This crostini recipe is delightfully light, flavorful, and easy. It includes layers of hummus, marinated cashews, and grilled artichoke hearts.
Serve crostini as an appetizer at warm weather get-togethers. Or make a meal of them alongside a salad.
When you want an appetizer that’s tangy, satiating, and simple to prepare, this crostini recipe is a real winner.
It is made with a slathering of homemade hummus, marinated cashews, and slivers of grilled artichoke hearts on toasted bread.
It’s easy to eat one crostini right after the other.
Creamy hummus is a bed for briny cashews and savory artichoke hearts.
The mixture balances beautifully.
To save time, you can use store-bought or homemade hummus.
The grilled artichoke hearts are from a jar.
And the cashews simply involve marinating raw cashew pieces with herbs, oil, vinegar, and garlic until softened.
What kind of artichokes should I use?
Don’t worry about cooking artichokes from scratch for this dish. This recipe uses jarred artichoke hearts packed in oil.
They can be the marinated variety, or use grilled, which are my favorite.
Grilled artichoke hearts are sold in jars at Trader Joe’s. They’re one of my favorite vegan Trader Joe’s products.
I’ve also seen them online & at other grocery stores in the Mediterranean section.
While I’m a fan of all things artichokes, there’s something extra special about the grilled flavor in these.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Start by preparing the marinated cashews.
In a bowl, combine the following:
- Raw cashew pieces
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Balsamic vinegar
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Granulated onion
- Finely minced garlic
- Salt
Cover the bowl & put it in the refrigerator to marinate & soften for a few hours.
Once the cashews have marinated, cut a baguette into slices.
Then toast the slices in the oven, air fryer, or grill.
Spread hummus onto the toasted bread slices.
Sprinkle on marinated cashews.
And finish with a sliver of grilled artichoke hearts onto each crostini.
Make it your own
Here are a few ways to simplify this recipe or tweak it to make it your own:
- Instead of homemade hummus, use store-bought.
- Or swap out standard hummus for olive hummus instead.
- When making the marinated cashews, swap out balsamic vinegar for ume plum vinegar. (Balsamic gives a bit of sweetness. Ume plum vinegar adds cheesiness.)
- In place of marinated cashews, use store-bought or homemade vegan feta cheese.
- Instead of grilled artichokes, use marinated, water-packed, or fried artichoke hearts.
What to serve with them
This crostini recipe is a terrific spring & summer appetizer.
Serve it with other complementary appetizers:
- Olive tapenade
- Tomato bruschetta
- Asparagus bruschetta
- Dukkah
- Fried olives with vegan feta
- Warmed Castelvetrano olives with lemon & garlic
Or enjoy crostini as a light lunch with:
How long will it keep?
For best results, I recommend storing the toppings separately and then layering them on toasted bread when ready to prepare.
The marinated cashews will keep for several days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
If they seem dried out, add another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil & stir before serving.
(Use leftovers on avocado toast or as a salad topper.)
Homemade hummus will last in a covered container for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator.
📖 Recipe
Crostini recipe with hummus, artichokes, and marinated cashews
Ingredients
Marinated cashews
- ½ cup raw cashew pieces
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Plus more if needed
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or ume plum vinegar
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅛ teaspoon granulated onion
- 1 clove garlic zested with a Microplane zester
- Pinch salt
Crostini
- 1 baguette cut into ½ inch slices
- Extra virgin olive oil for toasting crostini (Optional)
- 1 batch homemade hummus Roughly 1 ½ cups
- 1 cup grilled artichoke hearts from oil-packed jar drained and cut into long, thin slices
Instructions
To make marinated cashews
- In a bowl, combine raw cashew pieces with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic or ume plum vinegar, dried basil, dried oregano, granulated onion, zested garlic, and a pinch of salt.
- Cover and put in the refrigerator to soften. Stir occasionally, so that the cashews stay moist and are evenly coated in seasonings. Allow the cashews to absorb the marinade for a few hours or more. (It can even be made a day in advance. If it seems too dry before serving, add another drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.)
To make crostini
- The crostini can be toasted in a variety of ways – pick either the air fryer, grill, or oven.
- TO TOAST IN THE AIR FRYER: Put half of the baguette slices in the air fryer. Some overlap is okay. Cook at 380 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping once halfway through to flip. Watch the crostini during the last minute to insure they don't burn. Remove the slices from the air fryer, and cook the other half of the baguette slices in the same way. (Overfilling the air fryer basket makes for less than optimum results.)
- TO TOAST ON THE GRILL: Heat outdoor grill to 400 degrees. Lightly oil the baguette slices and grill on each side for a few minutes, until brown and toasted. Remove from grill.
- TO TOAST IN THE OVEN: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. Lightly rub oil on the slices. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stopping to flip the slices halfway through.
- Slather each piece of toasted crostini with hummus. Sprinkle marinated cashews on top. Put a sliver of grilled artichoke heart onto each crostini. Serve on a platter.
Notes
Nutrition
Content, recipe, and photos updated April 10, 2021. Originally posted June 14, 2018.
David
These are so good – I love how tangy and fresh they taste!
Sam
Fantastic recipe! My only problem was they were gone in seconds, I’ll have to make more next time! Thanks for sharing!
Cadry
That’s a good problem to have. I’m glad you enjoyed them, Sam!
Sarah De la Cruz
Oh my goodness, I love everything about this! Such a pretty appetizer! My kiddos love artichokes—it’s their go to pizza topping. I think they would love this for a snack!!!
Cadry
Thanks, Sarah! I seem to have appetizers on the brain. It must be time to organize a get-together! I love that your boys are crazy about artichokes. They have the best palates!
Becky Striepe
Oh my gosh, now this is my kind of appetizer. Those marinated cashews sound incredible!
Cadry
Thanks, Becky! In just a few minutes, they could be yours!!
Susan
This sounds like a wonderful combination, though the marinated cashews sound particularly fun. I think I’d have to go with the ume plum vinegar, I love it.
Cadry
Good call! I don’t use ume plum vinegar nearly often enough.
Shell
I love this new way to enjoy your homemade hummus recipe. Also, Josh loves bruschetta, but I haven’t found a way to get the bread similar to what they serve in a restaurant. I think your crostini recipe would be perfect!
Cadry
I forgot that Josh loves bruschetta! We used to get it together back in the day at BJ’s. I just updated my bruschetta recipe yesterday with new air fryer instructions for toasting the bread. I was really impressed by how crispy it gets in a short amount of time! That’s especially nice for bruschetta, since too-soft bread can make for soggy bruschetta.
Shell
I didn’t know you used to get bruschetta with him back in the day! I will try your recipe this summer when I have some home grown tomatoes. Look forward to it!