Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast
User Reviews
5
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Cook Time
40 mins
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soaking
1 hr
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Servings
6 servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Mediterranean
Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast
Description
Brothy Beans with Garlic Toast features dried Great Northern beans slowly cooked in chicken stock with aromatic ingredients including garlic halves, fresh ginger, a dried chili, shallots, herbs like rosemary and thyme, saffron, and a Parmesan rind that enriches the broth. The beans simmer until tender, absorbing the broth's layered flavors. The accompanying garlic toast is made by pan-frying baguette slices in olive oil until golden, then rubbing them with garlic and seasoning with sea salt for a satisfying crispness and boost of garlic aroma. The recipe includes tempering a beaten egg with hot broth to possibly enrich or thicken the final bean broth.
The dish balances the soft, creamy beans and savory broth with the crunchy, garlicky toast, making for a comforting and textured meal. It’s suited as a standalone dish or a starter and highlights the fresh herbal notes and umami richness from the Parm rind and slow-simmered stock.
Use dried beans that have been soaked to ensure even cooking and better absorption of flavors. Although canned beans could be used in a pinch, they will not absorb the broth’s aromatics as effectively. For quicker results, pressure cooking frozen chickpeas works well but may alter flavor intensity. The garlic toast is best made fresh and served immediately alongside the beans to retain its crispness.
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried beans Great Northern white beans variety
- 48 ounces chicken stock or broth
- 1/2 head garlic sliced in half
- 1 lice ginger fresh
- 1 dried Chili pepper
- 1 shallot sliced in half lengthwise
- bay leaf
- 1 thyme bunch, sprigs, tied in a bundle
- 1 prig rosemary fresh
- saffron a pinch or two
- 1 Parmesan Cheese rind
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- rosemary fresh, chopped, leaves
- thyme fresh, chopped, leaves
- Parmesan Cheese grated, optional
garlic toast
- 6 baguette slices, if small use 12
- olive oil
- salt sea salt
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves, cut in half lengthwise
Instructions
- First soak or quick soak your dried beans ~ to quick soak, rinse your beans and add them to a pot. Add cold water to cover the beans with several inches of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for an hour. For regular soaking method, let your beans soak in cold water over night. Whichever method you choose, drain the soaked beans and return them to the pot.
- Add the chicken stock and aromatics (garlic through Parm rind.) Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes, or just until the beans are tender.
- While the beans are cooking fry the bread ~ liberally coat the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil and fry the bread on both sides until golden. Rub the tops of the bread with the cut sides of the garlic, and season with sea salt. Set aside.
- Remove the aromatics from the bean pan. Ladle some of the hot broth into the beaten egg to temper it, while whisking constantly. After adding 2 or 3 ladles of the hot broth, pour the whole thing back into the beans and stir to combine. Add the fresh herbs.
- Put a slice or two of bread in the bottom of your bowl and top with the beans and broth. Add grated Parm if you like.
Notes
- Soak dried beans overnight or quick soak before cooking for better texture and flavor absorption.
- The garlic toast should be fried until golden and rubbed immediately with fresh garlic and salt for best flavor.
- Canned beans can be used if necessary but won’t absorb the broth as well as dried beans.
- Pressure cooking beans, such as chickpeas, reduces cooking time but may change flavor slightly.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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