Crispy, golden bread! Today I want to show you how to make crostini – one of the easiest, 3-ingredient recipes that elevate any and everything you serve it with. I mean, at this stage of life, most people can combine a few ingredients and make a dip, but when you say you made homemade crostini to pair with your dip, you automatically earn brownie points. Crostini? You made crostini? Honestly, it’s a lot fancier sounding than the amount of energy required to put it together. And if there’s anything we love, it’s a recipe that sounds fancy but requires minimum work! All you need to do is slice up a store-bought baguette or ciabatta baton and pop it on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with flakey sea salt. If you want to get really fancy, bust out a little smoked sea salt or rub with a cut clove of garlic when the crostini is hot out of the oven. The prep time on these is minimal, but the results are amazing!
Instructions for How to make Crostini
Best Tips for Homemade Crostini
Use olive oil, but not extra virgin. No need to splurge on EVOO. This recipe works best with regular olive oil as it has a higher smoke point than extra virgin olive oil.Use good quality bread. You can use a variety of bread, but make sure it’s good quality. You can use a french baguette, a rustic Italian bread, or even an artisan ciabatta baton. A serrated knife makes better slices. A bread knife is made for this job! It will easily slice through the bread in uniform slices. Apply even pressure when slicing so that the bread isn’t concave in the center. It’ll cook much faster in the middle and leave the edges pale, and you don’t want that!Make even slices so that they all bake in the oven evenly. I like to do ½-inch thick. slices. It’s the perfect amount of bread for topping!Cut the bread on the diagonal this gives you more surface area for toppings!You don’t have to use stale bread. Crostini can be made with fresh or stale bread. For stale bread, you’ll need to bake the crostini for a minute or two less than fresh bread.For the best flavor, rub with garlic. If you’re serving this with a savory dip or appetizer, rubbing a cut clove of garlic on the crostini right when it’s hot out of the oven gives it a delicious flavor! This is what I do when I’m making bruschetta, and it works for all sorts of dips too!
What to serve with crostini
Top crostini with homemade dips:
Baked Goat Cheese DipHerb Garlic Baked BrieExtra Smooth HummusHot Spinach Artichoke DipJammy Hot Onion DipTomato Fresh Basil Bruschetta (drizzle with balsamic glaze!)Philly Cheesesteak DipHot Chipotle Shrimp Corn DipSmoked Salmon Goat Chees Bruschetta
Other serving ideas:
As cheese toasts with tomato basil soupAs a vehicle to scoop up a festive saladWildflower honey or hot honeyStrawberry preserves (or others)Olive TapenadeHot Honey Cheese BallsSliced fruitSeafood salad (or shrimp salad)Roasted vegetables in whipped yogurt sauceWith whipped ricotta and pistachioHerbed cream cheeseWith marinated mozzarella and tomato salad
Storage: Keep leftover crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Use within two days!Slices: You can slice the bread thinner than suggested if you’d like. But make sure to keep a close eye on the crostini as it will cook in closer to 6-9 minutes.
