

Crostini Recipe
What is crostini?
Crostini is an Italian appetizer made of toasted bread with a variety of toppings such as cheese, smoked salmon, caviar, fruit slices, cured meats and/or vegetables.
This amazing appetizer is crisp, light and absolutely delightful to eat, just like blinis.
They are especially popular as a finger food or an appetizer, served at parties or special occasions.


Crostini Bread
Authentic Italian crostini are made from traditional and crusty Italian bread.
If you can’t find Italian bread, you can certainly use store bought French baguette or homemade baguette as the base of crostini.
It’s important that you choose a bread that is crusty and has a bite to it.
To make crostini, use a bread knife to slice the bread into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces.
Brush olive oil on the crostini bread with a brush and lightly toast in the oven. The bread is now ready for toppings.

How to Make Crostini?
You don’t have to go to expensive restaurants for these amazing appetizers. Homemade recipe is better and much cheaper.
First, slice and toast the bread with an olive oil mixture seasoned with salt and black pepper.
The next step is to assemble the topping ingredients and spread on top of each slice of toast. It’s that easy!

Crostini Toppings
You can use a variety of ingredients as toppings. You can mix and match the following ingredients for new dimensions in taste and presentation.
- Use sour cream, creme fraiche or cream cheese as the base. For a more intense flavors, you can use blue cheese or ricotta cheese.
- Cure meats such as prosciutto, salami and pepperoni.
- Seafood such as smoked salmon, shrimp, crab, fish roes and caviar are popular toppings.
- Fruits such as sliced pear, fig, peach, apple,
- Vegetables such as tomatoes (including cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes), broccoli or celery
- Walnuts, pine nuts and sliced almonds.
- Crab dip.
- Dills, basil leaves and sage are popular as the final touch to the toppings.
I made smoked salmon crostini, with sour cream, caviar and dill as the toppings. They are absolutely delicious!
Cook’s Tips
For the best results, follow my tips below:
- Make the bread and toast in the oven ahead of time, up to a day in advance. Keep them covered or store in a plastic bag.
- Assemble the toppings for the crostini appetizers one hour or thirty minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make Ahead of Time?
Yes, you sure can. For the freshest taste, make the toast one day in advance or the day before serving.
Cover them up or store them in a plastic bag.
Can You Freeze Leftover Crostini?
I don’t recommend freezing as it’s not ideal to reheat them after freezing.
You can keep the leftovers in the refrigerator by wrapping or covering them up with plastic wrap.
How Many Calories per Serving?
Each crostini is only 84 calories.
What to Serve with this Recipe?
Serve this dish with other appetizers. For a dinner party or special social occasions, I recommend the following recipes.
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Crostini
Easy and the best Crostini recipe with sour cream, smoked salmon, caviar and dill. Slice and toast Italian bread and assemble with Crostini toppings for the best appetizers.
Ingredients
Crostini Toasts:
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 loaf crusty Italian bread or French baguette sliced into 30 pieces 3/4-inch thick
Crostini Toppings:
- 8 oz. sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 - 6 oz. smoked salmon, sliced into 30 pieces
- 1 oz. American paddlefish caviar
- dill for garnishing
Directions
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1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the Crostini Toasts. Mix the olive oil with salt and ground black pepper. Brush the olive oil mixture on one side of the toast. Arrange the baguette slices on two large rimmed baking sheets.
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2Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly toasted, 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets. You may make Crostini bread one day in advance. Keep in the plastic bag for storing.
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3Crostini Toppings: Combine the sour cream, lemon juice and salt together. Stir to mix well. Spread the sour cream on each piece of the toast. Top with sliced smoked salmon, caviar and garnish with dill. Serve immediately.
Olivia Thurman
You are so creative and you can decorate in a kitchen.
I have made a lot of your recipes and I’m just a 11 year old kid.❤
Rasa Malaysia
Hi Olivia, you are awesome, you are just 11 years old!! Please try more recipes on my site: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-index-gallery/
Mei Lin
so easy to make and my absolute fav now
Brooklyn
Very good it is nice to see a recipe that is nice and simple and right.I use sundried tomatoe feta and it is very nice stick w/virgin olive oil.Absoutely refreshing in the summer days.Thanks for the recipe.
Savannah
Crostini is the perfect solution! They look perfect and there are so many topping options!
Emmett
Quick! Easy! Yummy! Instead of rolling the bread in the cheese I just placed little piles of it on the bread. It seemed easier and worked okay.
Alexander
You’re a fantastic cook!
Logan
That’s really remarkable.
Michael Goldman
I think that you meant ”Pear” not ”Bear” for a suggested topping Lol ?
Wayne
Looks very good.
Rasa Malaysia
Thanks for your sweet comment!