Citric Acid Free Pesto-Walnut Artichoke Olive Crostini

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time10 min

4.5

(15)

Citric Acid Free Pesto-Walnut Artichoke Olive Crostini

These crostini are the kind of appetizer that disappears from the platter before you've even finished arranging them. Toasted whole-grain rounds get loaded with a bright, herbaceous walnut pesto, then topped with a savory mix of chopped artichoke hearts and buttery Castelvetrano olives — it's bold, satisfying, and genuinely impressive for how little effort it takes. The pesto skips the pine nuts in favor of raw walnuts, which give it a slightly earthier, richer flavor that pairs beautifully with the briny olive-artichoke topping. Fresh lemon juice does all the brightening work here, which is great news for anyone navigating processed citric acid in store-bought dips, spreads, and jarred toppings — every ingredient in this recipe is straightforward and easy to verify. The artichoke hearts are packed in water rather than a seasoned brine, keeping the ingredient list clean and the flavors honest. Everything comes together in one food processor and one baking sheet, so the cleanup is as easy as the assembly. Serve these the moment they're built 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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