Description
Mushroom Thyme Crostini is a delicious and elegant appetizer featuring crusty baguette slices topped with sautéed cremini mushrooms, fresh thyme, and a savory sherry vinegar pan sauce. Perfectly grilled or baked until golden and crispy, these crostini bring a sophisticated blend of earthy flavors and bright acidity to any gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
Bread
- ½ crusty baguette (about 14 slices, each ¼” thick)
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Mushroom Topping
- 16 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced no more than ¼” thick
- 1 bunch fresh thyme leaves (reserve some for garnish)
- 1 shallot, minced (or small onion)
- 3-4 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons flour
- ¼ cup vegetable stock, broth, or water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Bread Slices: Slice the baguette into approximately fourteen ¼-inch thick pieces. Brush each slice with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper to enhance flavor.
- Cook the Crostini: Choose either grilling or baking method. For grilling, preheat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat and grill the bread slices on both sides until they achieve desirable grill marks and become crispy. For baking, preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) and bake the bread slices on the middle rack for about 7 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- Prepare the Mushroom Mixture: In a hot skillet, heat 3-4 tablespoons of butter or olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms, minced shallot, and fresh thyme leaves, then sauté for about 2 minutes until mushrooms begin to soften and shallots are fragrant.
- Deglaze the Pan: Pour the sherry vinegar into the skillet and allow it to simmer for 30 seconds, scraping any browned bits from the pan to create deep flavor.
- Thicken the Sauce: Stir in the 2 teaspoons of flour and cook for 30 seconds to remove raw flour taste. Gradually add the ¼ cup of vegetable stock (or broth/water), stirring constantly to thicken the mushroom juices into a rich pan sauce. Add additional stock if the sauce is too dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the Crostini: Remove the thyme leaves from the skillet. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the mushroom mixture onto each crostini slice. Garnish with extra fresh thyme leaves and drizzle a little olive oil over the top for a finishing touch.
Notes
- Use a crusty baguette for the best texture; stale bread can also be repurposed for this recipe.
- If not vegan, butter adds a rich flavor to the mushrooms and bread brushing.
- Adjust the thickness of the mushroom sauce by adding more vegetable stock if necessary.
- Fresh thyme is recommended, but dried thyme can be substituted in smaller amounts.
- Shallots can be replaced with a small onion if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crostini (1 slice with topping)
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
