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My super simple, restaurant-style crostinis recipe features perfectly golden toasted baguette slices brushed with rich extra virgin olive oil, rubbed with fresh garlic, and seasoned with flakey sea salt. These versatile little toast appetizers can be used in dozens of ways and are ready in just 15 minutes.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this crostini recipe
- What are crostinis?
- Ingredients for crostini toast
- How to make crostini hours d’oeuvres like a pro
- FAQs: frequently asked questions
- What bread is crostini made from?
- Can I use stale bread?
- What is the difference between bruschetta and crostini?
- Why are my crostini so hard?
- Can you toast crostini recipes ahead of time?
- What temperature and how long should I toast crostini?
- What are some delicious ways to use up old bread that aren’t breadcrumbs or croutons?
- Serving suggestions
- Storing leftovers
- More toast recipes!
- How to Make Crostinis – Toasted Bread Recipe
Why you’ll love this crostini recipe
- Multipurpose Mavens – There are so many crostini recipe ideas, they’re hard to count. Each crispy baked crostini toast is perfect for topping with tomato balsamic bruschetta or whipped ricotta. Or try dipping it in my carrot hummus. And serving with baked camembert or charcuterie platters, and dunking in your favorite soups. Read on below for tons more inspiration on how to put them to use!
- Textural Masterpieces – Between the gorgeously golden-brown toasted exterior and crispy crust. You might worry that these little slices of heaven will be hard to bite through. But don’t fret, my friends — these homemade crostini eat like a dream!
- So Stinkin’ Simple – 5 ingredients, 5 minutes of prep time, and a 10-minute spell in the oven are all it takes to make this easy crostini recipe. To recap, that’s just 15 minutes of TOTAL time to make a big ol’ batch!
Ingredients for crostini toast
As promised, you don’t need much for this baguette appetizer recipe. Here’s what to grab:
- Baguette or French Bread – You can use any sturdy bread to make this appetizer crostini. I typically use a baguette. However, other hearty varieties like ciabatta, sourdough, pane di casa (Italian “house bread”), or French bread work great too. I usually use whatever bread looks (and sounds!) best at the store. Just note that if you choose something other than a baguette to make this recipe for crostini, you may need to make extra cuts to make them the size you’d like.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – The flavor of your olive oil will be more apparent here than in other applications, so choose a variety you like.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves – Rubbing peeled and halved clove of garlic across the top of the baked crostini is a simple way to seriously boost the flavor quotient. The rough surface of the olive oil-toasted bread almonds acts like a cheese grater, letting little bits of spicy garlic into all the nooks and crags.
- Flaky Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper – For seasoning, to taste. I love the beautiful pyramids of Maldon, but any flaky finishing salt (or even kosher salt!) will do.
Recipe variations
While I love this recipe for crostinis just the way it is written, there are a few ways to tweak it:
- Extra Rich – Consider using a half butter, half EVOO blend for an extra decadent and buttery version of these crispy little wonders.
- Plain/Garlic-Free – Whether you’re allergic to garlic or just want to keep it simple, you’re welcome to omit the garlic rub. This is great if you’d like to use the crostini for sweet applications. (Examples: dipping into my sweet cream cheese dip, smearing with microwave chocolate dipping sauce, or slathering with Nutella.)
- Other Seasonings – Add a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar for sweet bites. Or some Italian seasoning for flavored toasts you can dip in marinara.
- Gluten-Free – TBH, I’ve never found a good loaf of crusty gluten-free bread that I like. 😬 However, if you suffer from celiac disease, this recipe should work using whatever your favorite GF bread happens to be. If you have any good recs, let me know in the comments below!
How to make crostini hours d’oeuvres like a pro
These little toasts are an absolute breeze to make. Here’s how to make this simple crostinis recipe:
- Preheat Oven: Arrange the oven rack to the middle position and then preheat your oven to 375-degrees Fahrenheit (or 350 to 355 convection fan-forced).
- Slice Baguette: Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the loaf of bread on a bias into 1/3-inch to ½-inch rounds, you should get 16-20 slices of bread.
- For the Crostinis: Next, arrange the slices of bread in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Next, use a pastry brush to lightly brush olive oil onto both sides of the bread. Then, sprinkle flaky sea salt all over the bread.
- Bake Crostini Toasts: Then, transfer the bread to the oven and bake until lightly toasted, about 8-12 minutes, flipping the slices of bread over halfway through baking.
- Flavor the Crostini: Working with one half of a garlic clove and a slice of bread at a time, rub the cut side of the garlic against the surface of each toast. Repeat with the remaining garlic cloves and crostini. Flip the crostini over so the garlic-rubbed side is facing down. Then, season the top of the crostini again with more flakey salt. (Tip: When rubbing, only use as much garlic as you like – applying harder pressure for more intense garlic flavor and using a lighter touch for a milder garlic flavor. For the most garlic flavor, rub the garlic on both sides of the crostini toast.)
- Serve: Top your crostini breads with bruschetta and tapenades, or serve as a dipper for soups, dips, and more.
Expert tips
- Make Ahead: You’re welcome to get a jump on your appetizer prep by making these crostini toasts up to a month ahead. (They can be frozen for 30 days, or kept at room temperature for 7 days.) If you want to use the crostini for bruschetta or other wet toppings, you can assemble the crostini hors d’oeuvres up to 2 hours in advance. If you prepare them any sooner, the crostini bread will get soggy.
- Change The Size As Needed – Got an extra skinny baguette? Cut it on a bias for a larger oval-shaped surface area. For larger loaves (e.g. a boule of sourdough), cut the slices in halves or fourths depending on the size and what you’re making with them.
