Simple Garlic Crostini

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Garlic crostini is a delicious Italian crusty bread that anyone can make with just a few simple ingredients! Made with just baguette bread, olive oil, and garlic, if you've got five minutes to spare then you can make this simple and delicious crostini.

What is Crostini

Crostini is an Italian way of preparing bread (although other cultures have their own version too) which involves slicing bread into strips, adding olive oil to the bread and then toasting it up either under the broiler or on a pan.

The end result is a perfectly crunchy bread, both top and bottom that makes a great sturdy dipping implement or a base for more toppings. I love using this crostini recipe as a dipper and as a base for other toppings.

This garlic crostini recipe is my go-to crostini recipe and one that goes so well with so many dishes. There really isn't much that I can think of that doesn't taste better with this tasty, crunchy and delicious garlic-rubbed crostini.

It is so simple to make and the rewards with its taste will be evident at the first bite.

Ingredients you will need

You only need a couple of ingredients to make this simple garlic crostini.

Baguette bread. You can also use ciabatta bread or rustic Italian bread. Try to find good quality bread.
Olive oil
Fresh garlic
Kosher salt

How to make garlic crostini

Making the garlic crostini takes just minutes to do and only a couple of steps. Here is what it looks like:

Slice the bread into ¼-inch slices and place on a sheet pan. Depending on what I am serving the crostini with, I decide what shape to slice the bread. If I am dipping the garlic crostini in soup, I slice it at a little bit of an angle so I can hold the tips while I dunk the crostini. If I am serving the crostini as a side dish, I cut the slices of bread a bit more even in shape.
Brush the tops off the bread with the olive oil.
Place under the broiler for about 2-4 minutes until it starts to get a golden color.
Remove from the oven then flip the bread over and cook the other side until golden.

Once the crostini are nice and crisp, remove them from the oven and flip back over so the side brushed with olive oil is facing up.
Take a clove of garlic and rub the garlic over the top of the bread. The garlic when scraped over the crisp crostini sticks to the bread.

The process of rubbing the garlic over the hot bread is what makes this crostini so amazing. This is why it is important to use only fresh garlic when making garlic crostini.

My favorite ways to serve crostini

The possibilities are endless with this crostini recipe! Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this:

Dipping into sauces. We make whole meals out of bread and sauce. Our favorites to pair with this are our Easy Marinara sauce.
Serving with soup. Try adding this crostini as a side for Pasta Fagiole.
As a side for pasta! Every good pasta meal can be improved with some bread.

FAQS

Is Crostini supposed to be hard?

Crostini should be very crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. To make the best crostini, you want to start with fresh bread which will ensure your crostini are not too hard.

Are crostini served hot or cold?

Crostini are best served right away after making them. They are usually served hot or warm. The longer crostini sit out the quicker they will toughen up and not be as good.

More Recipes Like This

Easy Homemade Flatbread
Balsamic Strawberries and Goat Cheese Crostini
Creamy Tomato Soup with Cheesy Crostini

Print Recipe

5 from 5 votes

Garlic crostini is a delicious Italian crusty bread that anyone can make with just a few simple ingredients! Made with just baguette bread, olive oil, and garlic.

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time7

Servings: slices

Author: Melissa Oleary

Ingredients

1 large baguette bread
¼ cup of olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat your broiler.
Slice up your baguette either straight across or at a slight angle making pieces of bread that are about ¼ inch thick.
1 large baguette bread
Place your bread on a large baking sheet.
Brush the tops of your bread with the olive oil (or drizzle the oil if you have a narrow spout on your olive oil).
¼ cup of olive oil
Place under the broiler until it is nicely browned but not burned, about 1-2 minutes.
Take out of the broiler and carefully flip the bread over and place back under the broiler to brown the other side (another 1-2 minutes).
Once both sides have been browned, take out of the broiler and rub the oiled tops of the bread with the garlic.
1 garlic clove
Once you have done this to all the bread, sprinkle the salt over your bread.
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Keep doing this until all of the bread has been lightly salted.
Enjoy!

Nutrition