Pesto Crostini with Parmesan & Soppressata

Say hello to my new favorite 5-ingredient app. This pesto crostini is layered with peppery soppressata, sharp parmesan, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze. And it comes together in less than 15 minutes for a simple, flavorful party appetizer!

Last year, I had big dreams of a big garden. I planted all kinds of tomatoes and basil and strawberries and cucumbers. And then the garden just kinda…slowly died? Like, I don’t know, friends. I watered it! I weeded it! And I gave it tender loving care. But nothing. All we got was a few little cherry tomatoes out of the whole thing.

So this year, I’m going to lower my own expectations and simplify things tremendously. I just want to keep one single basil plant alive. Because, ok I may not have a green thumb. But I do have an excellent lemon pesto recipe.

If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I am a pesto fiend. I’ve been making the same recipe ever since I was in culinary school and it never gets old. This pesto is amazing in crudités cups, stuffed in garlic bread, and drizzled over fried burrata. And now, we’re giving it the crostini treatment.

One of my favorite sandwich combos of all time is salami, mozzarella, pesto, and balsamic glaze on a thick slab of focaccia. So when I went to a party recently, I decided to recreate my fave sandwich into a little bite sized package.

• This appetizer has just 5 basic grocery store ingredients.
• You can use store-bought or homemade pesto & balsamic glaze.
• Everyone loves them, ok? They are a hit at every party & holiday.

Using soppressata

I used soppressata in this recipe which is a type of pork salami usually flavored with red wine, chilis, garlic, and black pepper. I like to get it fresh-sliced from the deli when I can find it. But if you can’t get soppressata, use any salami you like!

Other than that, you’ll need garlic or classic homemade crostini, pesto (either store-bought or homemade), balsamic glaze, and parmesan cheese. Also, make sure you’re using freshly-sliced parmesan please and thank you.

Make the crostini

I usually fold the soppressata in quarters to help it fit on the crostini. But if you want less meat, feel free to cut the soppressata slices in half instead.

Other toppings to try

What I really love about this recipe is that you can use whatever ingredients you already have at home. Here’s a few things I’ve tried and loved!

• Mozzarella – swap the parmesan with thin slices of mozzarella for a creamier, milder flavor. Goat cheese or burrata would also be amazing!
• Prosciutto – these toasts are also amazing with thin rolls of prosciutto.
• Tomatoes – for a vegetarian version, replace the salami with roasted cherry tomatoes or cherry tomato bruschetta.

Make ahead tips

You don’t want to make these crostini too early or they will get soggy. But you can make them about 3-4 hours in advance without it affecting the texture! You can also prep the balsamic glaze, pesto, and toasts the night before.

I don’t recommend storing leftover crostini. The pesto will make the toasts soft but not in a good way.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

---