Italian Crostini
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You’ll love these crispy, golden, and fragrant Italian crostini. They require only a few pantry staples, a skillet, and less than 15 minutes to make.
They are perfect for your favorite soups, salads, cheese, you name it!
I’ve been thinking of sharing this simple toasted crostini recipe for quite a while now, as I’ve been making it regularly for ages.
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In my household, we love them so much that we would be more than happy to eat them every day with literally everything, from lettuce salad to chickpea soup to bean soup. I meant everything.
My mum used to make crostini this way, too: no oven, only a skillet, extra virgin olive oil, ciabatta bread, dried Italian herbs, and a pinch of salt.
They’re a breeze to make, deliciously crispy, and packed with so much flavor.
Despite plenty of crostini recipes online, I thought this ridiculously easy recipe was worth a try. Once you try it, I’m pretty sure you’ll be making it again and again.
Now grab your Italian herbs, ciabatta bread, and good extra virgin olive oil, and let’s make Italian crostini to jazz up your everyday meals!
List of the ingredients
- Ciabatta or baguette
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Italian herb seasoning
- Salt & chili flakes (optional)
How to make Italian crostini
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Slice the ciabatta bread. Spray or brush one side of the slices with the olive oil. Sprinkle with Italian herb seasoning and salt.
- Toast them in a greased skillet or pan for 5 minutes.
- Turn them upside down and keep cooking for about 3 minutes. Done!
Recipe Notes
ingredients & substitutions.
Bread: We use fresh or stale ciabatta bread, but baguette or any good sourdough bread works for the recipe.
Extra virgin olive oil: It’s an essential ingredient for a delicious, nutty flavor. I don’t recommend using any other vegetable oil here. No canola, no avocado oil, nothing else, only olive oil or extra virgin olive oil.
Herbs, salt & chili flakes: Italian herb seasoning adds delicious, aromatic notes, but you can create your own herb blend by mixing dried basil, thyme, and oregano. Add chili flakes to taste if you wish, and season with salt.
How to enjoy Italian crostini
First things first, they go with any soups that come out of your kitchen. But they are also delicious with any Italian appetizer, such as sun-dried tomato spread, baked ricotta, or a simple white bean dip. We also LOVE them with salads like this cannellini bean soup, bean salad, or cabbage salad.
Storage Tips
Crostini can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days, but when it’s time to serve, pop them into a preheated oven (300F/150C) for a few minutes until warm and crispy again.
More crusty bread you’ll love!
Here are a few brilliant recipes to make irresistible, crispy bread perfect to pair with your meals!
- Easy panini bread
- Black pepper focaccia
- Stovetop croutons
- Garlic crostini
- Easy no-knead focaccia
- Garlic bread
If you make Italian crostini or have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it. I would love to hear from you!
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Italian Crostini
Ingredients
- 10 ciabatta slices (or baguette)
- 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tablespoon Italian herb seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Slice the ciabatta bread and cut 1 cm / ½-inch thick, ideally on the diagonal.
- Brush or spray only one side of the bread slices with about 3 teaspoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with the herbs.
- Grease a pan or skillet with the remaining olive oil, heat over medium heat, and add the bread slices, herbed side down. Cook for 5 minutes or until the herbed sides turn lightly crisp and the edges golden.
- Turn the bread upside down and cook for a further 3 minutes. The other sides don't need to be brushed with oil.
- Remove the crostini from the pan and serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy.
