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Sourdough crostini is a simple recipe to use up stale or leftover sourdough bread, but of course you can use any loaf of sourdough bread. Originating from Italy, crostini means “little toasts”. It sounds so much better in Italian, right? Whatever you call them, they are an absolute taste sensation!
I make these sourdough crostini so often, mostly so I can put them on a charcuterie board with our favorite dips and call them dinner!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
Simple Way To Impress – seriously, everywhere I take these sourdough crostini, people cannot get enough. They always ask me how I made them! I don’t want to tell them just how simple it is! It is my go-to appetizer! I even make giant crostini using my simple sourdough loaf – everyone loves them!
Use Up Stale Sourdough – I love that I don’t have to let anything go to waste with this recipe!
Can Be Make With Frozen Sourdough – I always have a few loaves of sourdough in the freezer. I know that that if we are invited anywhere last minute, I can pull a loaf out and quickly make crostini so we can show up with something delicious!
Some other uses for stale sourdough bread include sourdough bread pudding and sourdough croutons.
Ingredients
- Sourdough Baguette – Leftover sourdough baguettes make the best sourdough crostini because of their small size. They really do have the best shape when sliced on the diagonal. In saying that, any type of leftover sourdough bread can be turned into crostini. Even flavored sourdough like Jalapeño Cheddar or even Coffee and Date Sourdough Bread!
- Olive Oil
- Salt – I generally use Maldon Flaky Sea Salt.
How To Make Sourdough Crostini
The beauty about this sourdough recipe lies in its simplicity! Good quality ingredients brought together to make something truly special! And of course, you can top your sourdough crostini with whatever you like (I’ve got plenty of ideas!).
Here’s how to make the best sourdough crostini:
Preheat your oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
Slice your sourdough baguette into even slices. I like to make them around 1 cm thick (around half an inch). You can slice them as thick or as thin as you like. Thin slices will crisp up a lot more, whereas thicker slices will stay a little chewy in the middle (that’s how I like them).
Arrange the slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Brush each slice of baguette with some olive oil. Make sure each slice is really well coated.
Sprinkle salt over all of the slices.You could add other herbs and spices at this point if you like – Italian seasoning, garlic granules, fresh rosemary, dried parsley – anything like this adds a lovely flavor.
Place the crostini into the oven and bake for around 20 minutes or until each slice is crunchy and golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
What Do You Eat Crostini With?
These sourdough crostini are so versatile. Honestly, they pair with so many things and in fact, they can take something so humble and elevate it to something sophisticated.
Here are some delicious ways to enjoy sourdough crostini:
- Use them as the centrepiece of a modern Ploughman’s Lunch – aged cheddar cheese, thinly sliced apples, homemade tomato chutney, dried fruits and nuts, crispy vegetables … you get the picture!
- Use them alongside this epic whipped ricotta dip with honey and herbs – it’s so good your guests will be asking for more! You could even pipe the creamy ricotta on to make whipped ricotta sourdough crostini!
- Serve them alongside this zucchini yogurt dip, whipped brie butter or even this roasted vegetable hummus or smooth avocado dip.
- My guests always love eating sourdough crostini with this cranberry pecan cream cheese ball!
- Serve as the perfect accompaniment to a hearty winter soup. I love sprinkling on some parmesan cheese when I serve them alongside soup.
- Use them instead of crackers when you want to enjoy cheese – you’ll always find sourdough crostini on my charcuterie platters, along side some caramelized onion relish!
- Make them into fancy little canapè next time you need to take a plate to a party – top them with cream cheese, smoked salmon and little dill and voila! Or my favorite, whipped honey cream cheese, a piece of fresh fig and a sprig of rosemary.
- Make mini bruschetta – rub a little garlic on the baguette pieces when you brush on the olive oil and then top the crostini with slices of tomato, fresh basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil! You can find my exact sourdough bruschetta recipe here.
How To Store and Freeze
If baked until crispy, sourdough crostini will last for a few weeks stored in an airtight container at room temperature. I prefer to store these in a glass jar (if they even last that long) to ensure they stay crisp. They usually go a bit soft if stored in plastic. If they do go a little soft, you can crisp them up in a warm oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crostini literally means “little toast” in Italian and refers to small slices of bread (usually stale) that have been drizzled in olive oil and baked until crispy. Bruschetta on the other hand refers to a traditional Italian garlic bread, often served with tomato and basil and drizzled with olive oil.
Of course if you want to get creative you can made mini bruschetta using crostini! Super yum!
Crostini can literally be made with any type of bread. However, the delicious airy crumb of sourdough is just perfect for the olive oil and salt to soak into. In my opinion, leftover sourdough baguettes make the best crostini!
Crostini literally mean “little toasts” however the biggest difference between toast and crostini is that toast is generally made in a toaster, without olive oil or salt. Crostini are almost always made in the oven, drizzled in olive oil and salt.
Absolutely you can make sourdough crostini in an air fryer. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do them in a few batches.
Sourdough Crostini
Equipment
- Bread Knife
- Baking Tray
Ingredients
- 1 Sourdough Baguette, (or any type of leftover sourdough bread)
- 100 g Olive Oil
- 10 g Salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
- Slice your sourdough baguette into even slices. I like to make them around 1 cm thick (around half an inch). Try to make them as even as you can.
- Arrange the slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Brush each slice of baguette with some olive oil. Make sure each slice is really well coated.
- Sprinkle salt over all of the slices.You could add other herbs and spices at this point if you like – Italian seasoning, garlic granules, fresh rosemary – anything like this adds a lovely flavor.
- Place the crostini into the oven and bake for around 20 minutes or until each slice is crunchy and golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Rate and comment below!
Is there something you can do with leftover rolls?
You can still apply the same process as crostini to rolls 🙂 They will be yummy! xo
These are great!!! So crispy and tasty!! Love them! Thank you for the recipe!
I’ve been making my own crostini to serve with salad for special occasions for years. I add freshly minced garlic and ground pepper, along with graded Reggiano Parmesan and brush it onto both sides and bake them on a metal rack using the air fryer setting in my Breville toaster oven, keeping a watchful eye and flipping them half way through.
Made the baguettes from your site and they are delicious! Great with your cheeseball!