Peach Basil Crostini Is the Only Appetizer You Need to Make this Summer

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The combination of sweet, salty, and herbal flavors in a fresh and delicious dish is one of my favorite indications that summertime is here.

Top-down vertical image of two square plates of sliced peach, basil, and ricotta crostini, with a glass of white wine and a small dish of a golden syrup with a wooden honey dipper, on a table spread with a dark and light blue patterned cloth.

I don’t know about you, but the change of seasons seemed to come exceptionally fast in my corner of the world this year.

All of a sudden, the farmers markets popped up. New fruits and vegetables started to appear at my local grocery store. Then, my favorite fruit in the world came to town:

Peaches.

A white rectangular serving dish of twelve stone fruit and basil crostini with ricotta cheese, arranged in rows, on a blue patterned tablecloth with a sprig of mint, a glass of white wine, and a whole fruit.

I am a Colorado girl, and here in Colorado, we take our stone fruit seriously. If you have never experienced the magic of a perfectly ripe Palisade peach, you are missing out.

In fact, I demand that you come to Colorado immediately and seek out the produce stands that sit at our local intersections every year, featuring plump peaches that burst with flavor.

You know when you were a kid and you’d bite into a ripe peach, with its juices running sloppily down your chin? That is one of those childhood memories that screams summertime happiness to me. It was one of those pleasures that it seems only children can embrace.

Top-down shot of a grid of three by four small appetizer toasts topped with ricotta, peach slices, and fresh basil chiffonade.

Of course, now that I am an adult, I don’t like to pull out that sloppy eating in front of my dinner guests… I prefer to be a little more polite in front of company.

When no one else is around, that’s a different story. Naturally.

So, being the adult that I so obviously am, it was time to bust out the peach flavors I love, enhance them, and make them gorgeous enough to serve up at a dinner party.

This crostini is exactly the elegant presentation you’ve been looking for. Whether you are bringing it out for dinner parties or a baby shower, the recipe is so simple that there’s no reason not to make it.

Two square plates of peach, basil, and ricotta crostini, on a blue patterned tablecloth, with a glass of white wine.

Honestly, this recipe really is that easy. You toast the bread, then layer up the toppings to create a sweet, salty, and herbaceous appetizer that everyone will lose their minds over.

Who knew that basil and peaches went together so well?

The thinly sliced fruit and creamy ricotta are a natural pairing to begin with. The sweetness of the honey brings out the juicy notes in the peaches, and the basil levels up every bite.

Put all of this on top of a crunchy, toasted piece of bread and you have a textural explosion of flavor.

Top-down shot of a square serving dish topped with four rows of three peach, basil, and ricotta crostini, on a table spread with a light and dark blue patterned cloth, folded napkins, a glass of white wine, a bunch of fresh herbs, a fresh stone fruit, and a dish of honey.

You can easily put this together for a party at your home, but it also makes for a delicious appetizer to assemble and bring to an event. It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare, and most of that time is spent simply assembling the crostini – no hovering over a hot stove required.

The sweet and subtle flavors make it a fantastically light appetizer that is ideal for barbecues as well. The lightness of these flavorful bites won’t weigh you down when you have a dinner of rich barbecue on the way.

Three small baguette toast rounds topped with ricotta, honey, basil, and fresh peach slices, on a square plate with another identical plate and a small dish of honey with wooden dipper in the background, on a table topped with a light and dark blue and white patterned cloth.

You can even serve this crostini up for a lovely brunch snack, paired with mimosas. Or try it for a different take on dessert if you are looking for something light and bite-sized.

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Three rows of three peach and basil ricotta toasts on a square white plate, on a table topped with a dark and light blue geometric patterned cloth.

Peach Basil Crostini

★★★★★

5 from 1 review
  • Author: Shanna Mallon
  • Total Time: 12 minutes
  • Yield: 14-18 crostini 1x
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Description

Fresh, juicy peaches are one of the highlights of the season, and this crostini is the perfect dish to start off any summertime meal right.

