Pimento Cheese Crostini with Bacon
We’re doing a little fusion of Italian food and the American South today. These delicious little pimento cheese crostini with bacon are an easy and delicious appetizer.
Crostini are crispy little toasts made with a fresh baguette. These are spread with a layer of homemade pimento cheese and topped with crispy bacon bits. Yum!
These are fancy enough for a special occasion but also perfect for a backyard BBQ. Serve them anytime you need to entertain!
Fast, easy, and delicious. Serve these at your next gathering. They’ll disappear quicker’n a cat on a hot tin roof!
What are Crostini?
These little crusts or little toasts are an Italian appetizer made from thinly sliced and toasted bread. They are served with various toppings. Sometimes they’re used as a dipper instead of with toppings already on them. You can bake a batch of crostini and serve it with a single topping or make crostini misti.
We’ll smear them with southern-style pimento cheese and top them with bacon crumbles. They’re a mouthwatering and crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Ingredients
Use a baguette or a loaf of French bread to make the crostini. I always use what is available in the grocery store bakery.
Olive oil for brushing the bread before baking.
Salt sprinkled on the crostini brings out the flavors.
A good quality pimento cheese made with sharp cheddar. I always use my homemade pimento cheese. It’s flavorful, creamy, and not at all gloppy! It takes less than 10 minutes and only needs a few ingredients. I highly recommend you try it. Wink emoji. You can use your favorite store-bought pimento cheese if you don’t want to make your own.
Crispy cooked bacon adds a smoky, savory taste and a little more crispness to the crostini. I always cook bacon in the oven. It’s so easy and doesn’t make a mess!
Variations
Make them vegetarian: Omit the bacon.
Make them spicy: Add diced jalapeno.
Serve them warm: Heat the pimento cheese crostini on a sheet pan, under the broiler, for 1 minute just before serving.
How to Make them
First slice your baguette. A serrated bread knife helps make nice, clean cuts.
Brush the front and back of each slice with olive oil. Then lay them on a baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt.
Toast them until they’re nice and crispy.
Spread the crostini with homemade pimento cheese. Them top them with crispy bacon pieces.
Now try not to eat them all before your guests arrive!
Make Ahead
You can make the pimento cheese and bake the crostini without toppings up to 3 days ahead. Store the plain crostini in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to top and serve. Store the pimento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Serving Tips
- Try them as an appetizer before a main course.
- They make perfect hors d’oeuvres for your cocktail party. These finger foods are a crowd-pleasing addition to any spread.
- They are just as at home at a BBQ or tailgating.
- Serve them as bread with a main course. Serve them like you would garlic bread. They are perfect with soup or a fresh green salad.
More Pimento Cheese
Want more crostini inspiration?
I’ve got you covered with my guide to crostini and crostini misti!
Get the Recipe
PrintPimento Cheese Crostini with Bacon
Crispy little toasts made with a fresh baguette. These crostini are spread with a layer of homemade pimento cheese and topped with bacon.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: about 30 crostini 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- 2 cups pimento cheese
- 6 slices of bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉
- Use a serrated bread knife to slice the bread into ¼ inch slices.
- Lightly brush the front and back of each slice with olive oil. Arrange them on baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
- Bake at 400℉ for 8-10 minutes, until golden and crispy.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before topping.
- Once cooled, spread each piece of crostini with a thin layer of pimento cheese. Then sprinkle with bacon bits.
Notes
Pimento cheese spread recipe at mandiofthemountains.com/pimento-cheese
- Storage: You can make the pimento cheese and bake the crostini without toppings up to 3 days ahead. Store the plain crostini in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to top and serve. Store the pimento cheese in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Make them vegetarian: Omit the bacon.
- Make them spicy: Add diced jalapeno.
- Serve them warm: Heat the pimento cheese crostini on a sheet pan, under the broiler, for 1 minute just before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crostini
- Calories: 115
- Sugar: 0.6 g
- Sodium: 289.1 mg
- Fat: 7.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.7 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 4.3 g
- Cholesterol: 10.9 mg