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Roasted tomatoes, crunchy toasts, melty mozzarella, and savory pesto come together in these baked Caprese crostini. And they’re finished with a little balsamic glaze for good measure. I’m not kidding when I say that everyone loves this quick summertime app! They are beyond delicious.

A wood board with baked Caprese crostini on a white terrazzo counter next to glasses of white wine, a green linen, and white bowls of tomatoes and pepper.

Tomatoes used to be my nemesis because they gave me wicked heartburn. And ok to be honest, they still do, but now I like the taste of them way more than I did 10 years ago. I mean, roast them up with some good olive oil and fresh herbs? Swoon. Totally worth the pain.

And now that I’m on the tomato train, I’m going all in. I mean, it’s the only plant I really know how to grow in a garden besides basil. So I’m threading them on skewers, spooning them over burrata, and turning them into crostini.

These crostini are inspired by the traditional salad you know and love. Caprese (or insalata Caprese in Italy) usually has three basic ingredients – tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. These toasts have the same spirit, but I like to roast the tomatoes to bring out the sweetness a bit. I also add a drizzle of pesto and balsamic glaze which is a trick I learned in culinary school. Of course, feel free to leave either out if you don’t have those ingredients lying around.

And P.S. I tell you this as a friend. Please use a good mozzarella, ok? It’s worth a few extra coins. Or, if you want something sans cheese, this cherry tomato bruschetta on crostini is always a hit!

Cherry tomatoes

White and brown bowls of garlic, herbs, oil, vinegar, crackers, basil, mozzarella, and pesto on a white terrazzo counter next to tomatoes.

Even though traditional Caprese is made with regular tomatoes, I like to use cherry or grape tomatoes instead, because tend to taste better year-round. Of course, feel free to use some good summer tomatoes if they’re in season!

You’ll also need a batch of homemade crostini, but you can totally use store-bought for a shortcut. Other than that, grab some garlic, olive oil, thyme, oregano, Morton’s Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and balsamic glaze. A drizzle of lemon pesto (or store-bought pesto) is also a good choice.

Roast the tomatoes

A sheet pan of tomatoes, oil, and herbs on a white terrazzo counter.
Drizzle the tomatoes, garlic, & herbs with olive oil.
A silver sheet pan of cherry tomatoes tossed with oil, garlic, and herbs on a white counter.
Season with salt & pepper, & toss until the tomatoes are coated.
A silver sheet pan of roasted cherry tomatoes on a white counter.
Roast the tomatoes at 350°F (177°C) for 35-40 minutes.

Roast the tomatoes just until they’re jammy and starting to caramelize. If you roast them too long, they’ll fall apart.

Make the crostini

A sheet pan of crostini with mozzarella on a white counter.
Top the crostini with mozzarella & bake until the cheese is melty.
A sheet pan of crostini with mozzarella and pesto on a white terrazzo counter.
Spread a bit of pesto on top of each toast.
Rows of roasted Caprese crostini on a wood board next to a brown bowl of pesto with a white background.
Finish the toasts with roasted tomatoes, basil, & balsamic glaze.

Make-ahead tips

You can’t make the crostini ahead of time or they’ll get soggy. But, you can roast the tomatoes up to 3 days in advance. Gently rewarm the tomatoes at 350°F (177°C) for 10-15 minutes before you finish making the crostini.

Using raw tomatoes

If you want to make this a no-cook appetizer, feel free to skip the roasting step and use raw tomatoes instead! Just top the crostini with fresh mozz, pesto, sliced cherry tomatoes, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.

A wood board of Caprese crostini on a white counter next to glasses of white wine and a white bowl of pesto.

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Easy Caprese Crostini with Roasted Tomatoes

Yield: 24 crostini
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Roasted tomatoes, crunchy toasts, melty mozzarella, and savory pesto come together in these baked Caprese crostini. And they're finished with a little balsamic glaze for good measure. I'm not kidding when I say that everyone loves this easy summertime app! They are beyond delicious.
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Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes

  • 24 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (680 grams)
  • 4 large garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
  • 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil (60 milliliters)
  • 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 4 sprigs of fresh oregano
  • Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

Caprese Crostini

  • 24 homemade crostini or store-bought
  • 1/2 cup lemon pesto or store-bought (120 grams)
  • 8 ounce fresh mozzarella ball, halved & thinly sliced (226 grams)
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped (12 grams)
  • Balsamic glaze, for drizzling

Equipment

Instructions 

Roasted Tomatoes

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
  • Spread the cherry or grape tomatoes on a sheet pan. Scatter the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and oregano sprigs around the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Toss with a wood spoon until the tomatoes are well-coated.
  • Roast for 35-40 minutes, until the tomatoes burst and are caramelized on the edges. Let the tomato mixture cool for a few minutes and then discard the garlic, thyme sprigs, and oregano sprigs.

Caprese Crostini

  • Set the broiler to HIGH. Line the crostini on a sheet pan.
  • Top each crostini with a slice of mozzarella. Broil the crostini until the cheese is melty, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Spread each toast with about 1 teaspoon of pesto and top with 2-3 tomatoes. Sprinkle the crostini with the fresh basil and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. Enjoy!

Notes

Look for balsamic glaze in the vinegar aisle of the grocery store. To make your own, combine 1 cup (240 milliliters) of balsamic vinegar with 2 Tablespoons (30 grams) of brown sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer, stirring often, until it’s thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 8-12 minutes.
Roast the tomatoes just until they’re jammy and starting to caramelize. If you roast them too long, they’ll fall apart.
If you don’t have fresh herbs, replace them with 1/2-1 teaspoon of dried thyme and 1/2-1 teaspoon dried oregano instead.
To make a no-cook appetizer, feel free to skip the step of roasting the tomatoes and use raw tomatoes & mozzarella instead.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1crostini, Calories: 158kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 308mg, Potassium: 117mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 100mg, Iron: 1mg
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