Bruschetta with Fava Beans, Greens, and Blood Oranges

From the kitchen of Carly

Creamy fava bean puree meets bright blood orange and peppery greens on crispy toasted bread. It's spring on a plate, vibrant and fresh, with enough substance to actually satisfy. The kind of bruschetta that makes you reconsider what bruschetta can be.

Bruschetta with Fava Beans, Greens, and Blood Oranges

Soft, bright, and alive. Fava bean puree spread thick on warm toast holds a tangle of bitter greens and tart blood orange segments that cut through the richness. The magic is the puree itself, silky enough to coat the back of a spoon but still tasting of the bean. Double-peeled frozen favas skip the tedious work without losing a thing.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 3/4 cupfrozen double-peeled fava beans , thawed, divided
  • 1 cupwater
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • 6 tbspextra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tbspfresh lemon juice
  • 3blood oranges or navel oranges
  • 1 tbspwhite balsamic vinegar
  • 6 cupmixed baby greens
  • 18 slicesourdough or French baguette
  • 1toasted

Instructions

  1. Place 1/4 cup of fava beans into a small bowl and reserve for the salad. In a large skillet, combine 1 1/2 cups of fava beans with 1 cup of water and the garlic. Bring to a boil. Drop the heat to medium and simmer uncovered until the fava beans turn tender, stirring occasionally, around 10 minutes. Drain the favas, keeping the cooking liquid. Move the favas to a food processor and add 3 tablespoons of oil and the lemon juice. Purée until smooth, splashing in reserved cooking liquid by the tablespoonful to moisten the purée as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the fava purée to another small bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill the fava purée and the whole fava beans in separate containers. Bring the purée to room temperature before using.)

  2. Finely grate enough peel from 1 orange to measure 1 teaspoon; squeeze 2 tablespoons of juice from that same orange. Cut off the peel and white pith from the remaining 2 oranges. Working over a bowl and using a small sharp knife, cut between the membranes to release the orange segments. Whisk the orange peel, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of oil together in a small bowl. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

  3. Toss the greens, orange segments, 1/4 cup of reserved favas, and the vinaigrette together in a large bowl.

  4. Spread the fava bean purée across the warm baguette toasts, dividing equally among them. Top each toast with the salad and serve.

Tips from the kitchen

  • The puree should be just loose enough to spread smoothly, not stiff. Add the reserved cooking liquid a tablespoon at a time until you hit the right texture.
  • Don't skip grating the orange peel into the vinaigrette. It adds a concentrated citrus note that ties the whole thing together.
  • Toast the bread until the edges are crispy and the inside is still a little tender, so it supports the topping without cracking apart.

Variations

  • Swap aged provolone or pecorino shavings for half the greens if you want something richer.
  • Use pomegranate seeds instead of oranges for a drier, more tart edge.
  • Make it a warm salad by tossing the greens with warm fava beans instead of whole beans and raw orange, then topping the toast.
  • Stir anchovy paste or white miso into the puree for an umami anchor that brings out the vegetable.

Make ahead and storage

Fava puree keeps for 3 days covered in the fridge. The salad will wilt if assembled more than 15 minutes ahead, so dress the greens just before topping the toasts.