Garlic Crostini
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Crispy, flavorful and easy to make, these garlic crostini are great on their own and taste amazing with cheese, roasted veggies, dips, and so forth.
They only have four ingredients and come together in no time.
This easy crostini recipe proves that sometimes less is more, and you can make a crowd-pleasing appetizer with just a handful of basic ingredients.
It’s also super economical and extremely versatile.
In Italy we usually serve garlic butter crostini with anchovies, this is truly an Italian classic to enjoy as an appetizer, a wonderful accompaniment to a glass of white wine.
But truth be told, everything tastes just so much better when you have golden garlic crostini on the side.
Serve them with cheese platters, olives, marinated mozzarella, sun dried tomato paste just to name a few, or simply enjoy them with soups and salads.
They are incredible!
Just grab a baguette, garlic, butter and salt and let’s make garlic crostini for a crowd!
List of the ingredients
- Baguette or ciabatta bread
- Fresh garlic
- Butter or extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Herbs & chili flakes (optional)
How to make garlic crostini
(Note: this is a quick description, the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Slice the baguette on the diagonal.
- Toast the bread slices on a grilled pan or in the oven until golden and crispy.
- Mix the soft butter, grated garlic and salt until well combined.
- Brush crostini with the butter and garlic mixture while they’re still warm.
- To make them fancier and more flavorful, I would recommend topping your crostini with chopped fresh parsley or dried oregano, thin slices of garlic and a pinch of chili flake or salt flakes. Enjoy!
Recipe notes
Ingredients & substitutions
Bread: French baguette or ciabatta are the best options here. Crostini are meant to be canapés, the slices should be tiny, golden and crispy.
Butter: the melt butter makes these garlic crostini rich, full of flavor and delicious. But extra virgin olive oil makes a great substitution if you wish.
Garlic: I use 1 tablespoon of grated garlic for 8 servings. It might sound a lot, but it’s what you need to make “garlicky” crostini . However, feel free to use less (or more!) garlic if you like.
Herbs, chili flakes & sea salt flakes: they are optional, but add extra flavor and make these grilled crostini pretty too!
Storage tips
You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days, but when it’s time to serve, pop them into preheated oven (300F/150C) for a few minutes until warm and crispy again.
How to serve garlic crostini
They will be wonderful with appetizers such as sun dried tomato spread, baked ricotta or a simple white bean dip. I also LOVE them with soups and salads like this cannellini bean soup, vegan potato soup or grapefruit salad.
Love more appetizer recipes?
I’ve got you covered with these wonderful appetizers and finger food:
- Party food ideas
- Vegan appetizers
- Vegetarian appetizers
- Dairy-free appetizers
- Summer appetizer
- Dip sauces
Lastly, check out this terrific roundup of 40+ Italian appetizers, it’s perfect to create an Italian-style get togethers with colorful caprese skewers, chickpeas bruschetta, marinated mozzarella, Italian focaccia, breadsticks, Italian rice balls and more!
If you make this easy garlic crostini, or you have a question, let me know by leaving a comment. I would love to hear from you! x
Garlic Crostini
Ingredients
- 8 baguette or ciabatta, slices
- 1 tablespoon butter or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
To serve (optional)
- thin slices of garlic
- chopped fresh parsley or dried oregano
- chili flakes
Instructions
- Slices the baguette, cut 0.5cm / 1/4-inch thick, ideally on the diagonal.
- Preheat the grilled pan on the stove, or alternatively preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F.
- Toast the bread slices on each side if using the grilled pan, or arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet than bake for about 8-10 minutes. You'll want your crostini slightly golden and crispy.
- Meanwhile, place the soft butter in a small bowl along with the grated garlic, and the salt. Mix them thoroughly until well combined (if it doesn't look smooth is fine).
- Remove crostini from the stove/oven, brush them with the soft garlic butter mixture while they're still warm so butter melts nicely.
- Sprinkle them with fresh chopped parsley or dried oregano, sea salt flakes and chili flakes work very well too. They're best while they're still warm.
