Artificial Food Coloring Free Pesto-Walnut Artichoke Olive Crostini

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time10 min

4.5

(15)

Artificial Food Coloring Free Pesto-Walnut Artichoke Olive Crostini

These crostini are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the platter before you even get a chance to announce what they are. Toasted rounds of whole-grain baguette get topped with a vibrant, herb-forward walnut pesto made entirely from scratch — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil blended into something deeply savory and bright. The artichoke-olive topping adds a briny, meaty contrast that makes every bite feel layered and intentional. Every single ingredient here is whole and real, which means no synthetic dyes hiding in a jarred sauce or store-bought spread — just clean, honest flavors doing all the work. That matters more than it might seem, since packaged pesto and marinated olive mixes are surprisingly common culprits for added colorants. Making the pesto yourself takes only a food processor and a few minutes while the bread toasts, so the effort is genuinely low for something that looks this impressive. Finish with a scatter of fresh basil and serve immediately for maximum crunch.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the crostini

1 whole-grain baguette (about 12 oz), sliced into ½-inch rounds (about 18 slices)
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
¼ tsp flaky sea salt

For the walnut pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
½ cup raw walnuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper

For the topping

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and roughly chopped
½ cup castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

For serving

2 tbsp fresh basil, thinly sliced, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Arrange the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with the 3 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
2
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are golden and the tops are crisp and dry to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pan for 5 minutes.

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