8 Easy Crostini Recipes

These 8 easy crostini recipes are guaranteed to be a hit at your next party! They include a variety of flavorful toppings, like goat cheese, brie, pesto and more! These delicious little appetizers are made in just 15 minutes. They look gorgeous served on a platter at a dinner party or get-together!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Albertsons Companies. The opinions and text are all mine.

Entertaining doesn’t have to be difficult. It can be simple and still beautiful, delicious and impressive! These crostini recipes are a perfect example of just that. Gorgeous, fresh ingredients turned into delicious little bites of goodness!

You can make all 8 varieties to give your guests several crostini’s to try.  Or you can pick 3 or 4 of your favorites. Each of the crostini recipes feature Primo Taglio® meats or cheeses,  found exclusively in my area at Vons and Albertsons stores.

These premium hand trimmed meats and naturally aged cheeses contain no artificial flavors or colors. They’re made with the finest ingredients using old world recipes for a delicious flavor, perfect for entertaining and impressing guests!

Ingredients you’ll need

• For the base
  • Baguette
  • Olive Oil
• Meats and cheeses
  • Mozzarella Cheese
  • Brie Cheese
  • Plain Goat Cheese
  • Feta Cheese Crumbles
  • Prosciutto
  • Italian Salame
• Toppings
  • Hummus
  • Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • Dried Oregano
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Fresh basil
  • Balsamic glaze
  • Pistachios
  • Honey
  • Basil pesto
  • Figs
  • Truffle oil
  • Blackberries
  • Jalapenos
  • Hot pepper jam
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • Dates
  • Maple syrup

How to make them

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice a baguette into ½ inch pieces and arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet. Brush each piece of bread with olive oil. Place in the oven for 5-7 minutes or until the bread is lightly brown around the edges and crispy.

Add the toppings of your choice to each crostini. I made crostini 8 ways, featuring the following combination of toppings.

1. Hummus + Feta Cheese Crumbles + Sun Dried Tomatoes + Drizzle Olive Oil + Dried Oregano
2. Mozzarella Cheese + Prosciutto + Sliced Cherry Tomatoes + Chopped Fresh Basil + Balsamic Glaze
3. Brie + Prosciutto + Chopped Pistachios + Honey Drizzle
4. Plain Goat Cheese + Salame + Sliced Figs + Truffle Oil
5. Plain Goat Cheese + Jalapeno Slice + Blackberry + Honey Drizzle
6. Brie + Hot Pepper Jam
7. Sliced Mozzarella + Basil Pesto + Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
8. Goat Cheese + Chopped Dates + Chopped Pistachios + Maple Syrup Drizzle

Crostini vs. bruschetta

Crostini are made from small thin slices of toasted bread, usually made with a baguette. Bruschetta is made by toasting larger thick slices of bread, such as a loaf of sourdough or rustic Italian bread.

Both Italian appetizers are topped with a variety of toppings. Most commonly bruschetta is topped with a combination of tomato, basil, garlic and olive oil.

How to make them in advance

The bread can be toasted a few hours in advance of serving. I would not recommend adding the toppings until 10-15 minutes before serving. This way, the bread won’t get soggy from the toppings.

If you are planning a party where guests will be arriving at different times, you can always make a crostini bar. Place all of the toppings in ramekins or small bowls, alongside the toasted bread slices. Print a menu of suggested topping ideas from the list above and place it on the bar.

Guests will then be able to make the crostini of their choice from the menu or make up their own combination. This prevents the crostini from loosing it’s texture while waiting for guests to arrive.

This also prevents waste. Any crostini that’s already been topped cannot be served more than an hour after the toppings have been added. After an hour or so, the toppings will make the bread soggy. If you allow guests to make their own crostini, any leftover ingredients can be stored to make more crostini later.

How to grill the bread

Yes, you can grill crostini. If hosting a bbq with the grill already fired up, place the slices of bread on the grill instead of in the oven. Grill the bread for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and add the toppings of your choice.

Should you serve crostini cold?

Yes, crostini are meant to be served cold or at room temperature. The bread might be slightly warm if preparing the crostini as soon as the bread comes out of the oven. This is fine, but the toppings are meant to be served cold.

If you’d like a warm appetizer, you can always toast the bread topped with brie or mozzarella cheese. This will allow the cheese to melt on the toasted bread before adding the additional toppings.

I picked up the Primo Taglio products to make this Crostini 8 Ways at my local Vons store in San Diego. You can find these products exclusively in Albertsons family of stores. These stores include ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Pavilions, Randalls, Safeway, Shaw’s, Star Market and Tom Thumb.

Discover savings on Primo Taglio items now through just for U®. Offer valid June 25, 2019 – July 8, 2019.

More appetizer recipes

For more easy entertaining ideas, check out these delicious appetizer recipes!

• Bacon Wrapped Dates – fill these delicious sweet & salty treats with Primo Taglio Blue Cheese Crumbles.
• Beet Bruschetta with Goat Cheese – balsamic roasted beets pair perfectly with creamy Primo Taglio goat cheese.
• Bruschetta Baked Brie – pop an entire wheel of Primo Taglio Brie in this mouth-watering appetizer recipe!
• Greek Bruschetta – this Mediterranean favorite is delicious when topped with Primo Taglio crumbled feta cheese!

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