Description
Discover eight delicious and creative ways to prepare Crostini, a versatile Italian appetizer featuring toasted artisan baguette slices topped with a variety of flavorful ingredients such as baby bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, smoked salmon, creamy cheeses, prawns, roasted vegetables, and more. Perfect for entertaining or a delightful snack, these crostini recipes combine fresh herbs, vibrant produce, and gourmet touches to elevate your appetizer game.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 30 slices artisan baguette or French stick, cut 0.5cm (1/4-inch) thick on the diagonal
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half
Crostini 1: Bocconcini & Cherry Tomato
- 350g (12 oz) baby bocconcini, cut into 8 pieces
- 400g (14 oz) cherry tomatoes, cut into 8 pieces
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, finely sliced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt and pepper each
- 4 tbsp balsamic glaze (store bought or homemade)
Crostini 2: Lemon Dill Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon
- 250g (8 oz) spreadable cream cheese or creme fraiche
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt and pepper each
- 1/3 cup dill, finely chopped
- 500g (1 lb) smoked salmon, cut into 2cm by 7.5cm strips
- 75g (2.5 oz) baby capers
- 30 dill sprigs for garnish
Crostini 3: Ricotta & Antipasto Mix
- 250g (8 oz) ricotta or similar smooth cheese
- 500g (1 lb) antipasto mix (pitted olives, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes)
Crostini 4: Garlic Prawns
- 500g (1 lb) prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 2 eschallots (French onions), finely chopped
- 1/4 cup coriander/cilantro leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Crostini 5: Avocado & Goat Cheese
- 2 avocados, halved and seed removed
- 160g (5.5 oz) goat cheese, softened (or cream cheese, Danish feta, or smooth ricotta)
Crostini 6: Strawberry Honey & Goat Cheese
- 14-16 ripe strawberries, sliced 3mm (1/8 inch) thick
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tsp Hot English Mustard (or more for extra heat)
- 160g (5.5 oz) goat cheese, softened
Crostini 7: Roast Beef & Rocket
- 180g (6 oz) rare roast beef, shaved or finely sliced
- 16 baby rocket/arugula leaves for garnish
- 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, separated
- 1/4 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pitted green olives, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Crostini 8: Pea & Prawn Spread
- 150g (5 oz) frozen peas
- 1/2 small garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp parmesan, finely grated
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 250g (8 oz) cooked peeled prawns/shrimp (from 500g/1lb cooked whole)
- 2 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp large red chilli (cayenne peppers), deseeded and finely chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Crostini Base: Preheat your oven to 200°C (390°F). Arrange the baguette slices on a baking tray and brush both sides lightly with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden and crisp. Once toasted, gently rub one side of each slice with the cut garlic clove for a mild garlic flavor and set aside to cool.
- Make Bocconcini & Cherry Tomato Topping: In a bowl, combine the baby bocconcini pieces, quartered cherry tomatoes, and finely sliced basil. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and season with 3/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Spoon the mixture onto the toasted bread slices and drizzle with 4 tablespoons of balsamic glaze before serving.
- Prepare Lemon Dill Cream Cheese & Smoked Salmon: In a small bowl, mix the spreadable cream cheese with lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and finely chopped dill until smooth. Spread this lemony cream cheese mixture onto the crostini slices. Top with strips of smoked salmon and scattered baby capers. Garnish each with a dill sprig.
- Assemble Ricotta & Antipasto Crostini: Spread a generous layer of ricotta over the toasted bread. Top each slice with a mix of antipasto ingredients like pitted olives, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichokes. These contrasting flavors and textures create a rich, savory topping that’s visually appealing.
- Cook and Prepare Garlic Prawns: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the peeled and deveined prawns along with salt and pepper, cooking for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn pink and are cooked through. Remove from heat and toss the prawns with finely chopped eschallots, coriander, lime juice, and the remaining olive oil. Spoon the mixture onto the toasted crostini slices.
- Prepare Avocado & Goat Cheese Topping: Mash the avocado halves gently with a fork until creamy but still a bit chunky. Spread softened goat cheese on the crostini, then top with the mashed avocado. Season with a little salt and pepper if desired. This simple yet luxurious topping is creamy and satisfying.
- Make Strawberry Honey & Goat Cheese Crostini: Spread softened goat cheese over the crostini slices. Arrange thin strawberry slices over the cheese. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves. Add a tiny dab of Hot English Mustard if you like a spicy kick to complement the sweet strawberries and creamy cheese.
- Assemble Roast Beef & Rocket Crostini: Mix the finely chopped parsley, dried cranberries, chopped black and green olives, and chopped almonds in a bowl with extra virgin olive oil to create a textured, flavorful topping mixture. Spread this onto the toasted bread, then layer with shaved rare roast beef. Garnish each crostini with a baby rocket leaf for freshness and slight peppery bite.
- Prepare Pea & Prawn Spread: In a food processor, blend the frozen peas (thawed), minced garlic, parmesan, salt, and pepper until mostly smooth but still slightly textured. Transfer to a bowl and gently fold in cooked peeled prawns, chopped mint leaves, and lemon juice. Spread the pea and prawn mixture over the crostini and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with chopped parsley and finely chopped red chili for a fresh, mildly spicy finish.
Notes
- Note 1: Use a sharp serrated knife to slice the baguette on the diagonal for larger, elegant crostini pieces that hold the toppings well.
- Note 2: Baby bocconcini are mini mozzarella balls; cutting them into smaller pieces helps balance portion per crostini.
- Note 3: Quartering cherry tomatoes ensures they are bite-sized and juicy for topping.
- Note 4: Spreadable cream cheese can be substituted with creme fraiche for richness.
- Note 5: For the pea and prawn spread, start with cooked whole prawns and remove shells before chopping for ease.
