Pecan 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. Crispy whole-grain baguette rounds get loaded with a vibrant, herb-forward walnut pesto, then topped with briny Castelvetrano olives and tender chopped artichoke hearts for a combination that feels genuinely impressive without much effort. The pesto comes together in a food processor in under a minute — fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, lemon juice, and good olive oil blended into something bright and deeply savory. Walnuts do all the heavy lifting here, delivering that rich, nutty depth you want in a pesto without any cross-contact concerns from other tree nuts. The artichoke-olive topping gets a quick toss with lemon juice and olive oil, so every bite has a little acidity to cut through the richness of the spread. A pinch of red pepper flakes and a scatter of fresh basil at the end pull the whole thing together. This is the kind of crowd-pleasing starter you'll want in your back pocket for every gathering.
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Learn more →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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