These festive vegan mushroom crostini recipe is an easy and impressive appetizer perfect for holidays. Crunchy baguette with grilled vegan mozzarella topped with sweet caramelized onions and mushrooms with a hint of balsamic and Dijon mustard will surely be a show stopper.
Thank you Maille for sponsoring this post. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
If you are looking for an easy vegan holiday appetizer, you’ve come to the right place. Deliciously cheesy, crunchy, savory with a sweet note, these vegan mushroom crostini are always a hit on my holiday table.
For mushroom lovers like me, these crostini taste just perfect. Make them for Thanksgiving or Christmas to impress your guests and make them beg for more!
Make sure to check other vegan Thanksgiving menu ideas like best vegan appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, sides and desserts.
Another piece of good news is that this recipe is very easy to put together with just a few basic ingredients.Same goes for one of my favorite side dishes – pan seared balsamic glazed brussels sprouts.
Easy crostini recipes like these mushroom crostinis are good to have up your sleeve for when your guests are at the doorstep. Bonus point, nobody would guess it’s vegan!
A great way to kick the mushroom flavor up a notch is to add a spoonful of Maille Dijon Originale Mustard. This is by far my favorite Dijon mustard that I always have in my fridge.
I’m so happy to represent the Maille brand and be part of their community. Head to the My Maille Facebook Group for other recipe ideas, like beet galette and fall harvest salad that I created for Maille over the years).
What is Crostini?
Crostini means “little crusts” in Italian. Crostini is bite-sized crusty bread brushed with olive oil and toasted in the oven until crispy. They are basically a mini version of bruschetta. Crostini is perfect for dipping or topping with condiments, spreads or veggie toppings (see crostini topping ideas below). You can also serve it with soups like this creamy sweet potato and lentil soup, roasted butternut squash soup, wild garlic soup or vegan minestrone.
Bread for Crostini
Baguette is perfect for crostini but you can use any long and fine-textured artisan loaf or ciabatta bread. Ideally, use a day old bread but if you have a stale baguette, you can turn it into delicious crusty homemade crostini as well.
Crostini Toppings
Here are a few ideas for vegan crostini toppings and spreads:
- Vegan pesto;
- Roasted beet hummus or any other type of hummus;
- Baba Ganoush (eggplant dip);
- Rhubarb chutney or any other chutney;
- Olive tapenade;
- Mojo verde (Canarian green sauce);
- Pico de Gallo (fresh tomato salsa);
- Russian mushroom spread;
- Roasted veggies of your choice (tomatoes, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, onions, peppers, etc);
- Any type of cheese + roasted veggies;
- Fruit toppings like pears, cranberries and figs with cheese;
- Or you can turn them into mini pizzas.
It’s easy to make any crostini recipe vegan. Most of the times, you would need to find an alternative for cheese.
While you can go ahead and make your own vegan cheese (or use up what you’ve made before), nowadays most of the vegan cheese varieties are available in grocery stores or on amazon. This certainly saves time and makes your vegan crostini ready within minutes. For this recipe, I used vegan mozzarella shreds.
Is Baguette Vegan?
Just like most other breads like ciabatta, sourdough, wholemeal bread, etc, baguette is also vegan.
Ingredients for The Mushroom Crostini
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Sugar
- Salt
- Balsamic vinegar
- Mushrooms
- Thyme
- Garlic
- Baguette
- Vegan mozzarella shreds
- Maille Dijon Originale Mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
How to Make It
For a quick step-by-step instructions check this mushroom crostini story.
Prep the Onions and Mushrooms
To start with, cut the onion in half and slice. Slice the mushrooms. If they are too big, cut in half and slice.
Make Quick Caramelized Onions
Caramelized onions take over an hour to make, so I used a quicker version that doesn’t take longer than 10 minutes.
The secret here is to add a bit of sugar and balsamic vinegar to speed up the process.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron or nonstick) over medium high heat. Add the onions and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add sugar, salt and balsamic vinegar and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until softened.
Cook the Mushrooms
Add sliced mushrooms to the onions and increase the heat to medium high. Wait until they release liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated and mushrooms start to brown, for about 8 minutes.
Add minced garlic and 2 sprigs thyme (stems removed) or 1 teaspoon dried thyme and cook for 2 more minutes.
Toast the Baguette
Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Slice the baguette straight across if you prefer smaller crostini or on the diagonal for larger and longer crostini (see pictures) with a serrated knife about 1/2-inch thick.
Arrange them on a baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and top with vegan mozzarella shreds.
Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to firm on top and looks golden.
If you are using stale baguette, use the broiling function of your oven instead and check the cheese after 3 minutes.
Remove from the oven.
Make the Balsamic Dijon Dressing
While the bread is toasting, make the balsamic mustard dressing. In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together Maille Dijon Originale Mustard, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Assemble the Crostini
Top the cheesy crostini slices with caramelized onion mushroom mixture and drizzle with the balsamic Dijon mustard dressing.
Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and garnish with fresh thyme.
Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
What to Serve It With
You can serve these crostini in many different ways:
- As a part of an appetizer table along with vegan stuffed mushrooms (make sure to check my favorite holiday vegan appetizers);
- With soups;
- With vegan roast and balsamic-glazed brussels sprouts;
- With hearty vegetable stews or shakshuka;
- With salads like this vegan fall harvest salad with kale and pumpkin;
- With casseroles like this savory sweet potato casserole with black beans, kale and quinoa;
- On their own as a vegan finger food snack or quick lunch;
- Serve hot German mulled wine (Gluhwein) with these crostini and Lebkuchen for dessert 🙂
Cook’s Tips
- Slice the baguette straight across if you prefer smaller bite-sized crostini or on the diagonal for larger and longer crostini with more room for toppings (see pictures).
- Cut the bread about 1/2-inch thick so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Use a serrated knife for slicing bread.
- Crostini is a great way to use up stale baguette.
- Add sugar and balsamic vinegar to quickly caramelize onions.
- Serve them as a part of a festive appetizer table, with soups, stews, shakshukas, salads or on their own as a vegan finger food snack or a quick lunch.
- Store crostini in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave if needed.
Recipe Variations
- Use any type of mushrooms or a blend for this recipe. Wild mushrooms, shiitake, chanterelles, white button mushrooms and oyster mushrooms are all great for crostini in any combination.
- Substituting eggplant for half of the mushrooms will increase the nutrient density and give the crostini an interesting flavor profile.
- Add roasted garlic to jazz up your mushroom crostini.
- For a non-vegan version, use shredded mozzarella or creamy cheeses like ricotta (use this vegan ricotta recipe), chevre or cream cheese (vegan version). If you use creamy cheeses, smear toasted crostini with a thin layer of cheese.
Easy Vegan Mushroom Crostini
Ingredients
For the crostini:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 large onion
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 lb or 450 g cremini mushrooms or other mushrooms of your choice (see notes)
- 3-4 sprigs thyme divided (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme + 1 sprig fresh thyme to garnish)
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ crusty baguette can be stale, see notes
- ¾ cup vegan mozzarella shreds for alternatives, see notes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the balsamic-Dijon dressing (makes ½ cup):
- 1 teaspoon Maille Dijon Originale Mustard
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Prep the Onions and Mushrooms
- To start with, cut the onion in half and slice. Slice the mushrooms. If they are too big, cut in half and slice.
Make Quick Caramelized Onions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet (cast iron or nonstick) over medium high heat. Add the onions and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add sugar, salt and balsamic vinegar and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes or until softened.
Cook the Mushrooms
- Add sliced mushrooms to the onions and increase the heat to medium high. Wait until they release liquid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is evaporated and mushrooms start to brown, for about 8 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and 2 sprigs thyme (stems removed) or 1 teaspoon dried thyme and cook for 2 more minutes.
Toast the Baguette
- Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C. Slice the baguette straight across if you prefer smaller crostini or on the diagonal for larger and longer crostini (see pictures) with a serrated knife about 1/2-inch thick.
- Arrange them on a baking sheet. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and top with vegan mozzarella shreds.
- Toast in the oven for about 5 minutes or until the cheese starts to firm on top and looks golden. If you are using stale baguette, use the broiling function of your oven instead and check the cheese after 3 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Make the Balsamic Dijon Dressing
- While the bread is toasting, make the balsamic mustard dressing. In a small bowl or pitcher, whisk together Maille Dijon Originale Mustard, extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Assemble the Crostini
- Top the cheesy crostini slices with caramelized onion mushroom mixture and drizzle with the balsamic Dijon mustard dressing. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook’s Tips
- Slice the baguette straight across if you prefer smaller bite-sized crostini or on the diagonal for larger and longer crostini with more room for toppings (see pictures).
- Cut the bread about 1/2-inch thick so it doesn’t fall apart.
- Use a serrated knife for slicing bread.
- Crostini is a great way to use up stale baguette.
- Add sugar and balsamic vinegar to quickly caramelize onions.
- Serve them as a part of a festive appetizer table, with soups, stews, shakshukas, salads or on their own as a vegan finger food snack or a quick lunch.
- Store crostini in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave if needed.
Recipe Variations
- Use any type of mushrooms or a blend for this recipe. Wild mushrooms, shiitake, chanterelles, white button mushrooms and oyster mushrooms are all great for crostini in any combination.
- Substituting eggplant for half of the mushrooms will increase the nutrient density and give the crostini an interesting flavor profile.
- Add roasted garlic to jazz up your mushroom crostini.
- For a non-vegan version, use shredded mozzarella or creamy cheeses like ricotta ( use this vegan ricotta recipe), chevre or cream cheese (vegan version). If you use creamy cheeses, smear toasted crostini with a thin layer of cheese.
