Food & Cooking Recipes Appetizers 25 Easy Crostini and Bruschetta Recipes By Kelly Vaughan Kelly Vaughan Kelly is a former associate digital food editor for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 19, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Marcus Nilsson Crostini and bruschetta are two appetizers that are guaranteed to please time and time again. The bread—typically smaller slices of baguette or loaf bread for crostini and larger slices of rustic bread for bruschetta—acts as a built-in plate, making them the perfect finger food. They're easy to prepare and provide a base for all kinds of seasonal vegetables, fruit jam, smoked fish, briny condiments, and lots and lots of cheese. These quick and easy appetizer recipes make elevating a meal—even on weeknights—a breeze. All crostini and bruschetta recipes start with good bread. Slices of baguette, pumpernickel, or a rustic country bread are drizzled with olive oil and baked in the oven or grilled until they're golden brown on the outside but still soft on the inside. From here, some are smeared with cheese—creamy ricotta, tangy, crumbly goat cheese, or even shreds of Manchego, Parmesan, or sharp cheddar. Add vegetables, whether grilled slices or thin shavings of raw produce, or fruit (figs are fantastic!). Then sprinkle with fresh herbs for color and fragrant flavor and dig in. During summer, there's nothing like tomato-topped bruschetta. We have recipes that call for both raw tomatoes, where the color and flavor of heirloom varieties shine, as well as grilled tomatoes, which bring a smoky, charred flavor. Pair with garlic and basil, of course, for a quintessential Italian recipe. To ensure that the bread doesn't get soggy from the juicy tomatoes, toast the bread for a few extra minutes so that it's extra-crispy, a hallmark of bruschetta. When the cooler months come around, top crostini or bruschetta with seasonal fruit like kumquats or persimmons or a warm caramelized onion jam. Play around with flavors and textures with these fun and simple recipes. 01 of 25 Roasted-Garlic Toast with Tomato Lennart Weibull Thinly sliced Campari tomatoes and mashed garlic confit top baked rustic bread for an umami-packed bruschetta bite. View Recipe 02 of 25 Mortadella, Artichoke-Heart, and Olive Crostini Meredith Jenks Salty and sophisticated, this crostini brings together mortadella, a cured meat studded with pistachios and black pepper, oil-packed anchovy fillets, artichoke hearts, and pitted black olives. Together, they make for an unstoppable crostini. View Recipe 03 of 25 Beets with Greens and Ricotta on Toast GENTL & HYERS A timeless treat, ricotta crostini is taken to the next level by topping each slice with beets sprinkled with ground coffee (yes really!), plus thinly sliced garlic and sautéed beet greens. View Recipe 04 of 25 Smoked Trout Pâté on Toasted Baguette Burcu Avsar Making trout pâté for this appetizer is so easy. Simply combine cream cheese, minced shallot, lemon juice, chives, and smoked trout, then spread the pâté on toasted baguette slices. View Recipe 05 of 25 Persimmon and Brie Crostini Bryan Gardner Toasted baguette slices, gooey melted Brie, sweet persimmons, and freshly cracked pepper—our mouths are watering just thinking about taking a bite of these little toasts. Fortunately, they only take 10 minutes to make! View Recipe 06 of 25 Zucchini Bruschetta Aaron Dyer A perfect summer bite! Tender zucchini sautéed in butter with shallots and red-pepper flakes makes a succulent bruschetta topping. View Recipe 07 of 25 Cherry and Goat Cheese Bruschetta Aaron Dyer Take cherries on a spin by pairing them with tangy goat cheese and fresh thyme in this sweet-meets-savory bruschetta recipe. View Recipe 08 of 25 Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta Gabriela Herman Top grilled garlic-rubbed bread with a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes along with thinly sliced red onion and plenty of fresh basil for the ultimate summer appetizer. View Recipe 09 of 25 Clams Casino Crostini Katherine Wolkoff The classic seafood dish—featuring fresh clams, minced garlic, bacon, and plenty of herbs—is transformed into a tasty, briny, and crusty appetizer. View Recipe 10 of 25 Roasted Grape and Burrata Crostini Gabriela Herman Upgrade supermarket grapes by roasting them until sizzling and blistered. Serve with creamy burrata cheese for a heavenly appetizer that no one will be able to stop eating. View Recipe 11 of 25 New Caesar Salad Raymond Hom Serving Caesar salad on crostini (think of them as bigger croutons!) is a genius idea. Vinegary white anchovies give the toasts an extra flavor kick. View Recipe 12 of 25 Chicken-Liver Crostini with Quince Jelly Make your own chicken liver mousse (it's easier than you think!), then spread it over toasted baguette slices with Quince Jelly for these sophisticated crostini. View Recipe 13 of 25 Cucumber-Feta Toasts Looking for a refreshing vegetarian appetizer? Try topping toasted baguette slices with lemony feta and crisp cucumber slices. View Recipe 14 of 25 Grilled Pepper Bruschetta Toss flame-kissed peppers and juicy cherry tomatoes with briny capers, red-wine vinegar, and olive oil for a flavor-packed toast topping. Finish with shaved Parmesan. View Recipe 15 of 25 Spinach Pesto on Sardine Crostini Seeking healthy finger food? Look no further than these protein-packed toasts. The meaty sardines are a great foil for garlicky spinach pesto and sweet currants. View Recipe 16 of 25 Ricotta Crostini Creamy ricotta cheese makes a delicious base for all kinds of crostini. Try drizzling with olive oil and cracked pepper or top with tomato-anchovy salad or roasted broccoli rabe. View Recipe 17 of 25 Minted Pea and Prosciutto Crostini Mint pairs beautifully with the sweetness of bright green peas in this crostini. Prosciutto is just icing on the crostini. View Recipe 18 of 25 Melted Chocolate with Fleur de Sel Bruschetta Luxurious melted chocolate covers crunchy toast in this bruschetta recipe that's just right for a sweet snack or dessert. View Recipe 19 of 25 Prosciutto, Melon, and Balsamic Vinegar Bruschetta The classic pairing of sweet melon and salty prosciutto is enhanced by a splash of good-quality balsamic vinegar in this bruschetta recipe. View Recipe 20 of 25 Charred Carrot Bruschetta with Goat Cheese and Parsley This colorful bruschetta recipe is topped with a mashup of roasted, charred carrots and tangy goat cheese. View Recipe 21 of 25 Fava Bean, Mint, and Pecorino Romano Bruschetta A hint of spice from crushed red pepper complements the fava beans in this bruschetta recipe. View Recipe 22 of 25 Crostini with Kale and Parmesan Cooking kale until it's wilted and soft gives a nice texture contrast to the crunch of the toasted baguette and shaved Parmesan for an all-around delicious crostini recipe. View Recipe 23 of 25 Grilled Tomato Bruschetta The soft, charred tomatoes and the bread for this bruschetta recipe can both be cooked on the grill. View Recipe 24 of 25 Pesto-Bocconcini Crostini This crostini recipe comes together in a flash with the help of store-bought ingredients like prepared pesto and bocconcini (bite-sized balls of mozzarella). View Recipe 25 of 25 Gravlax and Cucumber Crostini Frederic Lagrange Like a bite-size smoked salmon and cucumber tea sandwich! Dijon mayo and plenty of fresh dill round out the flavors in this easy appetizer. View Recipe Was this page helpful? 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