This idea came about when Molly experienced a grilled cheese with a lot of kale in it which seemed like a fun new way to shovel kale into her mouth. It has crispy sourdough, salty meat, creamy white beans, and hearty vegetable. It’s a delicious combination of flavors and it can be made in a flash!
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 25 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (113 grams) chopped pancetta
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- One 15.5-ounce (439-gram) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 slices sourdough bread
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 12 slices Swiss cheese
- Flaky salt
- Hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Place an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat starts to crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the kale, garlic and fennel seed, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Cook until the kale is wilted and the garlic is softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the white beans and stir until everything is heated and soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Place the slices of bread on the baking sheet. Spread about 1 teaspoon of mustard on each slice, top each with two slices of Swiss cheese. Divide the kale mixture between the slices of bread, then top each with one slice of cheese. Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bread is golden brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add a couple pinches of black pepper, a sprinkle of flaky sauce and a couple splashes of hot sauce to each, if desired, and serve immediately.
- These can be made ahead and baked to order. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If baking or reheating from cold, bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 974 |
| Total Fat | 41 g |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g |
| Carbohydrates | 101 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 11 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Protein | 52 g |
| Cholesterol | 97 mg |
| Sodium | 1693 mg |
Reviews
We loved this recipe. With the recipe as a Guide, I made the following substituions based on our food preferences and likes. Used spinach for the kale, used used EVOO instead of pancetta, added some red pepper flakes instead of the fennel. The mustard was great.
Could this be made without pancetta for my vegetarian family without compromising the taste of the dish?
Absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again. Used Cholula hot sauce and it wasn’t too hot but the vinegar element added the perfect touch so don’t skip it even if you get a mild hot sauce.
Absolutely love this recipe! It comes together nicely, and the fennel plus Dijon shines through. I used nitrate/nitrite free cubed pancetta so it was healthier and convenient. I will definitely make this recipe again!
What a wonderful unique flavor profile. Love getting an occasional hit of the fennel seed, the dijon really pulled everything together and added a nice tang. The only thing I did different was use bacon instead of pancetta – it’s what we had. Definitely going to be on our menu for years to come.
We found this to be a quick, tasty and fairly healthy meal. We reduced the amount of Swiss cheese as three slices per serving seemed a little much for us, and next time I wouldn’t add any salt to the bean/kale mixture since the pancetta and cheese contribute saltiness. Nevertheless, we will definitely make this again