Cheesy White Beans with Kale is easy + cheesy + delicious comfort food. A simple cheesy white bean mash topped a healthy serving of sauteéd kale and finished with a fried egg is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
My friend Kirsti introduced me to this recipe. It just so happens that her birthday is this week, so I thought I’d share it!
This type of recipe is similar to this breakfast salad recipe – they both make it easy to get a good serving of greens into your breakfast!
I usually rely on green smoothies to deliver a serving of greens for breakfast, but it’s nice to have a savory option.
By the end of each calendar year, I’ve fallen into holiday eating and need to reboot and remind myself of what type of eating makes me feel energized. I always feel so good after eating a healthy dose of greens.
As a reminder, two cups of raw greens are equal to one vegetable serving.
Which greens are the healthiest?
Harvard Health has a great chart that outlines the nutrient values for the most common greens.
You can top this white bean mash with any greens you have – spinach, kale, chard, etc. A blend of spinach and kale might be more appealing to you instead of all kale. Either way you will feel full and healthy!
The white bean mash is made with cannellini beans and although I usually eat it for breakfast, it can most certainly pass for lunch or dinner – it’s cheesy comfort food at its finest!
How to make Cheesy White Beans
The bean mash has a texture similar to savory grits and creamy mashed potatoes – cheesy deliciousness topped with a fried egg and sautéed kale.
This recipes comes together quickly and has great flavor in just 3 steps:
- Warm beans + Mash.
- Sauté kale or other greens.
- Fry an egg.
Serve topped with fresh scallions!
A simple cheesy white bean mash topped a healthy serving of sauteéd kale and finished with a fried egg is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3-4 medium garlic cloves finely minced
- 2 15-ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese or any other white melty cheese on hand I used a semi soft sheep's milk cheese I needed to use up
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan plus more for serving
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups finely shredded kale
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- 2 small jalapeños finely chopped an/or sliced
- Sriracha sauce to top
- 1/4 cup finely sliced scallion whites and light greens
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Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant ~ about 1 minute.
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Add beans, cream, and 1/2 cup water.
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Once the mixture is warmed through, mash beans lightly with a potato masher or fork.
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Add water, if needed, to create a loose, creamy consistency. Stir in both cheeses and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to low and put a lid on it to keep it warm.
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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and add kale, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until it wilts and start to get a little crisp, about 4 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and place in a bowl.
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Prepare the fried egg. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook until whites are set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. It is easier to make them individually if you don't have a large pan. If you prefer to cook the eggs yolks a bit more, put a cover on the pan for a minute.
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Add the bean mixture to the plates. Top with kale, then egg. Sprinkle with scallions and jalapeños. Maybe a little Sriracha and eat up!
adapted from www.SeriousEats.com
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yum! Your table looks so pretty. Mine is always a disaster!
You should see the other side of the table. 😉
This is one of my all-time favorite dishes! I like to make a double batch so there’s lots of leftovers 🙂