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

  1. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place under broiler set to high until toasted, approximately 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on it.
  2. Remove toasted bread slices and place on serving platter. Spread each slice of bread with approximately 1 tablespoon ricotta. Drizzle each with honey.
  3. Top with slices of peach, using approximately 3 slices per piece. Sprinkle with basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 minutes
  • Category: Crostini
  • Method: Broil
  • Cuisine: Appetizers

Keywords: crostini, peach, basil, ricotta, summer

Cooking By the Numbers…

Step 1 – Prepare and Measure Ingredients

Slice the baguette into ½-inch-thick slices.

Wash the peaches well, and slice as thin as you can. They shouldn’t be paper thin, but they should be thin.

Wash the basil, dry in a salad spinner or with paper towels, and remove the stems. Roll basil leaves together and slice thinly to chiffonade the herb.

Measure the remaining ingredients and set out in the order that they appear in the ingredients list.

Step 2 – Toast Bread

Place the sliced bread in a single layer on a baking sheet, without any overlap.

Oblique shot of a black rimmed metal baking pan with three rows of four baguette slices on top.

Place on the top rack of your oven (or wherever the closest rack to your broiler is located) and set boiler to high. Toast for approximately 1-2 minutes.

Twelve small toast rounds on a black baking pan.

Keep an eye on the bread while it is toasting. In the broiler, bread will go from light golden to brown to black in a matter of seconds!

Top-down shot of a white rectangular serving dish topped with three rows of four toasted baguette slices, surrounded by a small dish of chopped basil, a bowl of sliced peaches and a whole fruit, a small bowl of honey with a wooden dipper, and a small dish of ricotta, on a light and dark blue patterned cloth.

Remove from the oven and set slices on a serving platter.

Step 3 – Assemble

Spread each slice of toasted bread with about a tablespoon of ricotta.

Drizzle a little honey on top of each.

Top-down shot of twelve slices of toasted baguette topped with ricotta and honey, on a square serving platter, surrounded by small white dishes of other ingredients used to make the crostini, on a dark and light blue patterned cloth.

Top each piece with a few slices of peach.

Oblique view of four rows of three fresh peach crostini on a rectangular white serving dish, on a patterned tablecloth next to small dishes of honey, fruit, and chopped herbs.

Sprinkle the basil over the top. Lightly season with salt and black pepper.

Three rows of three peach and basil ricotta toasts on a square white plate, on a table topped with a dark and light blue geometric patterned cloth.

Serve immediately.

Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me

I can’t help but recall that song by The Presidents of the United States of America whenever I think about peaches. I know that probably dates me quite a bit, but it’s true.

Of course, the ones I love don’t come from a can. They are ripe, fresh, and full of natural juice.

If you want to make sure you are choosing the right peaches for this appetizer, I recommend first smelling them when you are shopping. You should instantly be greeted with the sweet scent of peach.

Then, give the peach a slight squeeze. It should not be hard, but it shouldn’t be too squishy. There should be a little bit of give when you push in lightly.

Three peach and basil crostini with ricotta on a square white plate, with twomore plates in the background, and a small round dish of honey with a wooden dipper, on a table topped with a dark and light blue cloth.

You don’t want your fruit to be overly ripe for this particular dish, because they will fall apart when you attempt to slice them thinly. Instead, they should just be turning ripe when you buy them, and you should use them as soon as possible.

Fresh fruit and herbs are a natural pairing, and there are so many ways to feature fresh, seasonal produce in new and inventive ways at every meal.

Much like our peach caprese salad or peach and corn salad, I love the simplicity of a fresh summer dish, and the payoff for just a few minutes of effort is huge.

For another tasty crostini option made with seasonal fruit, try our maple pear version. And give this lemon, goat cheese, and rosemary cake a try if you’re looking for another not-to-sweet dish with an unexpected herbal flavor.

