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Who doesn’t love a golden, crisp crostini? A crostini is a good crusty bread (like a typical French baguette) brushed with olive oil, toasted in the oven, on a stovetop with a pan, or on the grill to perfection. I love that crunch and crackle it makes as you bite into It. How it shatters and breaks between my teeth, offering a good sturdy opposition to that the perfect topping of a creamy spread, dip, or fresh veg.

The word crostini means “little crusts” in Italian. Many people, I find, typically associate a crostini with party appetizers or cheese plates, but you don’t have to throw a party to enjoy these. Oh, no. In fact, this tomato, basil, mozzarella, and avocado crostini recipe is one I make quite often for dinner.

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This recipe truly reflects more of a bruschetta feel. Lazy summer days that beg for moving slowly and snacking often. Chop tomatoes, slices of avocado, and mozzarella cheese. What more could a girl ask for???

This is one I love to make on the grill as well!

Crostinis with melted mozzarella and topped with basil and left over "dressing" from tomatoes.

What Ingredients Go Into this Crostini Recipe?

extra virgin olive oil – I recommend extra virgin olive oil but regular olive oil will work, just not that depending on the robust flavor you choose, it be more prominent in the tomato mixture. If you enjoy that robust flavor, by all means, use it.

fresh garlic – you are going to rub the crostini with the garlic clove, so powdered will not work for this.

fresh tomatoes – Use whatever tomatoes are freshly growing around you at the time. I love cherry tomatoes for this because they are a little sweeter. but if you’re growing beef steak, use those.

balsamic vinegar – An essential ingredient for that bruschetta taste. Trust me when I say… “you need” it, don’t skip it.

kosher salt – You can use regular salt as a replacement if you don’t have or can’t find kosher salt.

black pepper – It helps bring out the flavors along with the salt.

basil ribbons – Fresh basil like the balsamic vinegar is essential for this recipe. you really can’t skip it.

french bread – it’s what makes a crostini a crostini.

fresh mozzarella – This is highly recommended, but shredded brick mozzarella is fine if you that’s what you can find. Melting is not required, but highly recommended. It gives it more of a pizza-like quality.

Jenn’s Notes:

The tomato mixture gets better as it sits for a bit, so I encourage you to that up ahead of time.

The basics of how to make your Crostini

Rub a raw garlic clove on the freshly toasted bread (It should still be hot).

Pile the tomato mixture onto the toasted bread.

Top with mozzarella melt under the broiler if you choose.

Enjoy bite after juicy-gooey bite.

avocado slices on finished toasted crostinis

tomato mixture on top of the avocado and crostinis.

fresh mozzarella slices on top of the crostinis.

Cooking with Kids

DISCLOSURE: These tips are generalized, and meant to be suggestive. Everything I’m sharing I do with my kids, and they are all different even within my own five. So please take these as suggestions or ideas and if you think your child needs more or less help, then go with what you and your child are comfortable with. Ultimately, you know your kids, do what YOU think is best.

This is fantastic for kids to help with

measuring ingredients
pouring all the ingredients for the tomato mxture into the bowl
mixing all the ingredients
scooping and placing tomato mixture on the toast
placing avocado and/or mozzarella onto the tomatoes

*The toast is very hot when it comes off the pan, I do not recommend kids doing that job.*

A Few More Great Summer Recipes to Try

Here are a few of my favorite summer/picnic/BBQ go-to recipes

Did you try it, have questions?

Your feedback is highly appreciated. Kindly share your thoughts in the comments section and don’t forget to rate the recipe, it’s tremendously helpful.

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Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella, and Avocado Crostini

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Author: Jenn Giam Smith
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 people 1x

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Description

The Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella, and Avocado Crostini encompasses all the great things that scream summer! Bread, cheese, avocado, tomatoes & garlic. Enjoy!

Instructions

Start by whisking the Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Salt & Pepper together into a dressing. Add the Cherry Tomatoes, about 1/2 of the Basil, parsley (I like to use a mixture of flat-leaf and curly-leaf), and oregano. Mix together.
Let that sit. While you start the rest.
Begin with a cast iron pan and turn the burner to medium heat. While the pan is heating, slice the baguette on a diagonal and brush all the slices with Extra Virgin Olive Oil on both sides. Place the bread on the pan for about 3-5 minutes until the side down is crisped and lightly browned then flip over to brown the other side. While the bread is browning, take a garlic clove and cut the bottom so that you can rub the garlic on the bread when it comes off the pan. Now would also be a good time to pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
When the other side is browned, take the bread off the pan and begin to rub the garlic on the side that was most recently browned (this causes the garlic to “melt” onto the bread making it garlic flavor “stick” to it). Be careful, the slices are hot.
Once all the slices have been rubbed add the next batch of bread to the pan. While these are browning thinly slice the avocado and place the slices on the bread that already has the garlic on it. Continue this rotation on flipping the bread, rubbing with garlic, and placing the avocado until all are done.
Once all the bread is done and has avocado on it, add 2 tomato slices per crostini. (save the dressing for the end)
Then slice and place the fresh mozzarella cheese. See the plan ones at the bottom (those are basically mini cheese garlic bread and our favorite as well for my family with pasta).
Once all the cheese is topped, place in the oven under the broiler on low for about 5-18 minutes or when the cheese is melted.
Take out of the oven, drizzle with the reserved dressing, and top with the remaining basil
Plate and serve.