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All of my best tips for how to make perfectly crisp and delicious homemade crostini, plus lots of ideas for fun toppings!
One essential technique that I highly recommend memorizing for easy entertaining — how to make crostini! ♡
These classic little toasts are the perfect appetizer or snack to serve a crowd and always taste a million times fresher when made homemade versus store-bought. And, since it’s so easy to whip up a batch in 20 minutes with just 3 basic ingredients, I’m convinced a homemade batch is always worth the extra effort!
They’re the perfectly crisp and versatile little vehicles to host any number of delicious toppings. So whether you’re craving classic tomato basil bruschetta, a spread of goat cheese drizzled with honey, fig jam layered with prosciutto and arugula, brie topped with apple slices, a scoop of pimento cheese or spinach artichoke dip — I could go on and on, the options really are limitless — a fresh batch of homemade crostini is pretty much guaranteed to make everything better.
Here are all of my best tips and tricks for how to make a quick batch of crostini, plus tons of ideas for fun seasonings and toppings to try!
Crostini Ingredients
First, here are a few quick notes about the crostini ingredients that you will need:
Baguette: I recommend a good-quality crusty French baguette, evenly cut on a slight diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. I find the texture is best when using bread that is slightly stale, but fresh bread also works just as well here.
Olive oil: The flavor of your olive oil with definitely shine through here, so I recommend choosing a good one! I prefer a fruity extra-virgin olive oil, but choose whatever flavor profile you love best that also pairs well with your crostini toppings.
Flaky sea salt: I highly recommend finishing the crostini with a sprinkling of flaky sea salt to bring out the flavor of the bread and olive oil and add a delicate crunch to each bite.
Crostini Tips
Detailed instructions for how to make crostini are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to keep in mind:
Choose good bread. The quality of your bread really makes a difference here! I recommend a good, crusty, airy French baguette or any type of sourdough.
Cut even slices on a slight diagonal. Aim to cut the bread into uniformly-thick slices so that they will cook evenly. It’s easiest to do so using a bread knife (a serrated knife), and also recommend cutting the slices on a slight diagonal so that you have a bit more surface area to work with.
Use parchment paper. In order to avoid sticking and make cleanup a bit easier, I recommend lining the baking sheet with parchment paper.
Avoid overcrowding. It’s essential that the crostini bake in a single layer (not overlapping) so that they can all cook evenly. I find that a batch of crostini made from a standard-sized French baguette will generally fit on a half sheet pan.
Watch closely. Cooking time will depend on the type and thickness of your bread, so keep a close eye on the crostini during the last few minutes of cooking. The crostini will be ready once they’re lightly golden and crisp in the centers.
Store in an airtight container. In order to maintain the crisp textures of the crostini, let them cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight container. They should keep well for at least a few days!
Crostini Variations
Here are a few basic variations to this crostini recipe that you’re welcome to try. See notes in the section below for topping ideas too!
Grill the bread: Cook the bread slices on a grill until crisp and golden.
Use butter: Spread softened butter on the bread slices instead of olive oil.
Add garlic: Rub raw garlic cloves on the crostini immediately after baking. (It’s easiest to do this once the bread is crisp. No need to peel the garlic cloves, just slice them in half and rub the cut-sides of the cloves on the bread.)
Add herbs or seasonings: Sprinkle the bread with your favorite fresh or dried herbs and/or seasonings before baking.
Add Parmesan: Sprinkle the bread with a dusting of freshly-grated Parmesan halfway through baking so that the cheese does not burn.
15 Ideas for Crostini Toppings
Looking for some quick and easy ideas for how to use crostini? Here are some of my favorite crostini toppings:
Tomato basil bruschetta: Here’s my favorite recipe for making tomato basil bruschetta, made with fresh tomatoes, basil, red onion and garlic.
Goat cheese and honey crostini: Spread a layer of goat cheese, drizzle with honey, then sprinkle with nuts and fresh thyme leaves.
Prosciutto and fig: Spread a layer of fig jam, top with a folded slice of prosciutto, a leaf of fresh arugula and a twist of black pepper.
Mushroom and herbs: Sauté quartered baby bella mushrooms with olive oil, garlic and dried thyme. Spoon onto the crostini and top with freshly-grated Parmesan.
Smoked salmon and cream cheese: Spread a layer of cream cheese, top with smoked salmon, capers, thinly-sliced red onion and fresh dill.
Honey ricotta and pear: Spread a layer of ricotta, add a few thin slices of fresh pear (or strawberries!), drizzle with honey and add a twist of black pepper.
Pesto and roasted cherry tomatoes: Spread a layer of basil pesto and top with a spoonful of roasted cherry tomatoes and freshly-grated Parmesan (or mozzarella pearls).
Hummus and roasted red peppers: Spread a layer of hummus and top with chopped roasted red peppers and a sprinkle of crumbled feta.
Brie and apples: Add a slice of brie and top with thinly sliced apples, a drizzle of honey and a twist of black pepper.
Avocado and egg: Top with mashed fresh avocado, diced (or sliced) hard-boiled eggs and a sprinkling of everything bagel seasoning.
Olive tapenade: Top with a scoop of olive tapenade, with an optional spread of goat cheese or burrata underneath.
Caramelized onion and gruyere: Top with hot caramelized onions, shredded gruyere and a twist of black pepper.
Spinach artichoke dip: Top with a scoop of warm spinach artichoke dip.
Burrata and peaches: Top with fresh burrata, thinly sliced peaches and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
Pimento cheese: Top with a scoop of homemade pimento cheese and a twist of black pepper.
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Description
All of my best tips for how to make perfectly crisp and delicious homemade crostini. See notes above for extra seasoning and topping ideas too!
1 baguette
olive oil
flaky sea salt (optional)
Prep the oven and baking sheet. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prep the bread. Slice the baguette on a slight diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet, so that they are not overlapping. Brush both sides of the bread lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle the tops lightly with sea salt, if desired.
Bake. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until crisp and lightly golden.
Serve. Serve and enjoy!
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