Crostini Appetizers – 4 Ways

Special occasions and fun gatherings call for delicious food. I love pulling together a variety of appetizers for parties, instead of a four-course meal. It makes socializing easier when you can grab a plate and mill around a room, visiting with friends and family while nibbling on various foods.

Crostini Appetizers are perfect for gatherings because they can be topped with so many different tasty things, and are great served at room temperature. I concocted four different crostini, layered in a similar fashion.

• Bread – Start with any type of crusty bread. I often use my Mom’s Chewy French Bread (that I keep in the freezer) or some sourdough. Using store-bought bread is fine too.
• A Spread – Top the bread with some sort of cheese or in this case, some fresh avocado. I used goat cheese, cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and mashed avocado (mixed with lime juice).
• Toppings – Add a variety of toppings, like meats, jams, fruit, tomatoes, etc. I used salami, prosciutto, bacon, shrimp, fig jam, apricot preserves, and olives. Tailor it to what you like best!

To prepare the bread:

• Slice and bake. Using a serrated edge knife, slice the bread into thin slices. Make sure you use a nice crusty bread that holds up well to toppings. Pour some olive oil into a small dish, and lightly brush it on both sides of the bread. Lay it on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, and then flip and repeat on the other side.
• Add garlic. When bread is browned, take the peeled garlic clove and rub it on one side of the bread. This will infuse the garlic flavor into the bread.

Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Crostini with Apricot Preserves

• Crusty Bread – Any crusty bread works. Slice it on the thinner side.
• Goat Cheese – One of my fav kinds of cheese!
• Apricot Preserves – This is the perfect sweet to balance the other flavors.
• Prosciutto – Easily found in the deli section of your store.

To assemble: Top the prepared bread with softened goat cheese, apricot preserves, and prosciutto. I recommend letting the cheese sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature.

Bacon Ricotta Crostini with Fig Jam

• Crusty Bread – Any crusty bread works. Slice it on the thinner side.
• Ricotta Cheese – I like to add a drizzle of olive oil and some s&p for best flavor.
• Fig Jam – SO good, and you can use it for your breakfast toast too.
• Bacon – Save some time and buy pre-cooked, if desired.

To assemble: Top the prepared bread with softened ricotta cheese, fig jam, and bacon. I recommend letting the cheese sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature.

Salami Cream Cheese Crostini with Olives

• Crusty Bread – Any crusty bread works. Slice it on the thinner side.
• Cream Cheese – Let this come to room temp for easier spreading.
• Salami – Slice it thin or use full slices.
• Black Olives – You can use any olive you like.

To assemble: Top the prepared bread with softened cream cheese, olives, and salami. I recommend letting the cheese sit on the counter until it comes to room temperature.

Shrimp Avocado Crostini

• Crusty Bread – Any crusty bread works. Slice it on the thinner side.
• Avocado – Mash the avocado and add a squeeze of lime juice plus some salt.
• Shrimp – You can use pre-cooked or sauté your own (my preference).

To assemble: Top the prepared bread with smashed avocado and sautéed shrimp. The avocado will eventually brown, even with the lime juice, so prep these right before party time.

Other delicious party appetizers:

• Homemade Pretzel Bites
• Crazy Good Corn Dip
• Bacon Wrapped Dates with Goat Cheese
• Classic Deviled Eggs

Kitchen Tools used for this recipe: (Affiliate Links)

• Bread Knife, 10-Inch
• Non-Slip Cutting Board
• USA Pan Half Sheet Pan

Please let know if you try this recipe. Be sure to comment and leave a review on the blog so I can see what you think. You can also like my Facebook Page, follow me on Pinterest, and catch me on Instagram.

xoxo ~Sue