor, or omit completely if you have little ones to share the bruschetta bites with.

⭐️ Detailed list of ingredients down below in the recipe card!

📝 Variations

• Texture: adjust the texture of the bruschetta topping to your preference. I like to roughly mash some of the beans while keeping most of them intact, that way there is plenty of coarse texture and a nice creamy result. You can mash the beans almost completely if you prefer a spread-like result!
• Balsamic vinegar: feel free to add a splash of balsamic vinegar to the bean mix, or similarly to this bruschetta pesto flatbread recipe, you can drizzle some balsamic glaze over the bruschetta bites when serving.
• Pesto: lemon cannellini bean bruschetta pairs very well with basil pesto. You can spread some of it over the grilled bread before adding the white bean mix. This vegan cashew pesto would be lovely here!

🍴How to make White Bean Bruschetta Bites

⭐️ All details down below in the recipe card!

Prepare the lemon white bean mixture

Rinse and drain well the can of cannellini beans.

In a medium bowl, add the drained beans and roughly mash some of them (about half mashed and half still intact). Then, add the chopped cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, fresh parsley and salt. Stir to combine and taste to adjust flavor to your preference.

Set aside until ready to use. If preparing ahead of time, cover well and keep in the fridge.

Prepare the bread

When ready to serve, warm up a large pan (you can use a nonstick pan or a cast-iron pan) and slice your bread. Brush some olive oil over the bread (or add the oil to your pan), then toast your bread on one side.

Once crispy and golden brown, then transfer to your serving board.

Rub a clove of garlic over the toast to add flavor.

Assemble and serve

Scoop the white bean topping mixture over the garlicky bread, garnish with more fresh parsley and red pepper flakes (if using) and serve!

💡Helpful tips

• To save time in the kitchen, use canned white beans!
• Toasting the bread before rubbing the garlic will help "grate" it more efficiently by creating a more rough surface.
• For a crunchier result, then make sure to spread a little high-quality olive oil over the slices of bread before toasting.
• Try not to slice your bread too thin or it might not be able to hold onto the filling. A thin bread also will turn soggy quicker and might let some of the filling go through some holes. I recommend about ¾-1 inch of thickness. You can also slice it slightly diagonally to allow for a larger garnishing surface.
• This makes enough for 4 people (8 smaller slices of baguette or 4 larger toast). This recipe easily doubles for larger gatherings!
• Make-ahead: you can make the white bean filling up to 24 hours ahead of time. This can be handy if you are hosting, plus the beans will have some extra time to marinate and soak up all the flavor! Simply toast the bread and garnish right before serving your appetizers.

🍽Serving suggestions

You can drizzle some high-quality extra virgin olive oil over the crostini bites when serving. Or, for a lower-in-fat result with a nice added punch of flavor, drizzle some balsamic vinegar instead. Garnish with more red pepper flakes for an added kick!

Bruschetta bites are an amazing part of an appetizer board as well. You can pair them with some classic tomato basil bruschetta bites, marinated olives, kidney bean hummus, tapenade dip, candied pecans and vegan cashew cheese ball.

📖 Recipe