Broccoli and White Bean Crostini here to ring in another weekend!
How many of you are as obsessed with crostini as I am? I absolutely love the versatility of little toasted baguette slices. I love how they’re perfect for parties, appetizers, or an entire meal with your most favorite girlfriends.
Broccolini and White Bean Crostini are perfect for all the above reasons, AND they stick with this whole January-theme-of-balance, which means you’re winning all around.
New Years Eve we wanted a lighter, yet still satisfying, appetizer. Immediately my mind went to my favorites: lots of cheese and some kind of chutney or fruit. But honestly, cheese just felt like too much – we had a lot of dairy filled dishes on New Years Eve (risotto and cheesecake obsessed, right here).
And thus, Broccolini and White Bean Crostini was born. Roast up some tender baby broccolini with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Then, mash together white beans, garlic, lemon (both zest and juice!), a dash of red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. This is your creamy crostini spread. All the creaminess and flavor, without added dairy. Plus, some would argue that beans are inherently healthier than cheese anyway.
Ahem, wait a minute though. I couldn’t get rid of all dairy. Top the crostini with a thin slice of parmesan and your world will be rocked. That little addition of nuttiness and saltiness is BOMB!
So you’ll spread the spread over crispy crostini, top with roasted broccolini, a dash of pepper, and that sliver of parmesan. Healthy, flavorful, appetizer ready!
Speaking of appetizer ready… are you watching the big game this weekend? My non-football loving self is definitely watching this game (hometown pride, you guys!!!) with a huge spread of appetizers, including this one.
If you need some more crostini ideas, check out these: Butternut Squash and Pear Crostini, Roasted Cherry & Goat Cheese Crostini, Fig Compote, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Crostini, and the classic Bruschetta!
PrintBroccolini and White Bean Crostini
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings (2 crostini each)
- Category: Appetizer
Description
A healthy appetizer: crunchy crostini smeared with white beans with a tang of lemon, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley topped with roasted baby broccolini and a sliver of parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 bunches baby broccolini, 1 inch pieces
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 1/2 large baguette, sliced (approx. 20 slices)
- 1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Dash red pepper flakes
- 1/2 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 20 thin parmesan slivers
- Black Pepper for topping
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F. Toss baby broccolini pieces with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy.
- Meanwhile, lay baguette sliced in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil lightly on each side, salt, and pepper (I usually drizzle on one side, turn it over, and “push” the baguette slice around the olive oil to cover, then repeat with the other side). You don’t want the slices drenched in olive oil. Bake for 5-6 minutes, flip slices over, and bake for an additional 5-6 minutes until crisp. Remove and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a bowl, use a potato masher, pie blender, or fork to mash together white beans, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes, and parsley. You can leave this a little chunky or mash it until completely smooth.
- Once crostini is slightly cooled, spread white bean spread across crostini (approximately 1-2 teaspoons on each crostini). Top with broccolini, a sliver of parmesan cheese, and a grind of fresh black pepper.
Notes
You can use just the florets or both the florets and stems on top of the crostini. I usually use some stems, mingled in with the florets. If I have any extra stems left, I save them for salads or broccoli soup!
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