Berry Crostini with Whipped Feta
Berry Crostini with Whipped Feta- Grilled baguette slices, creamy whipped feta, fresh berries, and spicy honey make up these holiday appropriate summer crostini.
June 29, 2022 by Nicole Collins
I’m going to keep this short and sweet today.
We have a big red, white, and blue holiday coming up in just a few days.
And honestly after this past week; I’m not sporting my red, white, and blue quite as proudly as I used to.
But, I’m not here to get into a political debate with anyone today (or ever). So we’re going to smile, nod, and stick to the food today.
And regardless of the color scheme, these fresh berry bites are perfect for any barbeque table this summer.
So today, we’re making Berry Crostini with Whipped Feta!
These berry bites are all the best parts of sweet, savory, smokey, and spicy. We’re going to grill up some baguette slices, schmear them with a creamy whipped feta spread, and top them with fresh berries and spicy honey. Doesn’t that sound amazing???
It sure is, so let’s get to it!
Let’s start with the foundation of this recipe: the bread! All we need is a baguette, some olive oil, and a grill pan (or an outdoor grill works too, of course). We’ll slice our baguette into ¼ inch slices, give them a drizzle of olive oil on both sides, then pop them on the grill for just a couple of minutes until they have nice grill marks. Now, you could totally bake your crostini in the oven too if you want to go a more traditional route. But, I really love the smokey elements that those char marks bring to the party.
For our next layer, we’re going to make a simple whipped feta. We need some crumbled feta, some softened cream cheese, and a little squeeze of hot honey. Pop everything in a food processor, hit the button, and BAM…whipped feta! Now, it helps to start with cheese that’s at room temp. It helps the cheeses blend together a little easier and more smoothly. But, if you don’t have time to let your feta and cream cheese hang out before you need to make these, that’s not a problem. Your whipped feta will just be a tad lumpier. No big deal!
And really, that’s all the work we have to do! You’re going to schmear that creamy feta all over the baguette, top the feta with sliced berries, and give the whole thing a delicate drizzle of hot honey. That’s it! I went with strawberries and blueberries for these crostini, but any mixed berry blend would really work great here.
These crostini are such a nice surprise. You have the smokey essence on the bread from the grilling. There’s a nice savory element thanks to the feta. The berries are sweet and just a little bit tart. Then you get an unexpected but totally necessary hit of spice at the very end from that spicy honey drizzle. And, we’re operating on all cylinders when it comes to texture too: crunchy, creamy, soft, sticky. These are such a show stopper with really no effort at all!
Alright, everyone. We’re really embracing the summer vibes this week. So, stay tuned for a bonus recipe on Friday that you’re not going to want to miss!
Until then, enjoy! And, let’s eat!
Berry Crostini with Whipped Feta
Serves: 24 crostini Print
Ingredients:
4 oz crumbled feta, at room temp
2 oz cream cheese, at room temp
½ tbsp hot honey, plus more for drizzling (I used Mike’s Hot Honey)
1 baguette, sliced to ¼ inch slices
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 cup strawberries, slices
1 cup blueberries
Directions:
Make the whipped feta: Add feta, cream cheese, and ½ tbsp hot honey to a food processor. Process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Grill the bread: Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Lightly drizzle both sides of the baguette slices with olive oil. Add baguette slices to grill pan, making sure not to crowd the pan, and grill for 2-4 mins per side until lightly charred. Repeat with remaining batches, as necessary.
Arrange grilled baguette on a serving platter. Schmear with whipped feta, and top with sliced strawberries and blueberries (about 2-3 strawberry slices and 2-3 blueberries, per toast). Drizzle lightly with hot honey. Serve immediately.
Recipe notes:
*You could also bake the baguette slices in the oven at 375 for about 8-10 mins if you prefer. However, I like the smoky element you get from the char from the grill.
*Having the cheeses at room temperature before you blend them will help the whipped feta become smooth and creamy. If you don’t have time to let them come to room temp first, that’s ok. Your spread will just be a little lumpier.
*I used a whole wheat baguette for some of these, and they were just as delish!
