Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or making a snack, crostini are always a good idea. This simple recipe shows you how to make golden, crispy and customisable crostini, perfect as a base for any topping you can imagine.
Crostini might just be the little black dress of the culinary world – timeless, versatile and always a hit. These crisp, golden bites are simple to make and endlessly adaptable, whether you’re layering them with creamy brie, tangy tomatoes, or even a drizzle of honey and sea salt.
But crostini are more than just a convenient canvas for toppings. They’re rooted in the rustic Italian tradition of making something extraordinary out of the everyday. In this post, we’ll explore how to make crostini from scratch, ensuring every bite is perfectly crisp and flavourful, whether piled high with toppings for a dinner party or served plain alongside a bowl of soup for a comforting dinner.
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Why you’ll Love this Recipe
- Quick and easy. With just a handful of ingredients, you can whip up crostini in no time.
- Customisable: Sweet, savory, or somewhere in between – crostini can do it all.
- Perfect for entertaining. Crostini are ideal for entertaining, finger food packed with flavour.
- Make ahead. You can make the crostini themselves ahead of time and top them when you’re ready to serve.
- No food waste. Don’t let a stale baguette go to waste—turn it into crostini!
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What are Crostini?
Crostini, meaning ‘little crusts’ in Italian, are thin slices of bread that are brushed with olive oil and toasted until golden. Sounds like bruschetta, you say? While there are many similarities, crostini are typically made from smaller baguette slices, instead of large slices of sourdough or Italian loaf bread, they’re thinner and baked or toasted, instead of grilled, making them crunchier.
Believed to have originated in medieval Italy, peasant families would often make crostini to round out a meal by softening yesterday’s bread with wine, broth or milk, toasting it until crisp, and then topping it with pate, offal, stewed greens or preserved food from the previous season. Crostini were also used as an edible vehicle to transport meat and fish dripping in oil from shared platters to one’s mouths.
Nowadays, crostini can be topped with pretty much any combo you can come up with, and have become an easy, go-to canape for dinners, gatherings and parties.
Recipe Ingredients
With just a few pantry staples, you can make a whole tray of crostini – ideal for appetisers, sides, or snacking (find the full measurements in recipe card below).
- Bread. A baguette is the classic choice for crostini. Its airy texture and small diameter create the ideal crispy base.
- Olive oil. A light brush of olive oil on both sides ensures the crostini toast evenly and become super crispy. You can omit the oil, but depending on your oven, you might not get an even toast and you won’t get a rich, golden colour.
- Optional Seasonings. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt or a crack of black pepper adds a final touch of flavour – add or not depending on your toppings. You can also go the bruschetta route and rub a little garlic on the crostini once they come out of the oven. You typically don’t have to add anything if you’re topping the crostini with a sweet element.
How to Make Crostini
Making the actual crostini is super quick and easy! Follow these straightforward steps to transform stale bread into crunchy golden bites perfect for your favourite toppings!
- Slice the bread. Using a serrated knife, cut the baguette into rounds to make small crostini, or on the bias to make longer crostini to hold heavier toppings.
- Brush with olive oil. Use a pastry brush to coat both sides of the bread with olive oil.
- Toast. Bake in a preheated oven until golden and crisp, flipping halfway through.
- Cool and serve. Allow the crostini to cool completely before adding toppings or serving.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Choose the right bread. Baguettes are the traditional choice but any long, crusty bread will work – just remember crostini are supposed to be smaller than a slice of bread. Pane di casa long rolls and sourdough breadsticks can also work, just choose the best bread for the toppings you want to add.
- Keep it even. Slice the bread uniformly to avoid uneven toasting, and ensure each crostini is strong enough to hold the toppings.
- Don’t use too much oil. Too much olive oil can lead to soggy crostini, but do try to brush the oil edge to edge so you get a nice deep, golden colour, which makes for perfectly crispy crostini.
What to Serve with Crostini
While crostini can be served in their plain and crispy glory, they really shine when paired with toppings. Here are some ideas:
- Classic combos. Marinated tomato and basil; smoked salmon, cream cheese and dill; avocado with chili flakes; marinated artichokes; ratatouille.
- Cheesy combos. Creamy ricotta with honey; goat cheese with roasted beets; blue cheese with pear slices; roasted red capsicums with feta; parmesan mushrooms; gruyere and caramelised onion.
- Fruity combos. Cherry, brie and thyme; prosciutto and figs; fresh berries and mascarpone; stewed apples.
- Dip combos. Hummus; whipped feta; avocado and tahini; pesto; tapenade.
- Party combo. Make a crostini bar with various toppings for your guests to customise their own crostini.
Recipes FAQs
What bread works best for crostini?
A baguette is the top choice for its size and texture, but any long, crusty bread will work, like pane di casa rolls or sourdough breadsticks. Remember, crostini are supposed to be smaller than a slice of bread.
Can I make crostini ahead of time?
Yes, just make sure to store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days before topping and serving them.
How do I keep crostini from getting soggy?
Make sure the crostini cool completely after baking, and don’t add toppings until just before serving to maintain maximum crispness.
Can crostini be made gluten-free?
Absolutely! Use a gluten-free baguette.
What’s the best way to reheat crostini?
Warm them in a low 150°C oven for 5 minutes to restore their crunch.
Got leftover crostini? Make these recipes to go with them:
Simple, satisfying, and endlessly customisable – crostini prove that the best recipes are often the simplest. Ready to try your own creations? Grab your favourite bread and get toasting! And don’t forget to share your favourite toppings in the comments – I’d love to hear your ideas. Or tag me on instagram and share your pics with me if you make it!
Recipe
How to Make Crostini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt, black pepper and garlic, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the baguette into 0.5cm-1cm thick rounds to make small crostini, or on the bias to make longer crostini to hold heavier toppings or to serve with soups.1 baguette
- Arrange the slices on a baking tray in a single layer with no overlap. Use a pastry brush to lightly coat both sides of the bread with olive oil.3-4 tablespoons olive oil
- Depending on the size of your bread slices, bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, flipping the crostini halfway through, until golden and crispy. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn!
- Remove the crostini to a wire rack or plate and allow to cool completely before adding toppings or serving to ensure maximum crunch.
