Nitrate & Nitrite Free Pesto-Walnut Artichoke Olive Crostini

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time10 min

4.5

(15)

Nitrate & Nitrite 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, herby walnut pesto and a tangy artichoke-olive topping that hits every note — creamy, briny, a little nutty, and just enough heat if you go for the red pepper flakes. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means no cured meats, no packaged deli shortcuts, and none of the hidden preservatives that make so many party snacks a problem for people avoiding nitrates and nitrites. The walnut pesto comes together in a food processor in under a minute, blending fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice into something that tastes far more impressive than the effort involved. Castelvetrano olives bring a buttery richness that plays beautifully against the bright lemon in both the pesto and the artichoke topping. This is genuinely crowd-pleasing food that happens to be made entirely from clean, recognizable ingredients — no label-reading required.

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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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