- To Revive Old Bread, give it a wash! You can spritz, brush, or even run it under cool water for a few seconds, wrap it in tin foil, then toss it into a preheated 300F oven for 10-15 minutes.
FAQs: frequently asked questions
Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
What bread is crostini made from?
Generally speaking, baguette or long and skinny baguette-shaped crusty bread is a good bread pick, especially if you’re serving some kind of crostini appetizer. That said, you can use any good-quality sturdy bread to make this easy crostini recipe.
Can I use stale bread?
While you’re welcome to use slightly stale bread to make crostini hors d’oeuvres (e.g. day-old sourdough), the quality of the toasts will suffer if the bread isn’t pretty good to start with.
What is the difference between bruschetta and crostini?
Bruschetta and crostini are often mentioned in the same breath because they both start with crispy, toasted bread. While both can be topped with a variety of ingredients, classic bruschetta is most often topped with a juicy tomato-basil mixture and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Crostini toppings are more varied—they can be anything from a simple brush of garlic and oil to luxurious toppings like smoked salmon or a rich tapenade.
Why are my crostini so hard?
Oh, shoot! It sounds like you probably over-baked them. If you leave them in the oven too long, all the moisture gets sucked out of the bread, leaving you with teeth-shatteringly crisp bites. If this is the case with your batch, I recommend either:
- Using a wet topping like these marinated tomatoes, then letting them sit for 15-30 minutes to soften from the juices, or
- Breaking them up into small pieces to use as crunchy croutons, or
- Pulsing them into super crisp bread crumbs using a food processor.
Can you toast crostini recipes ahead of time?
Sure thing! This baguette bread appetizer will keep well for up to a week in a zip-top bag at room temp.
What temperature and how long should I toast crostini?
This will depend upon your personal preferences. If you’re looking for lightly toasted crostini appetizers, bake the bread for 8 minutes at 375-degrees Fahrenheit. If you prefer crispy little breads, bake for 12 minutes at 375-degrees.
What are some delicious ways to use up old bread that aren’t breadcrumbs or croutons?
Don’t toss that stale loaf! There are lots of ways to breathe new life into it. Aside from making these easy crostinis, try making stuffing, white bean salad with croutons, bread-based soups like pappa al pomodoro or ribollita, sweet breakfast casseroles, creamy goat cheese & broccolini strata, French toast, or bread pudding!
And that’s a wrap on our crispy crostini caper! 🎬Whether you’re topping them with the classics or venturing into uncharted appetizer territory, remember that in the world of crostini hors d’oeuvres, you’re only a slice away from a crunch-tastic adventure. So, let’s raise our slices high—here’s to the little toasts with the most. May your toppings be plentiful and your crostini always crispy. Until our next kitchen encounter, keep toasting to the good life. Crust me, me this simple recipe for crostini is incredibly delicious!
Cheyanne
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More toast recipes!
How to Make Crostinis – Toasted Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Serrated Knife
- 1 Baking Sheet OR Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Baguette or French Bread (SEE NOTES)
- As Needed Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (about 3-4 TBS)
- 2 medium Cloves Garlic – peeled and cur int half
- To Taste Flakey Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Arrange the oven rack to the middle position and then preheat your oven to 375-degrees Fahrenheit (or 350 to 355 convection fan-forced).
- Slice Baguette: Using a sharp serrated knife, cut the loaf of bread on a bias into 1/3-inch to ½-inch rounds, you should get 16-20 slices of bread.
- For the Crostini: Arrange the slices of bread in a single layer on a large sheet pan. Next, use a pastry brush to lightly brush olive oil onto both sides of the bread. Then, sprinkle flaky sea salt all over the bread.
- Bake Crostini Bread: Transfer the bread to the oven and bake until lightly toasted, about 8-12 minutes, flipping the slices of bread over halfway through baking.
- Flavor the Crostini Toast: Working with one half of a garlic clove and a slice of bread at a time, rub the cut side of the garlic against the surface of each toast. Repeat with the remaining garlic cloves and crostini. Flip the crostini over so the garlic-rubbed side is facing down. Then, season the top of the crostini again with more flakey salt. (Tip: When rubbing, only use as much garlic as you like – applying harder pressure for more intense garlic flavor and using a lighter touch for a milder garlic flavor. For the most garlic flavor, rub the garlic on both sides of the crostini toast.) (Note: When using crostini as a toast for toppings, I like to serve the garlic-rubbed side of the crostini down so that when you eat it, the flavor of the garlic hits your tonged. If you put the garlic-rubbed side facing up, it will get covered with toppings. Zif you rubbed both sides of the toast with garlic, disregard this note.)
- Serve Crostinis: Top your crostini breads with bruschetta and tapenades, or serve as a dipper for soups, dips, and more.
Notes
- Bread: You can use any sturdy bread to make this crostini recipe. I typically use a baguette and have never run into an issue; however, other hearty breads such as ciabatta, sourdough, pane di casa, etc. work great too. I typically use whatever bread looks best at the store. (The pictures in the post feature a baguette.)
- Storage: Store crostini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days. Alternatively, you can store your crostinis in the freezer for up to 30 days. Just be sure to defrost them before using.
- Make Ahead: If you’re wanting to use the crostini for bruschetta appetizers and such, you can add the toppings to the crostini up to 2 hours in advance. If you prepare it any further ahead, the crostini bread will get soggy.
- Need to Scale the Recipe? Hover your mouse over the number of servings in the recipe card. You’ll see a sliding scale pop up, you can use that to scale the recipe up or down as needed.
- Got questions? I’ve got answers! If you ever run into an issue, have a question, or need any clarification – please feel free to drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can!
- Recipe Serves: 16-20; depending upon the size of your baguette or bread.
Nutrition
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