Easy Crostini Recipe (2024)

What Is Crostini?

Crostini is an amazing appetizer that originated in Italy. In fact, in Italian crostini actually means, “little crusts” and that’s exactly what it is. Crostini is small pieces of bread that are brushed with olive oil and then toasted until they’re beautifully crispy. From here, you can load up the crostini with any variety of toppings. We love to utilize seasonal produce or flavors with crostini like Peaches and Honey Crostini with Melty Blue Cheese in the summer or Brie and Fig Crostini and Pumpkin Bacon Crostini with Cranberries around the holidays. However, the possibilities are truly endless, so you can make a different crostini for just about any and every occasion.

How to Make Crostini

Making these crostini really couldn’t be easier. Here are basic steps for our Crostini with Apples, Prosciutto, and Brie:

You’ll start by prepping your ingredients including slicing apples.
Cut the brie and bread, and separate the pieces of prosciutto. You can use any other type of cheese and deli meat as well.
Then, brush a bit of olive oil and melted butter onto each piece of day-old baguette bread and place them in a single layer onto a lined baking sheet.
They’ll only need a few minutes in the oven to become perfectly crisp.

Other Topping Ideas

Diced tomatoes with chopped basil, and maybe a drizzle of balsamic glaze is classic.
Smoked salmon with cream cheese and a sprig of dill – capers, if you’re so inclined.
Brie and fig jam is a savory-sweet favorite.
Goat cheese with a drizzle of warm honey is always good.
Any kind of hummus, particularly if it’s roasted garlic hummus, pairs perfectly.
Bruschetta with Roquefort Cheese and Peppers is our go-to easy appetizer.

What to Serve with Crostini

You can use these crostini as a midday snack, dessert, or even a tasty lunch. Our favorite way to serve these crostini, though, is as a festive appetizer at a party around the holiday along with some unique cheese platter ideas or a brie appetizer. Here are some delicious ideas:

Beverages – Greet your guests with a light refreshment like white wine or a glass of bubbly Champagne Punch, Sparkling Pomegranate Punch, or a Sparkling Cranberry Prosecco co*cktail.
Entrees – If these easy crostini are the opener, then you’ll want to follow it up with an equally exciting entree like Prime Rib with Au Jus, Slow Cooker Pot Roast, or Sheet Pan Roast Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes.
Soups – Serve plain crostini alongside heart soups such as The Best Minestrone Soup and Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe [Gluten-free].
Dessert – You can’t go wrong with a plate of crostini to begin a party and a plate of cookies to end it. I like to go with a classic cookie like Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Perfect Oatmeal Cookies, or Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies to round out the evening.

Key Ingredients

For our Brie, Apple, and Prosciutto Crostini, the combination of ingredients just meld perfectly. You get a perfect blend of salty and sweet flavors from the prosciutto and pecans against the honey and apple. Not to mention a wonderful contrast of textures between the creamy brie and the crusty bread. In the recipe card, you’ll find a full list of ingredients, but here are a few key ingredients to know.

Bread – You’ll have the best results with a French baguette, especially baguette that is at least a day old.
Prosciutto – You’ll want a nice, high-quality prosciutto with great flavor.
Apples – The tart taste of green, Granny Smith apples adds such a nice flavor to this crostini recipe. If you already have other apple varieties on hand, feel free to use them, but if you’re out shopping I highly recommend snagging some Granny Smiths.

Key Tips for Success

This easy crostini recipe is so amazingly simple to put together; here are simple tips to ensure success:

Use Old Bread – Of course, you don’t want moldy bread, but old bread actually works well in this recipe. Since you’re toasting the bread until crispy, slightly stale bread makes this step a little easier.
Brush the Olive Oil and Butter – You can drizzle the olive oil or spread the butter onto the bread if you like, but I prefer to use one of these handy brushes. They’re dishwasher safe and ensure that each piece of bread is evenly coated without making a large mess.
Try a Mandoline – A mandoline is a kitchen gadget that allows you to cut vegetables and fruits into beautifully thin pieces. I love to use this mandoline to quickly get thin slices of the apples for this crostini.

Prep Ahead Strategy

For this particular crostini recipe, you’ll only need a few minutes to cook and assemble. However, if you’d like to prep things ahead of time, here are a few ideas to help.

Cut the Bread – Save some time by cutting up the bread ahead of time and storing it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag until you’re ready to use them.
Soak the Apple Slices – Cutting the apple slices is really the only elbow grease required here.
Here’s a neat trick for you – Once you’ve sliced all of the apples, submerge them in an airtight container filled with water. Place a wet paper towel on top of the apple slices to keep them underwater and you’ll be left with crisp, white slices. However, make sure you only use this trick if you plan on using the slices later that day. The apple slices shouldn’t be left in water overnight.
Assemble the Brie and Prosciutto – You can divide up the brie and prosciutto into individual portions ahead of time. Simply slice the brie, separate the prosciutto, and then stack together in small groups in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This way when you’re ready to assemble, you’ll have everything ready to go.

More Appetizers for Your Party

Rosemary Garlic Bread – Not only does this bread taste delicious, but it will also make your home smell amazing as your guests arrive.
Jalapeno Popper Party Dip – Get the party popping with this spicy, creamy dip.
Samoa Snack Mix – This is a nice sweet alternative to the classic savory party appetizers.
3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Meatballs – For a hungry crowd, look no further than these mouthwatering meatballs.

Did you make this?

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