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If you need a showstopping appetizer for special occasions, try these adorable Tomato Crostini with heart-shaped balloons. Made with crispy baguette slices, herby cream cheese, and bright tomatoes, they’re savory, herbaceous, and simple to prepare with no cooking required.
Set the crostini out for birthday parties, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and other celebrations, too. Or, enjoy them as a simple appetizer with roasted tomato soup or creamy vegetable soup for an easy weekday dinner!
Foolproof to make, these crostini are quick to prepare and always look impressive, making them the perfect last-minute addition to any table.
Tomato Crostini Ingredients
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Baguette: Use a French baguette or ciabatta, as you prefer.
- Butter: I use salted butter to fry the baguette slices, making them super crispy.
- Cream cheese: I like plain full-fat cream cheese.
- Garlic: You’ll need one clove of garlic. Add more if you like.
- Chives: Chop finely for a mild onion flavor.
- Garnish: You need grape tomatoes (the oblong ones), chive stems (for the balloon ‘strings’), and basil leaves (for the balloon tie).
How to Make Tomato Crostini
- Prepare the crostini: Slice the baguette and fry in butter in a pan over medium heat until golden on both sides.
- Prepare the cream cheese mixture: Mix cream cheese, chopped chives, minced garlic, and sea salt to taste.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture onto the crostini.
- Garnish: Halve the grape tomatoes at an angle, then halve each half and pair to make two hearts. Top each crostini with a tomato heart, basil leaf tie, and chive stem string. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Possible Variations
- Baguette: Try sourdough, plain toast, or slices of Italian bread.
- Grape tomatoes: Figs, strawberries, apricots, or blackberries.
- Chives: Shallots, caramelized onion, or parsley.
- Basil: Try cilantro or parsley.
- Cream cheese mixture: Swap for hummus, pesto, herby cream cheese, aioli, creamy goat cheese, or whipped feta.
- Toppings: Drizzle with balsamic glaze or add toasted breadcrumbs for crunch.
Recipe Tip
If you use a larger piece of bread, be sure to add more tomato balloons if there’s extra space.
How to Store Leftovers
Keep leftover crostini in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy within 1 day.
FAQs
You can prepare the cream cheese mixture, toppings, and crostini a few hours in advance (reheat them in a toaster). Wait to assemble until shortly before serving.
Absolutely. Toast them until golden brown. You can even roast them in the oven on a baking sheet.
Marinate diced tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and honey in a bowl for 10 minutes. Season well, then top the tomato bruschetta with fresh basil.
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Tomato Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 9 slices baguette
- 100 grams cream cheese, plain
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped
- sea salt, to taste
- 5 grape tomatoes
- 9 chive stems
- 9 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Add the butter to a medium-high pan.
- When the butter is bubbly, top with the baguette slices.
- Fry the slices until golden and crisp, then turn over until the other side is golden brown.
- Allow the crostini to cool.
- Mix cream cheese, minced garlic, chopped chives, and a pinch of sea salt to taste.
- Top the crostini with the cream cheese mixture.
- Cut the grape tomatoes at a slant down the middle. Halve each half and match the two pairs together to make two hearts.
- Fold a basil leaf and place it on the crostini, followed by a tomato heart.
- Wrap a chive stem carefully around your finger to get it to curl slightly and then place it under the balloon.
- Serve.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
