Need a hearty and delicious appetizer to impress your guests? Make this easy steak crostini recipe! It’s a sophisticated, satisfying, and easy appetizer to make for any gathering.
Whether you’re throwing a summer backyard BBQ or hosting a holiday dinner at home, you’re probably going to want to serve some tasty appetizers to entice guests as they arrive.
Some of our Go To appetizers include these salt and pepper chicken wings, Filipino lumpia, and these slow cooker honey bourbon meatballs.
And crostini is also at the top of the list when it comes to easy appetizers that are always a hit with the crowd. In the summer we love to make caprese crostini or this ricotta crostini with summer berries.
But this steak crostini is great all year long!
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🌟 Why this recipe works
Crostini are small slices of bread topped with any variety of toppings. They are one of my favorite appetizers to serve at casual gatherings and swanky soirees alike. They are:
- Easy to make. You can see from the step-by-step photos below that this steak crostini recipe is great for beginning home cooks to pro chefs.
- Flavorful and complex. With herbed cheese, rich steak, fresh herbs, and umami dropping balsamic glaze, there’s big flavor in every bite.
- Impressive, yet so simple. These crostini look so fancy! They can easily be served at wedding receptions and gala events. But they are also SO simple that it’s easy enough to make them any night of the week in your home kitchen.
- Easy-to-eat finger food. One of the things I love most about crostini is that they are so easy to eat while mingling and socializing. Finger food at its finest!
🛒 Ingredient notes
- Baguette – Slice one baguette loaf into 12 thin equal slices.
- Olive oil – Use extra virgin olive oil to cook the steak.
- Steak – You can use almost any cut of steak you like. We prefer to use ribeye, sirloin, or flank steak.
- Goat cheese – Goat cheese adds a luscious layer of silky smooth texture, but also tangy flavors that balance the richness of the steak.
- Horseradish – A little bit of horseradish adds even more tang to the goat cheese mixture, which totally balances the steak.
- Italian seasoning – This combination of dried herbs adds so much flavor to the goat cheese spread.
- Basil – A chiffonade (thin slices) of basil sprinkled over the top of each crostini adds freshness and brightness to every bite.
- Salt and pepper – Season the cheese spread with kosher salt and pepper. You can also add a little more to the assembled crostini if you feel it needs it.
✅ Step-by-step instructions
As you’ll see in these step-by-step photos, this is a super easy appetizer recipe to make. For the full list of ingredients with measurements, and more detailed instructions, check out the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Bake the baguette slices
- Using a pastry brush or basting brush, lightly brush both sides of each baguette slice with olive oil. Place onto the prepared lined baking sheet.
- and 3. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip the bread slices halfway through the cooking time.
Make the cheese spread
4. In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, horseradish, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper with a fork or whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Cook the Steak
5. Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned steak. Cook on one side for about 2-3 minutes. Flip steak over and cook for another 2 minutes or so.
NOTE: according to the FDA, steak is considered fully cooked when a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the steak reads an internal temperature of 125-130°F for medium rare or 130-140°F for medium.
6. Remove the steak from the heat and rest for 10 minutes.
7. Using a sharp knife, slice steak into very thin slices.
Assemble the crostini
8. Spread goat cheese spread mixture evenly over each crostini.
9. Top with 2-3 slices of steak.
10. Sprinkle basil strips over each.
11. Drizzle balsamic glaze over each crostini, if desired.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
One of the beautiful things about this dish is that it can be served warm right after it’s made. Or, you can refrigerate it and serve it cold. It’s quite delicious either way!
Crostini translates to “little toasts” in Italian.
If you want to serve it cold, you certainly can. Store crostini in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 hours before serving as a cold appetizer.
🍽 Serving ideas
These steak crostini can be served hot or cold. They are best served as appetizers at parties or starters to any meal.
If you’re serving this as an appetizer at a more sophisticated event, try serving them with creamy lobster gnocchi or pan seared salmon as a main course.
For a simple weeknight dinner at home with the family, serve this crostini followed up by a taco pizza and air fryer broccoli.
🍷 🥂 Wine pairings
When pairing steak crostini with wine, opt for a bold red wine. You need a red wine with bold tannins to match the intensity of the steak. But also one that matches the tang and creaminess of the goat cheese spread.
I like to pair this crostini recipe with a Syrah or Tempranillo. Both are full-bodied red wines with high tannins and flavors that can stand up to the complexity of this dish.
🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment
Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you’ll need. Click on the affiliate links below to shop the same kitchen tools I use to make this recipe.
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Basting brush or pastry brush
More appetizer 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!
Steak Crostini
Equipment
Ingredients
For the steak
- 6 ounce steak (ribeye, top sirloin, or other steak)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
For the crostini
- 8 ounce baguette, sliced into 12 ½" slices
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Cheese spread
- 6 ounces goat cheese
- 1 Tablespoon horseradish
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For finishing
- 1 Tablespoon chiffonade of basil
- ¼ cup balsamic glaze, plus more if desired (optional)
Instructions
- Take the steak out of the refrigerator. Pat steak dry with a paper towel. Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides and let rest and come to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake the bread
- Brush olive oil evenly over the baguette slices. You may need more than 2 tablespoons but be sure not to totally soak the slices; you just want to brush an even layer on top of one side.
- Place the baguette slices onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, flipping bread slices over halfway through the cooking time.
Make the cheese spread
- In a medium bowl, combine the goat cheese, horseradish, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper with a fork or whisk until well combined. Set aside.
Cook the steak
- Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned steak. Cook on one side for about 2-3 minutes, until the steak easily lifts off of the pan.
- Flip steak over and cook for another 2 minutes or so, just until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the steak reads an internal temperature of 125-130°F for medium rare or 130-140°F for medium.
- Remove the steak from the heat and rest for 10 minutes before slicing into very thin slices.
Assemble the crostini
- Spread goat cheese spread mixture evenly over each crostini.
- Top with 2-3 slices of steak.
- Sprinkle basil strips over each.
- Drizzle balsamic glaze over each crostini, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
