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Broiled Goat Cheese Toasts With Marinated Greens

Goat cheese toasts with marinated greens on a white serving plate.
Photo by Cara Howe

This is a simple appetizer that’s a hit every time I serve it, due in large part to the vast appeal of warm cheesy things. You can assemble the toasts in advance, up to the point of spreading the toast with goat cheese. Then when it’s time to serve, just pop the toasts under the broiler to heat them up, and then top with the greens. A spreadable vegan cheese works well, too, though in that case I find it best to skip the broiling step.

Ingredients

12 toasts

For the marinated greens:

2 bunches (about 1 ½ pounds) leafy greens: Swiss chard, kale, mature spinach, beet greens, or a combination of any of the above, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt
Fresh lemon juice

For the toasts:

12 slices of baguette about ¾ inch thick, or other bread cut into 10 bite-size pieces
Olive oil
½ cup soft goat cheese
1 cup Marinated Greens, at room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
Flaky salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Marinated greens:

    Step 1

    Trim off and discard the tough stems from the greens. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Pile in the greens, in batches if necessary, and add a splash of water (you can also cover with a lid to compress them). Add a big pinch of salt and gently cook, stirring with tongs, until wilted and tender. Cooking times will vary depending on type of green, so watch and taste as you go. If cooking a combination of different greens, cook each type separately. Add a splash of water to the pan if it dries out.

    Step 2

    Transfer to a colander to drain and cool until safe to handle. Gently squeeze out excess liquid using your hands or a spatula or wooden spoon, pressing against the side of the colander. Coarsely chop the greens, then transfer them to a medium bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, red pepper flakes, or salt as needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator; allow to come to room temperature before serving.

  2. Toasts:

    Step 3

    Preheat the broiler to high.

    Step 4

    Arrange the toasts on a baking sheet and brush both sides with olive oil. Transfer to the broiler and broil for 2 to 4 minutes, until lightly golden on the top. Flip the toasts. Smear each slice with about 2 teaspoons goat cheese, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and return to the broiler. Broil, watching carefully, for just a minute or two, to heat through and lightly brown. Transfer to a serving platter and divide the greens on top. Zest the lemon over everything, sprinkle with a bit of flaky salt and black pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil, and serve while the toasts are still warm.

Cover image for Start Simple cookbook by Lukas Volger, showing illustrated ingredients and photographed ingredients on toast (beans, eggs, greens, tomatoes)
From Start Simple. Copyright © 2020 by Lukas Volger. Reprinted with permission by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from Harper Collins or from Amazon.
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  • Served these as one of 10 small plates during Christmas tasting menu and the family raved. Very easy considering the greens can be made ahead of time. I cut each baguette slice in half on the diagonal to make them single bite servings, otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Will make these again, well-balanced accompaniment alongside richer appetizers.

    • Ashleigh Jeanne

    • Baltimore, MD

    • 1/2/2022

  • Absolutely delicious! I ended up making a homemade baguette to make the toast on. The wilted greens were the real star of the show, though. A bit awkward to eat, but a truly delicious snack.

    • blforem134321

    • Indianapolis, IN

    • 3/24/2020

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