Smoky Beans with Aubergine & 'Cheesy' Toasts

Super comforting and delicious — kind of like cheese and beans on toast, but even better. This is so incredibly tasty — one for all the family.
Smoky beans with aubergine & 'cheesy' toasts

OK so this is a kind of like cheese and beans on toast, but as that’s one of my favourite comfort meals, I’m totally happy with that.

My vegan version is a lovely smoky bean dish with roast aubergine and red peppers, a rich tomato sauce with chickpeas and flageolet beans (use your favourites), topped with ‘cheesy’ toasts!

I toasted some rye bread, which I then topped with a big smear of cashew cheese and popped it under the grill and served it with the smoky beans.

It’s so comforting and delicious.

There are a couple of options for the cashew cheese, a quicker non-fermented version which is tasty and another fermented version, which if you have time it’s definitely worth it.

You can flavour the cheese as you wish; plain but season it well, with nutritional yeast for extra cheesy-ness, truffle oil is amazing, or with spices – I love adding smoked paprika.

I hope you enjoy, much love Niki xx

The Recipe

Smoky beans with aubergine & 'cheesy' toasts

Smoky Beans with Aubergine & ‘Cheesy’ Toasts

Super comforting and delicious - kind of like cheese and beans on toast, but even better. This is so incredibly tasty - one for all the family.
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 40 minutes
4 servings
No ratings yet

Ingredients

  • 2 red peppers chopped
  • 1 aubergine sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Sea salt

For the beans

  • 2 onions sliced roughly
  • 4 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp rose harissa or 1 tsp harissa
  • 6 organic tomatoes chopped
  • 500 ml water
  • 1 tsp brown rice miso
  • 1 tsp tamari
  • 1 tin organic chickpeas drained
  • 1 tin organic flageolet beans
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • Twist black pepper
  • Optional–1 tsp maple syrup
  • Handful kale chopped finely

For the cashew cheese

Basic–not fermented

  • 200 g cashews soaked for at least 4 hrs
  • 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp English mustard or Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 50 ml water

Fermented/aged cheese

  • 200 g cashews soaked for at least 4 hrs
  • Water to cover
  • 1 pro-biotic capsule
  • Season well
  • Plus flavours of choice–lemon juice nutritional yeast, any spices

To serve

  • Bread of choice
  • Fresh basil

Instructions

  • Pre heat your oven to 180c.
  • First, roast the peppers and aubergine by adding them with the oil and salt to a baking tray. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until roasted.
  • In the meantime–add the oil and onion to a wide bottom pan and fry gently on a low heat for around 10 minutes until soft and browning. Add the garlic and spices and fry for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the tomatoes and harissa to the pan and cook for 5-10 minutes until the tomatoes have softened.
  • Now add the water, miso, tamari and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes.
  • Add the beans, roast veg, salt, black pepper and optional maple syrup to the pan and simmer for a further 5 minutes

Option 1 -To make the quick cashew cheese.

  • Add all the ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and blitz until very smooth. Transfer to jars and store in the fridge.

Option 2- To make the fermented cheese;

  • Add all the ingredients to a food processor or high-speed blender and blitz until very smooth.
  • Transfer to a glass or wooden bowl. Add a pro-biotic capsule. Stir with a wooden spoon.
  • Cover with a cloth for 24 hrs–a slight crust should have formed and it should taste slightly ‘cheesy’
  • Now season and flavour as desired.
  • Divide and transfer to ring molds or small pots with lids. Transfer to the fridge.

Mold option

  • After 4-5 hrs, the cheese should have set and you can remove the mold.
  • Can be kept for 3 months–the flavour will develop and a outer crust will come from.

To serve

  • Toast some bread
  • Top toast with a smear of cashew cheese. Pop back under the grill until the cheese colours.
  • Serve the cheesy toasts with the beans.
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I'd love to hear your comments…

  • Francesca
    5 years ago Reply

    This looks absolutely delicious but can I just check – do you stir the roasted aubergines and peppers in to the beans? And when/where do you add the kale? Can’t wait to try this! Thank you : )

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