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Learning how to make crostini at home couldn’t be easier. Thin slices of baguette are brushed with a buttery garlic and olive oil mixture, then baked until golden, crisp and ready for all your favorite toppings.
This easy crostini recipe is perfect for party appetizers, dips, soups, salads and pasta dinners. You can also make the toasts several days ahead, which means one less thing to worry about when you’re entertaining.
Table of Contents
Kellie’s Note
Start the Party
I love making crostini for a number of reasons, but primarily, crostini is the BEST because it goes with everything and is the base for the best Tomato Bruschetta recipe ever. I really don’t think there’s a flavor out there that doesn’t pair well with a homemade buttery crostini slice.
Savory, sweet, salty, tangy, you name it, and it’s probably delicious on a crostini. (My personal favorite are these Blackberry Goat Cheese Crostini). When you really want to impress with a mouthwatering and picturesque appetizer, use homemade crostini to do it! These little Italian treats don’t just make perfect bases for appetizers either. They’re also incredible when served with soups, salads, and pastas of all kinds! I personally really love them with The Very Best Tomato Soup.
They’re excellent at soaking up all the rich tomato soup, while still maintaining their satisfying crunch. Also, they’re a whole lot lighter than eating a grilled cheese with the soup. And when I serve them with stuff like French Onion soup, I usually just leave them plain and let the flavor of the soup do all the work. However, you can dress up your crostini however you’d like!
Why You’ll Love This Crostini Recipe
- Simple ingredients: All you need is a baguette, butter, olive oil and garlic.
- Perfectly crisp: Thin, evenly cut slices turn crunchy from edge to edge.
- Make-ahead friendly: Bake the crostini in advance and store them until you’re ready to serve.
- Endlessly versatile: Use them for dips, appetizers, soups, salads or sweet and savory toppings.
- Better than crackers: They’re sturdy enough for creamy spreads and hearty toppings without feeling heavy.
Ingredients for Crostini
- Baguette: A crusty, day-old baguette slices cleanly and becomes crisp all the way through. A sourdough baguette or narrow loaf of ciabatta also works.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the bread turn golden. Salted or unsalted butter will work.
- Olive oil: Helps the crostini crisp without becoming too heavy. Extra-virgin olive oil adds the most flavor.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the crostini savory flavor. Finely grate or mince it so it distributes evenly.
- Salt: Add a light sprinkle before baking, especially when using unsalted butter.
Ingredient Substitutions
For dairy-free crostini, omit the butter and use additional olive oil. You can also replace the fresh garlic with a small pinch of garlic powder for more even seasoning.
How to Make Crostini
With just a few simple steps, you can have the perfect crunchy appetizer or side for so many dishes!
- Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Slice the bread. Use a serrated knife to cut the baguette into even ¼-inch slices. Cut straight across for smaller bites or diagonally for larger crostini.
- Make the butter mixture. Stir together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic and salt.
- Brush the bread. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides with the butter mixture.
- Bake. Bake for 5 minutes. Flip and bake for another 3–4 minutes, or until the centers are crisp and the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool. Transfer the crostini to a wire rack or serving platter and cool completely before storing or adding toppings.
They’re also fantastic in place of a cracker for dip like this easy Crab Dip!
Tips for Perfectly Crispy Crostini
- Use a sharp serrated knife so the bread doesn’t compress while you slice it.
- Cut the slices as evenly as possible so they finish baking at the same time.
- Brush the bread lightly. Too much butter or oil can make it greasy instead of crisp.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer with a little room between them.
- Flip the crostini halfway through baking so both sides toast evenly.
- Watch them closely during the final few minutes because thin slices can brown quickly.
- The crostini are done when the centers feel dry and crisp and the edges are lightly golden.
- For darker, crunchier crostini, bake for an additional 1–2 minutes per side.
- Cool completely before storing so condensation doesn’t soften the bread.
- Add toppings shortly before serving.
What Is the Best Bread for Crostini?
A crusty, day-old baguette is the best bread for crostini. Its narrow shape creates appetizer-sized slices, while the firm crumb becomes crisp enough to support dips, cheeses and other toppings.
Sourdough baguettes, ciabatta and other firm artisan loaves also work. Avoid very soft sandwich bread or squishy white baguettes when possible. Softer bread can soak up moist toppings and become soggy more quickly.
Fresh bread can still be used, but it may need an extra minute or two in the oven to dry out completely.
How to Slice Crostini
- Keep the slices approximately ¼-inch thick so they become crisp without falling apart.
- Cut the baguette straight across for smaller, bite-sized crostini.
- Cut it on the diagonal for larger pieces with more room for toppings.
Crostini Variations
- Classic Olive Oil: Skip the butter and brush the bread with extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
- Garlic Parmesan: Sprinkle the bread lightly with grated Parmesan before baking.
- Italian Herb: Add a pinch of dried oregano, basil or Italian seasoning to the butter mixture.
- Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of Cajun seasoning.
- Fresh Garlic Rub: Bake the bread with olive oil, then rub the warm crostini lightly with the cut side of a garlic clove.
- Black Pepper: Finish with freshly ground black pepper before baking.
Crostini Topping Ideas
Crostini can be topped with just about anything. Try one of these easy combinations:
- Tomato bruschetta, fresh basil and balsamic glaze
- Goat cheese, fig jam and prosciutto
- Ricotta, honey, berries and fresh mint
- Homemade Boursin, roasted tomatoes and basil
- Whipped goat cheese, blackberries and honey
- Pesto, fresh mozzarella and roasted tomatoes
- Warm brie, cranberry sauce and chopped pecans
- Hummus, cucumber, tomato and fresh herbs
- Roasted garlic, Parmesan and fresh parsley
- Sun-dried tomato pesto and creamy goat cheese
You can also serve plain crostini alongside:
- Roasted Garlic
- Homemade Boursin Cheese
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Homemade Hummus
- Easy Basil Pesto
- Italian Hoagie Dip
- Crab Dip
- Tomato Soup
- French Onion Soup
Add toppings shortly before serving so the crostini stay crisp.
Make Ahead and Storage
Crostini are a great make-ahead appetizer. Allow the plain crostini to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Don’t refrigerate crostini because moisture from the refrigerator can make the bread soft. Wait to add dips, cheese, tomatoes or other moist toppings until shortly before serving.
How to Re-Crisp Crostini
If the crostini lose some of their crunch, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and warm them at 350°F for 4–6 minutes. Allow them to cool before adding toppings.
Can You Freeze Crostini?
I recommend leaving freezing instructions out until you’ve tested a batch after freezing and reheating. None of the provided competitor recipes included a complete tested freezing method.
More Easy Crostini Recipes
Once you have a batch of homemade crostini, turn them into one of these easy appetizers:
For more easy appetizer ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Crostini Recipe
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Serrated knife
- small mixing bowl
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 1 day-old baguette, cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated or minced, optional
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the baguette crosswise or diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices.
- In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, olive oil, garlic and salt.
- Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides with the butter mixture.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Flip and bake for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until the crostini are crisp through the center and lightly golden around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Add your favorite toppings or serve alongside a dip, soup or salad.
Notes
- Store cooled, untopped crostini in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To re-crisp, bake in a single layer at 350°F for 4–6 minutes.
- Add toppings shortly before serving.
- For larger crostini, slice the baguette diagonally.
- For dairy-free crostini, replace the butter with additional olive oil.
- When doubling the recipe, use two baking sheets or bake in batches so the slices remain in a single layer.
- Fresh bread can be used, but it may need an extra minute or two to become crisp.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
