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Quickly made with a few simple ingredients easily found at your local grocery store, homemade crostini is a great appetizer option for your next dinner party.
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Crostini is essentially toasted bread served topped with soft cheeses, fruits and vegetables or served alongside dips or a creamy spread.
I love that these little Italian toasts can be made from either fresh bread or slightly stale bread - making it a great way to use up a baguette that's been hanging out an extra day or two.
Crostini are a great way to make a variety of easy appetizers for your next party, but store-bought crostini are always a bit too crunchy for me. Making your own crostini allows you to control how dry and toasted they are.
This simple crostini recipe is quick to make and a perfect addition alongside a hot dip or on a platter with different toppings on them. I use these as a base for my Caprese Crostini and Apple, Bacon and Goat Cheese Crostini.
What Is Crostini?
Crostini is Italian for toasts. Made with sliced bread, brushed with olive oil, and lightly toasted in the oven, crostini can be topped with just about anything! Your favorite dips, spreads, soft cheese, meats, fruits, and roasted vegetables are all options for crostini topping.
What’s Crostini Made From?
- French Bread - The main ingredient in crostini is the bread. A French baguette works best, but you can use any long load of white bread. A long, skinny loaf of Ciabatta is delicious in place of the French bread.
- Olive Oil - A good extra virgin olive oil is best here. You can also use flavored olive oil, like a garlic or herb infused oil.
- Sea Salt (optional) - I usually skip this step and add the salt in with the toppings, but you can sprinkle a little sea salt on the hot crostini if you’d like.
How to Make Homemade Crostini (Step by Step)
Slice the French bread into thin slices. (For larger pieces, slice the bread at a diagonal.)
Using a pastry brush, brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and place in a single layer on a sheet pan.
Place under the broiler or in a toaster oven and toast until the top side begins to turn golden brown.
Remove, flip crostini over, and return to the broiler to toast the other side.
Once the second side has toasted, remove the bread slices from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt.
Recipe Tip
To add more flavor to your bread, rub one side of each piece of crostini with a peeled and cut clove of garlic before adding your toppings.
Toppings for Crostini
Crostini can be topped with just about anything! I love serving it alongside creamy dips since it holds up well to being dunked and dipped. Once you make your crostini, give one of these recipes a try.
- Caprese Crostini - Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil (pictured)
- Apple, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Crostini - Fresh apples, honey goat cheese, crispy bacon, fresh sage.
Dip Recipes to Serve with Crostini
- Smoked Salmon Dip with cream cheese
- Blueberry and Goat Cheese Dip with fresh blueberries and rosemary
- Whipped Ricotta Dip with honey and fresh thyme (pictured)
- Crab Rangoon Dip with real crab
- Spinach Artichoke Dip served hot from the oven
How to Store Crostini
Crostini bread can be made up to 4 days before you want to eat them. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to use. You’ll want to rub the toasts with garlic and top them just before eating so they don’t get soggy.
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Simple Homemade Crostini Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 loaf French baguette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon sea salt optional
Instructions
- Slice the French bread into rounds. (For larger pieces, slice the bread at a diagonal.)
- Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil and place in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
- Place under the broiler or in a toaster oven and toast until the top side begins to brown.
- Remove, flip crostini over, and return to the broiler to toast the other side.
- Once the second side has toasted, remove the bread slices from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt.
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