Learn how to make crostini from a baguette with this easy recipe. The best crostini is crispy on the outside but tender and buttery on the inside, perfect for various toppings.
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Crostini is believed to have originated in medieval Italy. The appetizer emerged from poverty-driven ingenuity. Italian peasants, lacking plates, utilized sliced bread to hold their food.
Stale bread was salvaged by soaking it in wine or juices for palatability, illustrating resourcefulness in times of scarcity.
Nowadays, crostini boasts diverse spreads and toppings and is served as an appetizer. The variations for crostini are endless and have grown far beyond their origin.
This crostini is the perfect base to showcase your favorite dip or creamy spread. Get creative and pair them with different toppings, from nut-free vegan pesto to chickpea chicken salad.
For a classic party finger food that everyone will love, make a vegan crostini appetizer with tomato, basil, and creamy tofu ricotta spread. Or, for an extra festive holiday appetizer, make cranberry crostini or strawberry balsamic crostini!
With just 3 simple ingredients and 10 minutes in the oven, you will never buy crostini from the grocery store again! This is a great way to transform day-old bread with a little olive oil.
Crostini Vs Bruschetta
Crostini translates to “little toasts” or “little crusts” in Italian. You can guess what that means: smaller, round, and finer-textured bread, like a baguette, is sliced and baked to make little pieces of toast. Because these toasts are so tiny, they are the perfect party appetizer or finger food. Generally, you could be served between five and ten crostini.
On the other hand, bruschetta comes from the Italian word “bruscare,” meaning “to roast over coals.” Bruschetta is usually made from larger slices of Italian or sourdough bread and infused with olive oil and garlic. Think on the larger side, a lighter, airier bread containing more holes. You would probably only eat one, maybe two bruschetta.
If you were having a traditional Italian dinner with upwards of 9 courses, these would be served as antipasto. Antipasto means “before the meal,” so you would get your crostini served before a larger entre like eggplant rollatini or pesto pasta.
Choosing the Best Bread for Crostini
Choosing the right type of bread is essential to making the best homemade crostini. Or else you might not be making a crostini at all!
A thinner crusty bread, like a French baguette or a long Italian bread loaf, is ideal for crostini. The small surface area is just the right size for bite-sized appetizer toasts. Any larger, and you’re veering into the territory of bruschetta!
Since the whole point of crostini is to dry it out in the oven, you will not need fresh bread. Day-old baguettes are perfect for this recipe.
Besides your baguette, you will also need:
- Olive Oil - Do not swap with another type of oil or vegan butter. Olive oil ensures the best taste for crostini.
- Sea Salt - Adds to the overall flavor. I used Jane’s Crazy Mixed Up Salt, which also includes black pepper and a few herbs. It really adds something special to this crostini and ties all the flavors together.
The recipe card below includes the full list of ingredients + instructions.
Directions with Pictures
Here’s how to make crostini in the oven:
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into ¼” thick slices.
- You want the slices to be thick enough to hold all the toppings but thin enough to easily bite into once toasted.
- Lay the slices on a sheet pan and use a pastry brush to generously coat each piece with olive oil, including the sides of the bread.
- Sprinkle each bread slice with sea salt.
- Bake in the oven at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
Top Tips:
- Always preheat your oven so the crostini goes in right when it's hot.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet without any parchment paper or reusable baking mat. Placing the baguette slices directly on the metal pan helps the underside of the crostini bake as well. Otherwise, you will need to flip the bread slices halfway through to ensure a golden brown color on both sides.
- You do not need to oil both sides if you are using a generous enough amount of olive oil. The whole point is for the oil to seep through and hydrate the inside of the bread to give it that tender and buttery interior.
To make crostini in the air fryer
- You will need to bake your crostini in multiple batches to ensure they lay in a single layer within the air fryer basket.
- They bake slightly faster, so keep a close eye on them.
- Air fry at 370°F for 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
- They do not brown on the underside as they would in a conventional oven. If you would like both sides to be golden, flip them halfway through.
Topping Ideas
Finish your crostini off with your favorite toppings. Mix and match some of these ideas!
Spreads
- Tofu Ricotta
- Nut Free Pesto
- Chickpea Salad
- Avocado Ranch
- Braised White Beans
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Hummus
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Vegan "Goat" Cheese
Garnishes
- Cranberry Jalapeño Salsa
- Roasted Tomatoes
- Sundried Tomato
- Sliced Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Pomegranate Arils
- Mushroom
- Caramelized Onion
- Basil, Rosemary, Thyme
How to Store Crostini
This recipe is great to make in advance of a party or holiday gathering. Once the crostini is completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
FAQ
Crostini should be hard, like a toast on the outside but have a soft, tender quality on the inside. If your crostini is still soft on the outside, continue baking it. You need to give it enough time to dry out the bread.
To avoid a soggy crostini, apply toppings just before serving. While the toasts can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, the moisture from the toppings will seep into the bread over time, taking away its perfect crispiness. Always store the toppings separately!
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How to Make Crostini from a Baguette (Easy Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Use a serrated knife to cut the bread into ¼” thick slices. You want the slices to be thick enough to hold all the toppings but thin enough to easily bite into once toasted.
- Lay the slices on a sheet pan and use a pastry brush to generously coat each piece with olive oil, including the sides of the bread.
- Sprinkle each bread slice with sea salt.
- Bake in the oven at 375°F for about 12 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
Notes
- Always preheat your oven so they crostini goes in right when it's hot.
- Using a rimmed baking sheet without any parchment paper or reusable baking mat. Placing the baguette slices directly on the metal pan helps the underside of the crostini bake as well. Otherwise, you will need to flip the bread slices halfway through to ensure a golden brown color on both sides (they will still be crispy either way though.)
- You do not need to oil both sides if you are using a generous enough amount of olive oil. The whole point is for the oil to seep through and hydrate the inside of the bread to give it that tender and buttery interior.
- You will need to bake your crostini in multiple batches to ensure they lay in a single layer within the air fryer basket.
- They bake slightly faster, so keep a close eye on them.
- Air fry at 370°F for 5 to 7 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
- They do not brown on the underside as they would in a conventional oven. If you would like both sides to be golden, flip them halfway through.
* The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy will vary on specific ingredients and brands used.
eileen says
I use a wire rack on top of a baking sheet This works well
Casey says
If I am making this a few hours prior to the party, is it OK to serve at room temperature or do I need to reheat at the party?
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Casey! They should be fine at room temperature, but I would recommend waiting to top them with anything so they don't get soggy. But, I personally love the toastiness of them right out of the oven, so you could reheat them for a couple minutes but it's not absolutely necessary.