Mini pizza magic in just 15 minutes! This Crostini Pizza recipe is super easy to make. It's perfect for parties, lunches, and weeknight dinners, as a side dish or as a fun and cute main course!
Looking for a fun and easy appetizer that delivers big pizza flavor in bite-sized form? Make this Crostini Pizza recipe!
Crostini pizzas are stress-free, simple bites that are perfect for parties, game days, or casual weeknight snacks. Our family loves to gobble them up!
They’re quick to assemble and bake to perfection in just minutes. Whether you’re hosting guests or craving something comforting, these mini crostini pizzas totally hit the spot.
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
Mini crostini pizzas are so delicious! Crispy, golden baguette slices topped with juicy tomatoes, melty mozzarella, savory pepperoni, and fresh basil for the ultimate bite-sized flavor explosion. Simple ingredients you may already have on hand at home.
Got picky eaters? These crostini pizzas are perfect for the whole family! Like our air fryer mini pizzas and our air fryer French Bread pizza, these crostini are customizable. Make them vegan, vegetarian, or pile on the meat for a meat lovers' crostini pizza.
They're also versatile: serve them as party appetizers or you can enjoy a plateful for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
🛒 Ingredient notes
One of the things I love about this recipe is that it uses ingredients that many of us already have on hand at home. Perfect for those busy days when we hit that "what's for dinner?" dilemma.
- Bread - Slice up a fresh baguette for this crostini recipe. You can also make our Homemade French Bread recipe.
- Oil mix- The base is an olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper mix.
- Meat - You can use mini pepperoni slices or cut regular pepperoni slices in half or in quarters. And if you want to add any other meats, go for it!
- Veggies - When developing this recipe, I decided to go with fresh chopped tomatoes instead of pizza sauce. I find that pizza sauce tends to make the crostini not crisp up they way it should, and fresh tomatoes are just so juicy.
- Cheese - I prefer to slice up little cute Mozzarella balls because I love how they look when melted on crostini. But you can use shredded Mozzarella or any other cheese, including plant-based cheeses. Whatever your heart desires!
✅ Step-by-step instructions
You'll find detailed instructions plus measurements for the ingredients in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. But I'm sharing some step-by-step photos so you can see how it's made. So simple and easy! You can do it!
- Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Brush the sliced baguette slices with the olive oil mixture.
- Then top with tomatoes, cheese, pepperoni.
- Bake at 375° for 5-8 minutes, until the bread is your desired level of crispness.
- Top with sliced basil. Serve!
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prep the toppings a few hours ahead. Assemble and bake just before serving for the best texture.
Absolutely. Try shredded mozzarella, provolone, or even burrata for a creamier version. I use my favorite dairy-free cheese alternative to keep it dairy free.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a day or two. Longer than that, and the bread really won't crisp up nicely anymore. I like to reheat these in the air fryer; they don't reheat well in the microwave.
One reason I use fresh tomatoes instead of pizza sauce is to keep the baguette crispy. Avoid placing too many toppings on each, as they can get easily overloaded and won't be as crispy.
Yes—just skip the pepperoni or replace it with roasted red peppers or sautéed mushrooms. Then use plant-based, dairy-free cheese alternative instead of Mozzarella.
🍽 Serving ideas
These mini crostini pizzas are a versatile appetizer that works for so many occasions!
Serve them hot out of the oven as a starter for casual dinners. They're great to enjoy with Balsamic Chicken Salad or Broccoli Crunch Salad.
They make the perfect appetizers at cocktail parties. Make it a crostini party by serving them with Crostini al Salmone (Smoked Salmon Crostini) and Steak Crostini.
For game day gatherings, serve them with Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings and Buffalo Chicken Bites.
Summer barbecues call for these Crostini Pizza along with BLT Pasta Salad, Tandoori Chicken Skewers, and Dill Pickle Potato Salad.
Finally, these little crostini pizza bites also make a great kid-friendly snack or fun addition to a weekend lunch spread, along with our popular Air Fryer Popcorn Chicken.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
If you're in a summery cocktail mood, serve these with a refreshing Strawberry Spritz.
For wines, pair crostini pizza with these:
Chianti – This classic Italian red has enough acidity to balance the tomato and enough body to complement the pepperoni and cheese.
Rosé of Grenache – Crisp and refreshing, this rosé lifts the flavors of fresh basil and mozzarella while cleansing the palate between bites.
More crostini recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Crostini Pizza
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 baguette loaf, sliced into ½" thick slices
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup mozzarella balls, sliced or cut in half
- ½ cup pepperoni, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, thinly sliced (chiffonade)
- optional: red pepper flakes for serving
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, grated garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Brush one side of each baguette slice with the olive oil mixture.
- Top each crostini slice with tomatoes, pepperoni, and cheese.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the crostini is crisp and the cheese has melted.
- Top each slice with fresh thinly sliced basil and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
- Use your favorite dairy-free, plant-based cheese instead of Mozzarella.
- Use your favorite meats other than pepperoni. Salami, sausage, bacon, and grilled chicken are all wonderful substitutions or additions.
- For more veggies, add red bell pepper or green bell pepper, mushrooms, and red onions.
- To make it vegetarian, omit the meat and use all veggies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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