These Goat Cheese Crostini with creamy goat cheese, a hint of garlic, pepper and sun dried tomatoes is the perfect party appetizer for any event!
We also equally love these smoked salmon crostini when entertaining.
Table of contents
I think crostini is an elegant appetizer you can serve year round! It starts with holiday season in December, then we move on to Easter, then Mother’s Day.
And then during summer months an appetizer like these goat cheese crostini is perfect to keep your kitchen cool and transport to a party.
You will love how easy and budget friendly this delicious finger food is to make!
Ingredients You Will Need
To make goat cheese crostini recipe, you will need only 8 simple ingredients.
- Baguette: Regular baguette, sourdough baguette, whole grain baguette, or gluten free baguette will work. You can use store-bought toasted crostini but of course fresh ones taste best.
- Soft goat cheese: You will need a log of goat cheese not crumbles. Often it is labeled chevre. I used plain goat cheese but feel free to use herbed goat cheese etc. Your log of goat cheese will also have to be softened a bit.
- Fresh garlic: A few cloves of garlic depending how potent it is, how much you love garlic and who you are serving. I don’t recommend to substitute with garlic powder. You can also use extra clove to rub the crostini, see below.
- Sun dried tomatoes: To save time I highly recommend to buy julienned sun dried tomatoes in oil. They are soft and already sliced. Do not use tomatoes in a package because your guests will have a hard time eating crostini appetizer politely.
- Extra virgin olive oil: For brushing onto baguette slices before baking. I would use only olive oil in this recipe as its taste truly shines.
- Ground black pepper: 1 teaspoon might seem like a lot but goat cheese and black pepper are a match made in heaven.
- Salt
- Fresh parsley: For garnish. You can also use any other fresh herbs like fresh basil, fresh thyme leaves or fresh rosemary.
How to Make Goat Cheese Crostini
Making crostini with goat cheese is very easy in a few simple steps. Perfect for last minute entertaining. No need to whip up goat cheese spread in a food processor either!
First you need to toast the baguette, then cool off and top it. There is a full recipe card below.
- Slice baguette: Perfect thickness of bread slices for crostini is 1/4 – 1/2 inch. If you slice it too thin, they won’t be able to hold the toppings. Too thick – crostini becomes all about the bread.
- Season it: Brush with olive oil on both sides and arrange on baking sheet in single layer. Do not drizzle oil on top of bread because you will end up using a lot of it.
- Bake until crispy but soft: Bake at 400 F for about 10 minutes, turning once. You don’t want to overcook crostini because they will be too hard to bite.
I have an in-depth post on how to make crostini with many helpful tips and FAQs answered.
- Cool crostini: You want to completely cool baked crostini before topping. Otherwise, goat cheese will melt as soon as it hits warm surface. Now you can cut large garlic clove in half and rub each crostini with it. So good, if you have time and is optional!
- Make goat cheese mixture: In a small bowl, combine softened goat cheese, grated garlic, salt and pepper. Stir with a fork until well mixed.
- Assemble crostinis: Spread small amount of creamy goat cheese on each toast, then top with 3-4 slices of sun-dried tomatoes and garnish with a parsley sprig. No need to drain tomatoes, I just pull a few with a small fork and drain over the jar for a brief moment.
That’s it!
Tips for Best Results
- Assemble before serving: Do not assemble crostini appetizer too far in advance because toasted bread will lose its crispness and become soggy. Rather see my make ahead instructions below.
- Use day old baguette: Fresh baguette is very soft, hard to slice and will result in misshaped crostini. Use a day or two days old baguette. Luckily, many grocery stores carry just that.
- Toast baguette perfectly: Do not over bake it as crostini will become too hard. Also do not bake on lower than 400 F temperature as bread will dry out inside by the time it crisps up on the outside.
- To soften goat cheese quickly: Leave it at room temperature for about an hour or microwave in 10 seconds increments for about 30 minutes. Unlike cream cheese, goat cheese becomes soft much quicker.
Other Toppings Ideas
Tangy goat cheese mixture is full of so much flavor and is a perfect blank slate for any other simple topping. Here are a few ideas:
- Fresh figs and honey
- Roasted mini peppers
- Fig jam
- Caramelized onions
- Prosciutto and a drizzle of honey
- Grape tomatoes, balsamic glaze and chili flakes
- Sauteed mushrooms and onions
- Tapenade
How to Make Ahead and Store
You can certainly prepare components of goat cheese crostini ahead of time, just make sure to assemble up to an hour before serving.
Make ahead: Prepare goat cheese mixture and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in advance. Just give it a stir when ready to use.
You can also bake crostini toasts for up to 3 days in advance. Just make sure to cool completely, then seal in an airtight container or bag and store in a cool dry place. Do not seal warm crostinis as they will become soggy.
Store leftovers: Cover with plastic wrap on a serving tray and refrigerate for up to 2 days. I did that and honestly they did not become very soggy, if at all. For guests, of course, fresh is best!
FAQs
Do not overbake it and if made ahead, store in an airtight container.
Nuts, fresh fruit, cooked fruit, honey and prosciutto.
Wrap in damp towel and place in preheated oven to 200 F for 5-10 minutes.
More Easy Appetizer Recipes
Goat Cheese Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 baguette cut into 1/4 – 1/2 inch slices
- 2 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin
- 5 ounces goat cheese softened for an hour at room T
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt more for crostini
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 7 ounce jar sun dried tomatoes julienned & in oil
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush baguette slices with oil on both sides, sprinkle with salt and bake for 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- In a medium bowl, add goat cheese, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Arrange cooled crostini on a serving platter. Spread with goat cheese mixture, dividing equally among all crostini. Then top with 3-4 strips of sun dried tomatoes and garnish with parsley. Serve as bite-sized appetizers.
I made these crostini with goat cheese for New Year’s Eve party and they were all gone.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!