So I made these on a Tuesday night when I didn’t really feel like cooking but also didn’t want to eat cereal for the third time that week. I had a can of cannellini beans, half a baguette going slightly stale, and a jar of capers that’d been sitting in my fridge door since approximately forever. The result was genuinely one of those accidental recipes that I’ve made on purpose every few weeks since.
The roasted garlic does most of the work here, flavor-wise. You just wrap a whole head in foil, stick it in the toaster oven, and about 20 minutes later you’ve got something sweet and mellow and spreadable — nothing like raw garlic. A toaster oven with a solid bake setting handles this perfectly; no need to fire up a full-size oven for one head of garlic. Once you roast garlic this way you’ll start throwing it into everything.
The crispy capers are the thing that makes this feel a little special. They take maybe eight minutes and turn these little briny pebbles into something with actual crunch and a weirdly addictive salty pop. A small toaster oven baking pan is ideal for getting them spread out in a single layer so they crisp evenly instead of steaming each other. Pat them really dry first — that part matters more than you’d think.
This recipe is vegetarian and pareve, which makes it easy to serve at gatherings where you’re not sure about everyone’s dietary situation. It works as a starter, a light lunch, or one of those things you assemble and eat standing at the counter pretending you’ll sit down to eat it properly. Serves four if you’re being reasonable about it.
Toaster Oven Roasted Garlic and White Bean Crostini with Crispy Capers
Creamy white bean spread, jammy roasted garlic, and salty fried capers piled onto toasted baguette slices. It comes together in about 30 minutes and works as an appetizer, a snack, or honestly just dinner.
Ingredients
For the roasted garlic
For the white bean spread
For the crispy capers
For the crostini
Instructions
Roast the garlic
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Preheat your toaster oven to 400°F. Cut the top off the garlic head so the cloves are just peeking out, drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil, and wrap loosely in a small piece of foil.
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Set it directly on the toaster oven rack and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, until the cloves are golden and soft when you press them. They should smell incredible. Set aside to cool slightly.
Crisp the capers
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While the garlic roasts, pat the capers completely dry with a paper towel — this is the step people skip, and then they wonder why their capers are chewy instead of crispy. Don't skip it.
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Toss the dry capers with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and spread them in a single layer on a small piece of foil or your toaster oven pan. During the last 8 minutes of the garlic's roasting time, slide the capers in alongside it. They should shrivel, puff slightly, and turn golden. Pull them out and let them cool — they crisp up more as they sit.
Toast the crostini
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Brush both sides of the baguette slices lightly with olive oil and arrange them on your toaster oven baking sheet. Toast at 400°F for 5 to 6 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point, until they're golden and have some crunch but aren't completely hard. You want them toastable, not crouton-level.
Make the white bean spread
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Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins into a food processor or into a bowl if you're using an immersion blender. Add the drained cannellini beans, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
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Blend or mash until smooth and creamy — I like mine with just a tiny bit of texture left, but that's personal. Taste it. Adjust salt or lemon.
Assemble
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Spread a generous spoonful of the white bean mixture onto each crostini. Don't be shy here — a thin scrape isn't going to cut it.
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Top with a few crispy capers, a pinch of lemon zest, and some chopped parsley. Finish with a small drizzle of your best olive oil if you have it. Serve immediately.
Notes
The roasted garlic can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge — it's actually easier to squeeze out when cold. If your toaster oven runs hot (many do), check the garlic at 18 minutes. The white bean spread keeps well in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Assemble the crostini right before serving so the bread stays crispy. If you want to keep this gluten-free, the white bean spread and crispy capers are great on cucumber rounds or endive leaves.
Nutrition
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Written by
Emma is a home cook who loves coaxing big flavor out of a toaster oven — from crispy roasted vegetables to easy weeknight dinners and sweet treats. She develops and tests Toastera's recipes for small-appliance kitchens.
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