Sourdough Crostini [use up stale sourdough bread]

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Sourdough crostini is a simple recipe to use up stale or leftover sourdough bread - and it's perfect for using up excess sourdough baguettes.

Originating from Italy, crostini means "little toasts". It sounds so much better in Italian, right?

You just need olive oil, salt and leftover sourdough to make these gourmet treats that will be the hero of your next charcuterie board.

You'll need some leftover or stale sourdough baguettes or sourdough bread to make these simple sourdough crostini.

Some other uses for stale sourdough bread include sourdough bread pudding and sourdough croutons.

Sourdough Crostini are laid in a line through the middle of a charcuterie board featuring cheese, olives, relish, fresh fruit and vegetables and dried fruits and nuts.

What Bread To Use For Sourdough Crostini?

Leftover 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!

The best thing about this recipe is that even if the sourdough is stale and hard, it will still make delicious crostini!

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!

Never throw that leftover or stale bread away ever again!

Here's how to make the best sourdough crostini:

Preheat your oven to 350F/180C.
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 30 minutes or until each slice is crunchy and golden.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Process of making sourdough crostini from slicing baguettes, drizzling with olive oil and baking.

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, crispy apple, green tomato relish, dried fruits and nuts ... 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 whipped ricotta on to make whipped ricotta sourdough crostini!
Serve as the perfect accompaniment to a hearty winter soup.
Use them instead of crackers when you want to enjoy cheese.
Serve them as part of a charcuterie board or cheese platter.
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!
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, basil leaves and drizzle with olive oil!

Close up of sourdough crostini topped with vintage cheddar and relish. You can see a charcuterie board in the background with olives, chese and grapes and apple.

How Long Do Sourdough Crostini Last?

If baked until crispy, sourdough crostini will last for a few weeks stored in an air tight container. 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

What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta?

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!

Is crostini always made using sourdough bread?

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!

What is the difference between toast and 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.

Can you make sourdough crostini in an air fryer?

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.