Welcoming in the spring months with a fresh new toast recipe that’s bright & herby, but still comforting for the crisp March weather: lemony mushroom mascarpone toast with beans & herbs. Toasted bread, creamy mascarpone cheese, caramelized mushrooms and shallots, butter beans, and lots of flavor from lemon, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper, and herbs.
mushroom mascarpone toast – the details
This quick mushroom mascarpone toast makes for the perfect lunch, snack, appetizer, or even side dish to some roast chicken & vegetables. It packs in so much good flavor to brighten things up for the start of spring, yet the hearty mushrooms and beans make it great for these remaining chilly days.
You’ll want to use some kind of fresh, crusty bread – sourdough, ciabatta, or even a baguette sliced on a long angle would work. You can toast it in the oven if you’d like, but since we’re already using a skillet for the mushroom mixture, I like to just start by toasting the bread, two or three slices at a time, right in there with some hot olive oil.
You’re looking for a golden and crisp exterior on both sides of the bread. Perfect for slathering on the creamy mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone is essentially the Italian version of cream cheese. It’s smooth and spreadable, with a slightly sweet fresh cream flavor. It’s SO delicious on toast.
The mushroom mixture comes together really quickly in the skillet, with caramelized shallots, lemon, balsamic, crushed red pepper, fresh dill, and fresh chives adding in lots of great springy flavor.
The beans make it extra hearty and satisfying. Mound this all up onto the toast, season well, and drizzle a little olive oil over top…and you’ve got yourself such a tasty treat!
If you’re looking for more toast recipes, here are a few favorites:
Caramelized Butternut Squash Toast with Ricotta & Balsamic
Herby Egg Salad On Toast
Brussels Sprout Toast with Burrata & Bacon
Lemony Mushroom Mascarpone Toast with Beans & Herbs
toasted bread topped with mascarpone cheese, pan-roasted mushrooms & shallots, and butter beans, flavored with lemon, balsamic, crushed red pepper, and herbs
yield: 8 pieces of toast
Ingredients
- 8 slices sourdough (or other fresh, crusty) bread, ¾” thick
- ¼ cup olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 lb mixed mushrooms, trimmed
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1 (15 oz) can butter beans, rinsed + drained
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 lemon, half zested* + juiced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tbsp minced fresh chives
- 1 (8 oz) tub mascarpone cheese
- freshly cracked black pepper
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Work in batches to toast the bread, 1-2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Transfer the toast to a serving plate.
- Add the ¼ cup of olive oil to the skillet. Once hot, add the mushrooms. Cook for about 4 minutes until browned and tender. Add the sliced shallot and a pinch of salt. Continue to cook for 3-4 more minutes until caramelized.
- Stir in the butter beans and balsamic vinegar. Simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat to reduce the vinegar.
- Lastly, stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, dill, and chives. Season with salt to taste.
- Spread the mascarpone cheese onto the toast. Mound the mushroom mixture on top. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper, flaky sea salt, any extra fresh herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Two options for the lemon zest:
- Use a microplane to grate half of the lemon.
- Very thinly slice off half of the lemon rind using a sharp knife (try to cut so that the white lemon pith stays behind). From there, thinly slice the rind to create strips.
shop the dish: lemony mushroom mascarpone toast
