White Beans on Toast with Leek, Kale, & Sundried Tomato

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Recipe Notes

Piling a bunch of squidgy, olive oil-coated ingredients onto toasted sourdough is one of my favourite things. This recipe feels elevated, but it's actually very simple to prepare.

Leeks and sun-dried tomatoes give the dish real oomph. The white beans are a creamy, neutral base that carries all of those delicious flavours, while the kale adds colour along with slightly earthy, pleasantly bitter notes. Everything gets tossed with more olive oil than you might instinctively use. Think of the olive oil less as a garnish and more as a sauce that coats every ingredient and seeps into the toast.

I finish the mélange with a splash of balsamic vinegar and, if needed, a little maple syrup for balance. Whether I add maple depends on the balsamic. Pricier bottles tend to be naturally sweeter, while more affordable ones are often sharper and more acidic. The last time I made this, I skipped the maple altogether and used a little balsamic from a really nice bottle for sweetness, then added a splash of my cheaper balsamic for acidity.

Ingredient Notes:

Leeks:  Leeks make it special. There's something addictively good about a toast that includes them in the mix. They get buttery soft and have a sweet onion flavour that's to die for. If you want to add a splash of white wine while the leeks are cooking, it's a nice option too. I don't drink so it's not something I keep on hand, but it's definitely good and the alcohol will cook off in case that's a concern. 

Sundried Tomatoes: In the right context, sundried tomatoes are an incredibly flavourful ingredient that you might not even realize you enjoy. I can eat them right out of the jar, but to understand them properly--try them in a dish like this. The flavour complements instead of taking over. Briny, rich and bright. A decent substitute would be olives. If you want to try it with fresh tomato I think it would still be good!

​Bread: Choose a good quality sourdough loaf for this recipe. I often buy Ace Bakery Sourdough loaf. It comes pre sliced. The slices are large and oblong and I can get about four toasts out of this recipe, but it just depends how large the slices are that you are piling the filling onto. 

Cilantro: This is something I've started garnishing these toasts with whenever I have it on hand, even though I haven't listed it as an ingredient in the recipe. It isn't the first herb I would think to use here, but one day I tried it, and it just works. I love the fresh, citrusy lift it brings to the rich marinated ingredients.  

Step By Step Instructions for White Bean Leek Toasts

1. Start by slicing and sweating leeks in a generous swirl of extra virgin olive oil over medium - medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped garlic and cook out a couple more minutes.

2. Add chopped kale, another good drizzle of olive oil. Stir and cook until it begins to wilt and soften. 3-5 minutes. 

3. Add white beans, sundried tomatoes, and another generous swirl of olive oil. Cook and stir until heated through. Add another pinch of salt and pepper.

4. Season with a splash of balsamic vinegar. Taste. Everything should be well coated in olive oil with brightness and sweetness from the balsamic. Season with more salt and pepper if necessary. (a splash of maple to balance if you think it needs it)

5. Spoon mixture onto slices of grilled sourdough bread. Garnish with cilantro, or whatever fresh herbs you like best. Enjoy!