Sesame Free Pesto-Walnut Artichoke Olive Crostini

Total time30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time10 min

Sesame 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 — made from scratch with fresh basil, raw walnuts, garlic, and lemon juice — then topped with a briny, lemony mix of artichoke hearts and Castelvetrano olives. The combination of creamy pesto, tender artichoke, and buttery olives hits every note: rich, tangy, a little salty, and completely addictive. Store-bought pesto and prepared dips can be a minefield when you're avoiding sesame, since tahini sneaks into more spreads than you'd expect — but this homemade pesto is built entirely from olive oil, nuts, and fresh herbs, so there's nothing hidden to worry about. The whole thing comes together with a food processor and one baking sheet, making it genuinely low-effort for how impressive it looks on the table. A pinch of red pepper flakes and a scatter of fresh basil at the end give it just enough polish to feel party-ready without any extra fuss.

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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)
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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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