Have you ever tried this delicious flavor combination before? What are some of your favorite ways to combine fruit and herbs in your cooking? Tell us in the comments below, and rate this recipe once you’ve tried it.

Don’t forget to Pin It!

A collage of photos showing a peach basil crostini recipe.

Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on August 2nd, 2010. Last updated: June 16, 2019 at 19:21 pm. With additional writing and editing by Allison Sidhu.

Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.

About Meghan Yager

Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.

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44 thoughts on “Peach Basil Crostini Is the Only Appetizer You Need to Make this Summer”

  4. Until this summer and my foray into farmers’ markets and a CSA share, I had only eaten peaches whole and unadorned. I recently experimented with this versatile, summer fruit with a Tomato & Peach salad with fresh basil – delicious. And now, after reading your post, I must add cheese and sourdough! I may never eat another peach whole again :-). Don’t ya just love summer…

    Reply

  6. Fresh Summer Peaches and Fresh Basil…. I love them both but don’t ever remember putting them together. This sounds interesting. My farmers market attendance has been woefully lacking this year. I guess now would be a good time to change that.

    Reply

  9. oh, man. Sourdough, how I miss you. And, as an aside, I really, REALLY need to eat BEFORE I read your blog…because now, nothing will quite do it. You have quite a way with these descriptions. 🙂

    Reply

  11. I already have all the ingredients to make this peach basil sandwich so I totally am. Maybe right now for lunch! Happy birthday! Had so much fun at last year’s party.

    Reply

  13. I have never thought about peaches in a grilled cheese sandwich – but it sounds so yummy with the honey! I am a grilled cheese fanatic, so I will for sure have to try this!

    Reply

  14. This looks amazing! I haven’t tried peaches with the sandwich…in the fall I had plans for pear or apple with the grilled cheese, but since we have these amazing NC peaches, I”m going to have to give this a GO!

    Reply

  16. omg i’m going eat this for dinner. peaches, basil, ricotta and honey?? it doesn’t get any better. love your pictures!

    Reply

  24. I, like you, have been eating peaches constantly for the past week. It feels a tad hedonistic, but oh-so-good. In an effort to repent, I switched to plums — they are just as good.

    Reply

  28. i see so many peach recipes these days!
    I thought it would be weird. warm peach?
    not something you see in asian countries.
    perhaps, i should try it some day though.

    Reply

  32. I love the simplicity and freshness of these sandwiches… and that I already have most of the ingred. I’m always looking for new ideas when having girlfriends over.

    Reply

  35. I love love the smell of basil! I was thinking maybe some caramelized onions would go well on either of those sandwiches too…

    Reply

  38. peaches abound here in northwest FL right now. we actually made a panzanella the other day that was very similar to your tartine — quite tasty. yesterday was a spicy/sweet quinoa, chickpea and peach salad, which delighted my fiancée and i to no end. such a versatile summer fruit!

    cheers,

    *heather*

    Reply

  41. Just served the peach/basil/honey/ricotta sandwich to a friend and we LOVED it. Thanks for dreaming up (and sharing) that combo!

    Reply

  42. Lisa, Thanks for coming back with a report! So glad you guys enjoyed it – I’ll admit I’ve had it seven or eight times in the last few weeks!

    Reply

  43. I just have to say that I knew I’d be having some leftover corn chowder for dinner last night, and grilled cheese sounded like the perfect complement to it. But that was a big mistake!

    As it turns out, by the time I made your grilled cheese with some Vermont sharp cheddar and blue cheese crumbles, the sandwich’s flavors outshined the soup so much that I only wanted the sandwich for dinner. Thank you for inspiring such an amazing combination of flavors. Best grilled cheese ever.

    Reply

  44. This was amazing!!!! I could eat an entire tray myself! Thank you for sharing such a simple and divine appetizer!????

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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