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.

Ingredients for Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini

• Sun-dried tomatoes: When tomatoes are dried their flavor intensifies and concentrates. The salty, deep flavor works perfectly with the light, creamy ricotta cheese. 
• 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 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.

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 cheese is 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

Leave a comment below and star rating if you made this recipe or want to share your thoughts.

 

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5 from 5 votes

Sun-dried Tomato Ricotta Crostini Appetizer

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

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Italian

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

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Calories 126kcal

Servings 25

Author: Matt Ivan

Did you know? Servings and ingredient amounts can be adjusted on all my recipes. Click the green number above to change.

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup 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 Calories from Fat 27

% Daily Value*

Fat 3g5%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 8mg3%

Sodium 245mg11%

Potassium 126mg4%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 0g0%

Protein 5g10%

Vitamin A 185IU4%

Vitamin C 4.8mg6%

Calcium 65mg7%

Iron 1.2mg7%

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

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