Small thin slices of toasted bread, typically lathered with some type of cheese spread, and topped with a flavorful rich savory blend. Crostinis can be satisfying any day. In fact, that’s exactly what I did, eating this Mushroom Crostini w/Garlic Basil Ricotta “Cheese” Spread for lunch all week until it was polished off.
This recipe came to light while planning for our annual holiday party this past December (yes…I know it’s almost April now, but I’ve been sitting on this recipe for months and am finally excited to be able to share it with you guys). Have you tried my vegan Garlic Basil Ricotta “Cheese” Spread yet? If not, you must. I’ve been told it tastes JUST like ricotta cheese, except for my version is dairy-free and made with healthy ingredients. I typically make a batch of it and use it in anything and everything throughout the week. Instead of serving it as part of a cheese plate at the holiday party, I decided to turn it into a crostini. I needed to come up with a savory blend, and of course mushrooms instantly came to mind.
Before going any further, I need to tell you that I am obsessed with mushrooms, but only when they’ve been cooked (not raw). My husband knows that when we go out to eat, if a menu item has roasted or sauteed mushrooms in it, it’s guaranteed that I am ordering it.
Now back to the crostini. The earthy flavor of mushrooms and fresh herbs combined with my Garlic Basil Ricotta “Cheese” Spread on small toasted slices of bread makes for the perfect bite. It’s great to serve as appetizers, bring to a dinner party, or even serve as a light lunch. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think. If you’re like one of the other 35 non-vegans who tried this at my last holiday party, then you’re sure to love it just as much!
Mushroom Crostini with Garlic Basil Vegan Ricotta “Cheese” Spread
INGREDIENTS
- 1 sweet french baguette , thinly sliced (or your favorite gluten-free bread)
- Garlic Basil Vegan Ricotta Cheese Spread
For the Mushroom Mixture:
- 8 shiitake mushrooms , finely diced
- 8 white button mushrooms , finely diced
- 8 cremini mushrooms , finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teasp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp white cooking wine
- 1/2 tbsp fresh rosemary , finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp fresh parsley , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp pine nuts
- 1/2 teasp salt or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
To Prepare the Mushroom Mixture:
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil.
- Add the minced garlic and fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add all the finely diced mushrooms and saute on medium-high heat until all the water released from cooking the mushrooms burns off completely. Mix frequently.
- Add the salt, some freshly ground black pepper, and combine.
- Add the white cooking wine and mix to de-glaze the pan.
- Add the freshly chopped rosemary, parsley, and pine nuts. Combine and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, mixing frequently.
- Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste if needed.
- Turn off the heat and set the mushroom mixture aside.
To Prepare Crostini:
- When you are ready to assemble, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the thinly sliced french bread in the oven and bake until slightly golden on both sides.
- Remove the slices from the oven and allow them to cool on a cooling rack .
Reshana
Your miniature food is always so pretty and this is another great recipe, toasty bread, creamy ricotta and that savory hereby mushrooms on top, what more could anyone ask for? I wish I could have been one of your guests at your holiday party.
anjali
Aww thanks Reshana! I love serving miniature food, especially at parties, which is where this recipe was inspired from. I SO WISH you guys could have came…and hopefully one of these days we will be visiting you guys in your neighborhood =) Africa is still a place that is on our list.
Rashmi
Rather late than never, hahaha 😀
I also love mushrooms Anjali and this recipes looks fantastic and with that garlic basil spread, its takes it to a whole another level 🙂
Thank you for yet another AMAZING, MOUTH WATERING RECIPE
anjali
Thank you Rashmi!! Definitely better late than never, you will LOVE this recipe especially if you like mushrooms!
Reshana
YAY!!! Please make sure it is SOUTH AFRICA 🙂 would love to meet you in person Anjali…..Hopefully one day 🙂
anjali
oh for sure…if we come out that way, south africa would be our main destination =)
Kristen
I am just a little obsessed with all these vegan cheese recipes! I am going to try this one too!!!
anjali
Thanks Kristen! This tofu-based ricotta is amazing! I typically make a batch and then use it throughout the week as a dip with crackers, add a dollop to my favorite pasta, spread it on sandwiches, etc. It’s so easy to make!
Britni
Oh man these look so good. I never would’ve thought to put mushrooms on crostini, but now I have to try it!
anjali
I LOVE mushrooms on crostini…they pair so well together!
Molly Kumar
Love Mushrooms and Crostini sounds like a perfect snack to make with them.
anjali
Thanks Molly! I could eat this for days…
Tracy | Baking Mischief
I never would have guessed this was vegan looking at it. What a great appetizer! I’m always on the lookout for good vegan options. I will definitely have to give this a try!
anjali
Thanks Tracy! I served this at our annual holiday party to 35 non-vegans and they loved it! Didn’t even realize the “ricotta” was vegan. Let me know if you try it!
Beth @ Binky's Culinary Carnival
Very pretty! And they sound delicious! I too, am a huge mushroom fan!
anjali
Thanks Beth! I served them for our annual holiday party in december…huge hit!
PD
I love mushrooms.it was very testy.
Paula
So delicious! I love vegan options and really appreciate simple ingredients, ease, and elegance. This has it all. Thank you for sharing such a tasty recipe.
anjali
Thank you so much for the awesome review! This is one of my favorite appetizers and that vegan ricotta is to die for! I can eat it with everything!
Sandy
Is this 8 oz off mushrooms or 8 mushrooms? Also, 8 cloves of garlic seems like a lot. Could anyone verify if it is too garlicky for 24 mushrooms. I am going to make it for a party.
anjali
It’s 8 total of each type of mushroom listed (24 total for amt in recipe). It’s a small crostini size (bite-size) so this mixture should make enough (depending on how much you load on). The flavor is from garlic and some herbs, so I definitely use 8 cloves of garlic, but if you think it’ll be too much for your taste, simply reduce it to 4-5 cloves instead. It’ll taste great either way! Let me know how it turns out!
RACHEL KRAFT
Can you make the mushroom mixture the day before? Wanting to bring it to a family gathering.
anjali
Absolutely! It’ll actually give the flavors more time to marinate together. Let me know how it goes!