Here’s a tasty, super popular appetizer to add to your repertoire – Easy Avocado Crostini with Balsamic Drizzle. Just 12 minutes to impress your guests.
Crostini, or “little toasts” in Italian, are a great base for a ton of different and easy appetizers. They are semi-crisp with a hint of garlic and easy to manage in two bites. The toppings are endless. I love the avocado, lime, salt, tomato and balsamic combo and it’s perfect for vegetarians.
You can make the balsamic glaze yourself (see Note 1 in the recipe) or you can take a shortcut and use a pre-made Balsamic Reduction from the store. The avocado is mashed with lime, salt and pepper to make a very basic guacamole (this is my favourite way to make guacamole – pure and simple, no additional ingredients needed). From here, you just top with a few tomatoes and drizzle with the balsamic reduction. Sooooo good! The best part is making little designs with the drizzle over the crostini and the plate.
If you’re planning to make these ahead, I suggest drizzling the Balsamic just before serving as it tends to bleed a bit into the avocado if it’s not thick enough.
All in all, just a simple, fresh, healthy appetizer or brunch fare.
Variations
- Don’t like tomatoes? Leave them out. Or substitute with chopped roasted red peppers.
- Add some chopped fresh basil on top of the crostini.
- Use a multigrain baguette or other bread of your choice rather than a french baguette or ciabatta.
Shortcuts
- Buy some ready made guacamole.
- Buy the Balsamic reduction/glaze.
Easy Avocado Crostini with Balsamic Drizzle Recipe
Here's a tasty, super popular appetizer to add to your repertoire - Easy Avocado Crostini with Balsamic Glaze. Just 12 minutes to impress your guests.
- Total Time: 12m
- Serves: 8
- Yield: 16 crostini appetizers
Ingredients
- 1/2 bread (baguette, ciabatta or other)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, cut in half
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 lime
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 12 cherry tomatoes, cut in 4 (or heirloom chopped)
- balsamic glaze (NOTE 1)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
- MAKE THE CRUDITE: Cut 16 slices of baguette sized bread about 1/4-1/2 inch thick (or use larger bread and cut in halves or quarters). Toast in toaster oven until golden brown. (Alternatively grill bread for a minute per side or bake at 375F for about 8 minutes). Bread should be fairly crisp. Brush with olive oil on both sides using pastry brush. Then rub one side of bread with the cut half of a garlic clove.
- MAKE THE AVOCADO: Cut avocado in half. Remove the pit. Scoop out the avocado into a small bowl, discarding the skin. Squeeze in juice of half or three-quarters of a lime sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mash, taste and add more lime and salt as desired. Add pepper to taste.
- ASSEMBLE: Place crostini on a serving platter or wooden board. Divide avocado evenly over crostini and spread. Place a few cherry tomato halves on top. Just before serving, drizzle with Balsamic Glaze. Try a zig zag pattern, drizzling balsamic over crostini and onto platter for a nice presentation.
- NOTE 1: If you can't find a bottle of Balsamic Glaze/Reduction at the store, you can make it bringing to boil a half cup of balsamic vinegar and two tablespoons honey or brown sugar, then reducing heat to a simmer and simmering for about 15 minutes until it reduces by half to a syrup consistency (thick enough to coat the back of a spoon).
Here are 10 Easy Make-Ahead Appetizers to check out as well.
