Description

Explore 8 delicious and easy crostini recipes featuring a variety of toppings including Caprese, smoked salmon with dill cream cheese, Mediterranean antipasto, garlic prawn with avocado, strawberry with goat cheese and honey, rare roast beef with hot English mustard, holiday tapenade, and chili mint prawns on parmesan pea puree. Perfect for appetizers or light snacks.

Ingredients

Scale

Crostini Base

30 slices artisan type baguette or French stick (cut 0.5cm / 1/4-inch thick on the diagonal)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
1 garlic clove, cut in half

Caprese Topping

350g/12 oz baby bocconcini (small ones), cut into 8
400g/14 oz cherry tomatoes, cut into 8
1/2 cup packed basil leaves, finely sliced
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 tsp salt and pepper each
4 tbsp balsamic glaze (store bought or homemade)

Smoked Salmon with Dill Cream Cheese

250g/8 oz spreadable cream cheese or crème fraîche
2 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt and pepper each
1/3 cup dill, finely chopped
500g/1 lb smoked salmon, cut into 2cm x 7.5cm strips
75g/2.5 oz baby capers
30 dill sprigs for garnish

Mediterranean Topping

250g/8 oz ricotta or similar smooth cheese
500g/1 lb antipasto mix – olives (pitted), peppers, sundried tomato, artichokes

Garlic Prawn/Shrimp and Avocado

500g/1 lb prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt and pepper each
3 tbsp olive oil (separated)
2 eschallots/French onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander/cilantro leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp lime juice
2 avocados, halved and seed removed

Strawberry with Goat Cheese and Honey

160g/5.5 oz goat cheese, softened (or cream cheese, Danish feta, or smooth ricotta)
14–16 ripe strawberries, sliced 3mm / 1/8″ thick
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Rare Roast Beef with Hot English Mustard

160g/5.5 oz goat cheese, softened (or cream cheese, Danish feta, or smooth ricotta)
180g/6 oz rare roast beef, shaved or finely sliced
16 baby rocket/arugula leaves for garnish
2 tsp Hot English Mustard (or more if desired)

Holiday Tapenade

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, separated
1/4 cup pitted black olives, finely chopped
1/4 cup pitted green olives, finely chopped
1/4 cup almonds, preferably blanched and finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Chilli and Mint Prawns on Parmesan Pea Puree

150g/5 oz frozen peas
1/2 small garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp parmesan, finely grated
1/4 tsp salt and pepper each
250g/8 oz cooked peeled prawns/shrimp (from 500g/1 lb cooked whole)
2 tbsp mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp large red chili (cayenne peppers), deseeded and finely chopped

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 160°C / 320°F (all oven types) to prepare for baking the bread slices.
Prepare Crostini Base: Brush both sides of each baguette slice with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt, flip and repeat the oil and salt application. Arrange the slices on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes.
Garlic Rub and Final Bake: Remove bread from oven, rub the surface lightly with the cut side of garlic, then bake for another 5 minutes until the crostini are completely crispy. Let them cool fully before topping.
Caprese Topping: In a bowl, gently toss baby bocconcini, cherry tomatoes, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste. Spoon the mixture onto crostini and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
Smoked Salmon with Dill Cream Cheese: Combine cream cheese, lemon zest, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper. Spread mixture on crostini, fold salmon slices on top, then garnish each with 3 capers and a dill sprig.
Mediterranean Topping: Finely chop antipasto mix. Spread ricotta on crostini and pile on the antipasto mixture. Serve immediately.
Garlic Prawn/Shrimp and Avocado: Toss prawns with 1 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Heat a skillet over high heat with 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté half the prawns until just cooked. Remove and repeat with remaining prawns. Cool, chop into small pieces, then toss with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, eschallots, coriander, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Spread avocado on crostini, spoon shrimp mixture on top, then serve.
Strawberry with Goat Cheese and Honey: Spread goat cheese on crostini. Layer sliced strawberries on top. Drizzle with honey just before serving and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.
Rare Roast Beef with Hot English Mustard: Spread each crostini with Hot English Mustard to desired heat, then a layer of cream cheese. Drape with a slice of rare roast beef and top with a baby rocket leaf.
Holiday Tapenade: Mix chopped parsley, dried cranberries, black olives, green olives, almonds, and olive oil in a small bowl. Let flavors meld for at least 30 minutes. Spread goat cheese on crostini and pile tapenade on top before serving.
Chilli and Mint Prawns on Parmesan Pea Puree: Cook peas according to package directions until soft, drain well. Blend peas with garlic, parmesan, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth, then stir in mint and lemon juice. Cool completely. Chop cooked prawns into small pieces. Spread pea puree on crostini, top with prawns, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with parsley and chopped red chili.

Notes

Use fresh artisan baguette or French stick for best texture and flavor.
Small bocconcini work best in the Caprese topping for better bite-sized pieces.
Wearing gloves is recommended when handling hot English mustard for the roast beef crostini if sensitive to spice.
Cream cheese can be substituted with crème fraîche, Danish feta, or ricotta for variation in creamy toppings.
Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste in all mixtures to ensure balanced flavor.
Letting the tapenade sit allows the flavors to meld for a more robust taste.
Ensure prawns are cooked just until opaque to maintain tenderness and juiciness.
Cool crostini fully after baking to keep them crisp and prevent sogginess from toppings.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-inspired with Mediterranean influences

Keywords: crostini, appetizers, Italian recipes, party snacks, easy crostini toppings, smoked salmon crostini, Caprese crostini, Mediterranean appetizers, shrimp crostini, holiday snacks