Steak Crostini with Blue Cheese & Garlic Sauce
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Honestly, I think I could eat steak crostini every single day. With crumbly blue cheese and a super simple garlic sauce, they have all the best parts of a steak sandwich in a two-bite package. And the crostini come together in less than 30 minutes for a pretty, fancy-ish party appetizer!
As a trained chef, I’ve eaten a ridiculous amount of ridiculously good food. Top tier. Real delicacies. But in the end, my dream meal involves a good steak, fries, lots of crusty bread and butter, a glass of Pinot Noir, and a wedge salad extra blue cheese, please. I’m a steakhouse girl through and through.
What we have here is basically a steak dinner on a little piece of toast. Like, these crostini are so good. I’ve made them for happy hours, holiday appetizers, and everything in-between. They start out with tender, buttery, perfectly medium-rare steak. (Although leftover smoked tri-tip would be amazing too!)
Then, they’re layered on homemade crostini with some funky blue cheese, fresh chives, and garlicky lemony sauce. Let’s make a batch and maybe eat them for dinner cause who can wait for the next get-together with friends?
P.S. If you love beef appetizers, make sure to try my beef Wellington bites next!
Your next favorite party appetizer
My mom has been making a version of this steak appetizer for as long as I can remember. Her recipe has caramelized onions and horseradish, but I decided to switch things up just a little with blue cheese and garlic for steak sandwich vibes! Here’s just a few more highlights.
- This appetizer is elegant but comes together in less than 30 minutes.
- The combo of herby steak, creamy garlic sauce, & funky cheese is just too good.
- Everyone loves this two-bite snack. A tray of crostini is always a welcome sight at a party.
Top sirloin steak
My personal favorite cut of beef for this recipe is top sirloin steak. When the steak is sliced up, it fits perfectly on a little toast. It’s tender, flavorful, and easy to find. Of course, feel free to use ribeye, filet mignon, or even flank steak!
You’ll also want a good, crumbly blue cheese. I use Danablu (Danish blue cheese) which is super soft, spreadable, and funky. For the rest of the recipe, you’ll need crostini (homemade or store-bought), Morton’s Kosher salt, black pepper, neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or avocado oil), unsalted butter, and fresh herbs – thyme, rosemary, and chives. To make the sauce, grab some mayo, sour cream, garlic, and a lemon.
More cheeses to try
Ok, I know that blue cheese is controversial. You either love it or you hate it. (Can you guess which side I’m on?) But even if you really hate blue cheese, you can still make this recipe! Try replacing the blue cheese with goat cheese, Boursin, burrata, or a sprinkle of parmesan.
Sear the steak
- Start by seasoning the steaks with a generous amount of salt and pepper.
- Then, heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Sear the steaks for about 3 minutes per side.
- During the last minute of cooking, add the butter, a sprig of rosemary, and a few sprigs of thyme.
For perfectly cooked steak, make sure to bring the top sirloins to room temperature first. 30-60 minutes should do!
- Baste the steaks with the herb butter until they reach 130°F (54°C).
- Let the steaks rest for about 5 minutes and then thinly slice them into strips.
Make the garlic sauce
- Add the mayo, sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a small bowl.
- Then , whisk it together until it’s nice and smooth!
Layer the crostini
- Top each crostini with a spoonful of blue cheese. Broil it for 1-2 minutes just until it’s warm.
- Next, add a slice of warm steak.
- Finish each crostini with a dollop of garlic sauce and a sprinkle of chives.
Broil the crostini just until the cheese is warmed through. You don’t want it to be too melty or the crostini will turn out oily!
Just a few notes
- Freshly-crumbled blue cheese is key in this recipe! It’s so much creamier and more flavorful.
- Layer the crostini right before serving. Otherwise, they’ll come out soggy.
- Feel free to use horseradish in the sauce instead of garlic! Start with 1 Tablespoon of prepared horseradish and add more to taste.
- You can serve this crostini warm or room temperature. They’re better warm but they still taste good at room temp!
Medium rare steak
Ok, I’m gonna say it. Medium rare steak is elite! And if you want tender, easy-to-bite steak, you don’t want to cook the top sirloin past medium rare. This is between 130-135°F (54-57°C). I 100% recommend investing in a good meat thermometer to make sure you don’t over-cook the steaks. I swear, it makes all the difference!
A make-ahead option
To be honest, beef crostini are best when you eat them right away. But, you can make some of the elements in advance for easier serving! Up to 1 night before you want to serve the crostini, you can mix up the sauce, make the toasts, chop the chives, and crumble the blue cheese.
I would probably make the steak right before serving. But, if you need a make-ahead option, I get it! Just cook the steak until it’s rare (120-125°F/49-52°C). Right before serving, heat the steak in the oven at 250°F (121°C) until it reaches medium-rare, about 15-20 minutes. Slice & assemble the crostini.
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Steak Crostini with Blue Cheese & Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
Steak Crostini
- 8 ounces top sirloin steak, 2 small steaks (227 grams)
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil (15 milliliters)
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (14 grams)
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 recipe homemade crostini (or store-bought)
- 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (125 grams)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh minced chives (12 grams)
Garlic Sauce
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise (60 grams)
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream (60 grams)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 2 large cloves
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice (15 milliliters)
- Kosher salt & freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Instructions
Sear the Steak
- Bring the steaks to room temperature for 30-60 minutes. Then, pat each side dry with paper towels. Season all sides of the steaks with a generous amount of Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
- Coat the bottom of a cast iron skillet with the neutral oil and heat it over high. Once the oil is shimmering and searing hot, carefully place both steaks in the pan, leaving some room between them. Don't move the steaks around! Let them sear so they have a nice brown crust, about 3 minutes.
- Flip the steaks and sear for another 2-3 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the butter, thyme, and rosemary. Use a spoon to baste the steaks with the melted herb butter until the steaks reach an internal temperature of 130-135°F (54-57°C).
- Set the steaks on a plate and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Then, thinly slice the steaks into strips.
Make the Garlic Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until the sauce is smooth. Add more salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
Assemble the Crostini
- Place the crostini on a sheet pan. Sprinkle each toast with about 2 teaspoons of blue cheese crumbles. Broil on HIGH for 1-2 minutes, just until the blue cheese is warmed through but not completely melted.
- Top each crostini with a slice of steak and a dollop of garlic sauce. Garnish the crostini with fresh chives and black pepper. Enjoy!
