The Easiest Homemade Crostini
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There’s no need to buy crostini when you can easily make it at home! With just three basic ingredients, these homemade crostini crackers are amazing for dipping, topping, and more. Even better, they only take about 15 minutes to bake up in the oven! Use them for these soppressata and pesto crostini or my favorite burrata and crispy prosciutto version.
As far as appetizers go, crostini are honestly elite. I love a handheld snack situation, especially when I’m throwing a party and don’t want to deal with utensils or running out of forks. And these little bite-sized crostini are amazing with all kinds of toppings like tomato bruschetta, jammy figs and goat cheese, or tender steak and blue cheese.
If you’ve never had crostini, let’s huddle, friends. Crostini is an Italian appetizer that translates to “little toasts”. They’re made up of toasted (or grilled) bread topped with all kinds of delicious things like cheese, meat, veggies, sauces, spreads, and everything in-between.
Even better, there’s truly no reason to buy store-bought crostini because it’s ridiculously easy to make at home. When I was in pastry school, we used to use all the leftover bread to make crostini. But of course, store-bought bread is totally fine. All you need is 3 ingredients and 15 minutes, and you have the perfect base for all your favorite toppings!
The best bread for crostini
To make this recipe, all you need is bread, olive oil, and Morton’s Kosher salt! I like to use a baguette, which is the perfect size for a two-bite appetizer. Of course, feel free to use any of your favorite breads like sourdough, ciabatta, or a country bread. Just skip anything too soft and fluffy, like sandwich bread or rolls.
Make this recipe
Don’t slice the baguette too thick! You want the toasts to be easy to bite into. About 1/2-inch should do the trick.
The bake time will depend on the density of the bread you use. For a baguette, you will need to bake the toasts for about 10-12 minutes. If you’re using a lighter bread, it might be closer to 7-8 minutes.
Add garlic or herbs
If you want to make garlic crostini, start by slicing a couple of cloves of garlic in half. Right after the they come out of the oven, rub both sides of the crostini with the cut side of the garlic. Place them back in the warm oven for about 1 more minute if you want to tone down the spiciness of the raw garlic a bit.
You can also make herb crostini. Just add some finely minced fresh herbs to the oil before you brush it on the toasts. Start with about 1 teaspoon and add more to taste. I like rosemary or thyme best!
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3-Ingredient Homemade Crostini Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 baguette (about 1 pound/450 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed (30 milliliters)
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2-3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled (if you want garlic crostini)
Equipment
- 1-2 sheet pans
Instructions
Plain Crostini
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Slice the baguette at a diagonal into 1/2-inch slices.
- Line the baguette slices cut-side up on a sheet pan. It's ok if they touch a bit on the edges. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush both sides of the toasts with olive oil. Season with a few pinches of salt, to taste.
- Bake the crostini for 8-12 minutes, until they're golden brown and toasty. Cool completely and enjoy!
Garlic Crostini
- If you want to make garlic crostini, start by slicing a couple of cloves of garlic in half. Right after the the they come out of the oven, rub both sides of the crostini with the cut side of the garlic.
- Place them back in the warm oven for about 1 more minute if you want to tone down the spiciness of the raw garlic a bit.
