Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini Appetizer

A quick Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini appetizer made with sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, pepper, and ricotta served over crispy crostini pieces. These little bites are packed with flavor and make a great speedy snack, light lunch, or crowd-pleasing appetizer.

Recently I started reading a book called Flavor. Just a few pages in, it seems to be an intriguing look at how our perception of taste works, and how we can use that to our advantage to appreciate food. It also goes into how you can use this knowledge to improve your cooking and culinary creativity.

Now that’s my type of reading. One thing it mentioned early on is how certain ingredients and taste profiles can enhance the flavors of other foods. This Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini recipe highlights that fact with a perfect pairing. Plus it’s ready and minutes and a perfect salty, savory and cheesy addition to your party appetizer menu. Another healthy appetizer recipe you might consider is my Greek Salad Pita Nachos

Ingredients for Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini

• Sun-dried tomatoes: When tomatoes are dried their flavor intensifies and concentrates. It can be used in sauce recipes like Walnut and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto. The salty, deep flavor works perfectly with the light, creamy ricotta cheese. You could also use my easy Oven Dried Tomatoes.
• Fresh Basil: Make sure to use fresh basil as it’s much more flavorful and fragrant than dried.
• Garlic: Don’t substitute with garlic powder. You want a fresh, pungent garlic hit (it makes all the difference).
• Ricotta: Creamy and fresh it balances out the other bold flavors.
• Crostini pieces: Crispy and light. You could also use crusty bread cut into slices and lightly toasted.

What is the difference between crostini and bruschetta?

Crostini and bruschetta are both of Italian origin and both consist of toasted bread topped with a savory topping the main difference between them is the bread used.

Bruschetta like my Steak Bruschetta is usually made with charred bread since it comes from the Italian word Bruscare (to roast over hot coals) whereas crostini (which means little toasts) is typically served with a smaller round sliced bread similar to a baguette.

How to make Ricotta Crostini appetizers

• Start with drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. Blend with fresh basil leaves and garlic in a food processor to create the rich and colorful topping.
• Place over soft, creamy ricotta atop crunchy crostini bread. The combination of texture makes these bite-sized Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini even more unique.

Pro tip: Make sure you use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, as they will help bind everything together and create the proper consistency. You can also use these sun-dried tomatoes in Sun Dried Tomato Black Bean Hummus for another healthy appetizer recipe.

You can also make this with my Oven Dried Tomatoes. Just be sure to add a bit of extra olive oil to the mixture.

Tips for making a crostini appetizer

• You can make the toppings ahead of time and keep them in the fridge to top the crostini last minute
• For this recipe make sure to use fresh basil, don’t substitute dried
• The same thing with fresh garlic, substituting garlic powder will not provide optimal flavor
• Use store-bought crostini to make this recipe easy. Plus they’re a perfect size and have a great crunch. However, you could also use toasted sliced French bread.

Unique pairing ideas for these Ricotta Crostinis

Normally cheeses, as mentioned in the Simple Cheese Pairings, are paired with wine,  and this works well for this Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini. For a unique twist, I suggest your favorite cold beer. One with a bit of boldness or hoppiness. Have you ever wondered why peanuts or other salty snacks are often served with beer?

Besides the satiety factor, saltiness covers the bitter undertone that’s common in beer. Bitterness isn’t a bad thing, and one of the things that makes beer what it is. However, the salt helps bring out all the other flavors in the beer, similar to how you’d pair cheese and wine.

Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini recipe at-a-glance

Flavor profiles: Rich, savory and umami flavors.
Texture: Creamy ricotta and tomato spread over crispy crostini.

More delicious party appetizers you might like:

• Mini Parmesan Spinach Phyllo Cup Appetizers
• Creamy Spinach Stuffed Flank Steak Pinwheels
• Slow Cooker Chorizo Queso Dip
• Creamy Rice and Crab Dip Appetizer
• Black Bean Hummus Monster
• Mexican Street Corn Salad
• Greek Turkey Pita Burgers
• Pumpkin Cheese Ball
• Cheesy Hot Dog Tartlets
• Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna Bites
• Slow Cooker Carolina Pulled Pork Sliders

Want to make your own sun-dried tomatoes? Try this recipe with my Oven Dried Tomatoes.

Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini Appetizer

Written by Matt | Plating Pixels

Sun-dried tomato, basil, garlic, pepper and ricotta over crispy crostini pieces.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

Servings 25

Calories 126 kcal

Equipment

• Food processor
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup oven dried tomatoes or drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 20 to 30 crostini pieces

Instructions

 

• Place sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until combined, about 15 seconds.
• Spread ricotta evenly over crostini pieces and top with sun-dried tomato mixture before serving.

Notes

• You can make the toppings ahead of time and keep them in the fridge to top the crostini last minute
• For this recipe make sure to use fresh basil and garlic, don't substitute dried
• The same thing with fresh garlic, substituting garlic powder will not provide optimal flavor
• Use store-bought crostini to make this recipe easy. Plus they're the perfect size and have a great crunch. However, you could also use toasted sliced French bread.

Nutrition Facts

Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini Appetizer

Amount per Serving

Calories

126

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

3

g

5

%

Saturated Fat

 

1

g

6

%

Cholesterol

 

8

mg

3

%

Sodium

 

245

mg

11

%

Potassium

 

126

mg

4

%

Carbohydrates

 

17

g

6

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

0

g

0

%

Protein

 

5

g

10

%

Vitamin A

 

185

IU

4

%

Vitamin C

 

4.8

mg

6

%

Calcium

 

65

mg

7

%

Iron

 

1.2

mg

7

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword easy ricotta crostini, sun dried tomato crostini, tomato ricotta crostini

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