Grilled Bruschetta with White Bean Puree and Olives
Crispy grilled baguette slices topped with smooth white bean puree blended with garlic, lemon, and thyme, finished with a briny olive-garlic mixture. Drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and garnished with fresh thyme and cracked black pepper for a simple, elegant appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ crusty baguettes, sliced into 24 slices
- extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
- sea salt
- ½ cup flavorful olives, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅓ cup roasted red pepper, choppedsun-dried tomato0.75:1vegetable
adds tanginess, use less
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can (14 ounces) cannellini beans, drained
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ lemon juice, from 1/2 lemon
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- cracked black pepper
- fresh thyme leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Combine drained beans, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme in a blender and pulse until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl.
- 2
Wash the blender. Add olives, garlic, and olive oil, then pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
- 3
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- 4
Brush bread slices lightly with olive oil and grill until lightly browned on both sides.
- 5
Sprinkle the grilled slices with sea salt.
- 6
Spread each slice with bean puree, then top with about 1 teaspoon of the olive mixture.
- 7
Arrange on a platter, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, and garnish with cracked black pepper and fresh thyme leaves.
Tips
Make the bean puree and olive mixture up to 1 day ahead; store separately in the refrigerator.
For best results, use high-quality extra virgin olive oil and flavorful olives like Kalamata or Castelvetrano.
If garlic confit is available, substitute for the raw garlic cloves in the puree for a milder, sweeter flavor.
Good to Know
Bean puree and olive mixture keep up to 2 days, covered, in the refrigerator. Assemble just before serving to maintain crispness of grilled bread.
Prepare bean puree and olive mixture up to 1 day in advance. Grill bread slices up to 4 hours ahead and store in an airtight container. Assemble final topping no more than 30 minutes before serving.
Arrange on a platter and serve at room temperature as an appetizer or light starter.
Common Mistakes
Over-blend the olive mixture to avoid a smooth paste rather than finely chopped texture.
Over-grill the bread to prevent it from becoming too dark or burnt rather than lightly browned.
Skip the sea salt on bread to avoid underseasoning.
Substitutions
adds tanginess, use less