The 5-Minute Dinner I Make Again and Again

It’s so much more than the sum of its parts.

By
Georgia Freedman
Georgia Freedman
Georgia Freedman
Georgia Freedman is a writer, editor, and cookbook author based in Oakland, California. She has written for a variety of publications including Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, Afar, Martha Stewart Living, Serious Eats, Simply Recipes, and was previously the managing editor of Saveur. 
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published October 31, 2025
Georgia Freedman
White Bean and Salami Toasts on a plate

Simply Recipes /

Beans on toast is one of those magical foods that, once assembled, is far more than the sum of its parts. If you’ve never had it, the combination of these two extremely common (and not super exciting) beige-brown ingredients might sound, well, pretty boring. 

And yet, the combination works so well that it has become a staple in a variety of countries: in England you’ll find a version made of baked beans with sugar and tomato; in Italy you might see white beans flavored with garlic and Parmesan (plus high-quality olive oil, of course).

This version is inspired by the Italian approach, and I’ve added salami (a staple we keep tucked in the back of the fridge) and a good amount of dried oregano. It’s the kind of dish that you might make in a pinch, just because all the ingredients are so easy to keep around, but once you taste it, you’ll make it again and again.

Georgia Freedman’s cookbook, Snacking Dinners, was released in April 2025.

Snacking Dinners by Georgia Freedman book cover

Simply Recipes

More Quick Toasts

White Bean and Salami Toasts

Prep Time 2 mins
Cook Time 3 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Serving 1 to 2 servings
Yield 2 toasts

Excerpted with permission from Snacking Dinner by Georgia Freedman, published by ‎Hardie Grant Publishing, April 2025.

Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 slices salami, finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/2 cups (255g) drained cooked or canned white beans, such as cannellini

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • Dried oregano

  • 3 tablespoons grated or shredded parmesan, plus more to garnish

  • 2 slices sourdough or 1 long piece of baguette cut in half lengthwise, toasted

Method

  1. Heat the salami and beans:

    Heat the oil in a small nonstick pan over medium-high heat, then add the salami, garlic, and beans. Season everything with a few grinds of pepper (a bit more than you would normally think necessary) and a few generous shakes of oregano. 

    Cook the mixture, stirring, until everything is heated through, about 3 minutes.

  2. Make the toast:

    Turn off the heat and stir in the parmesan, then pile everything on top of the toasted bread and finish it with more parmesan.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
512 Calories
15g Fat
69g Carbs
27g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 to 2
Amount per serving
Calories 512
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 26mg 9%
Sodium 857mg 37%
Total Carbohydrate 69g 25%
Dietary Fiber 11g 38%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 27g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 273mg 21%
Iron 8mg 45%
Potassium 938mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.