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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish Recipes

    Kale and White Beans with Crunchy Bacon Panko Topping

    Modified: Jan 3, 2021 · Published: Aug 20, 2012 by Ashley

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    This post may contain affiliate links, which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

    This is one of those meals that falls under the heading of vegetarian...plus bacon. I can't help myself sometimes. I love vegetarian food, but when I was putting this dish together in my head, it was just screaming for some bacon. So this is what I came up with. We squeezed lemon over our dishes right before serving, and it really brightened the dish up. This is a great way to use up leafy greens, and the topping ads lots of nice crunch. Dino and I ate this as a main course, and almost finished off the whole batch, but it would be great as a side dish, too.

    Bowls of kale and white beans with crunchy bacon panko topping.
    Kale and White Beans with Crunchy Bacon Panko Topping
    Ashley Covelli

    4 slices center cut bacon, sliced into lardons
    large shallot, diced small
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    pinch of red pepper flakes
    1 large bunch kale, roughly chopped
    large can (1 lb 13 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
    1 T extra-virgin olive oil
    ½ c panko
    kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    1 T fresh parsley, chopped
    zest of 1 lemon
    lemon wedges, for serving

    In a large skillet, brown bacon until crispy. Remove from pan onto a small plate lined with a paper towel. Add shallot, garlic and red pepper flakes to the bacon fat and cook, stirring, until fragrant. Add the kale, stirring, and cook, covered, until wilted down, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and cover until heated through.

    Meanwhile, Heat oil in a small skillet. Add panko, salt and pepper and toast, stirring occasionally, until browned. Put in a bowl and mix in lemon zest and parsley.

    To serve, top kale mixture with bacon and panko mixture, squeeze generously with lemon. Enjoy!

    Big Flavors Rating: 4 Stars

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Val

      August 27, 2012 at 11:59 am

      This sounds so good and your pics are great.

      Reply
    2. Ashley

      August 28, 2012 at 12:13 pm

      Thanks so much 🙂

      Reply

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