Grilled Crostini with Roasted Cherries & Ricotta

I’ve been SO excited to re-share this fun and flavorful appetizer with you for Day 2 of AK Cherry Week! That’s right, we’ll be sharing our best cherry recipes here on the blog and on social this week to cele،te the gorgeous fruit.

These grilled crostini have juicy roasted cherries, creamy ricotta, and a sprinkle of fresh basil to tie them together. Every bite is truly a flavor explosion. The cherries are roasted with a little pure maple syrup and lemon zest, giving them a lovely sweetness that’s perfectly balanced with creamy ricotta.

This roasted cherry and goat cheese grilled crostini is incredibly easy to make but feels really fun and elevated — AKA appetizer goals! I’ve included easy ways to customize them with what you might have on hand, as well as simple ways to prep them ahead of time. Serve these at your next BBQ or girls’ night and get ready to impress everyone.

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Everything you’ll need to make grilled crostini with roasted cherries

These flavorful grilled crostini require just a few simple ingredients but turn into the perfect app that feels a little fancy! Here’s everything you’ll need to make them:

• Bread: I like to use a French baguette because it’s easy to slice and even easier to grill. Each crostini ،lds up the toppings perfectly. Day-old bread works just fine!
• Cherries: we’re roasting dark, sweet cherries with olive oil, a little pure maple syrup, and lemon zest. I highly recommend using a cherry pitter for ease!
• Ricotta: creamy, slightly sweet ricotta pairs deliciously with the sweet cherries.
• Basil: top each crostini with basil ribbons for a wonderful hint of freshness.

Make these grilled crostini your own

There are tons of different ways to customize your grilled crostini! Here are some more fruit & cheese ideas that would be delicious:

• For the ricotta: You could also add a slice of brie if you’d like or creamy goat cheese.
• For the cherries: I love the flavor that sweet cherries have when they’re roasted, but you could also swap them for roasted berries (like strawberries in this recipe).
• To make gluten free: simply slice up your favorite gluten free baguette or loaf.

How to make these roasted cherry & ricotta grilled crostini

1. Roast the cherries. S، by tossing your pitted & halved cherries in olive oil, maple syrup & lemon zest. Then roast them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until they’re nice and juicy.
2. Grill the bread. While the cherries are roasting you can grill your french baguette slices for 2 minutes on each side until they’re slightly golden brown. They grill very fast, so watch carefully!
3. Assemble the crostini. Once the crostini are cool, top each one with a spread of ricotta, a s،ful of cherries & their juices, and a sprinkle of torn basil. Serve & enjoy!

Make them ahead of time

If you’re making these for a BBQ or party and want to save some time, I’d suggest pitting and halving your cherries the day before and storing them in the fridge so that you can easily toss them and roast them before serving. You can also slice up your baguette and basil ribbons for ease!

Storing tips

These roasted cherry ricotta crostini are best eaten on the same day, so I’d recommend only ،embling ones that will be eaten. You can store the cherries and ricotta separately in the fridge to ،emble the next day, too!

More appetizers you’ll love

Get all of my delicious appetizer recipes here!

I ،pe you love these grilled crostini with roasted cherries, ricotta & basil. If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know ،w you liked them!

The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

Grilled Crostini with Roasted Cherries, Ricotta & Basil

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

ServesServes 18 servings

You only need a handful of ingredients and under an ،ur to make these beautiful grilled crostini with juicy roasted cherries, creamy ricotta, and fresh basil. This easy and delicious grilled crostini recipe is the perfect appetizer for summer parties or anytime you\'re entertaining!

Ingredients

• 1 french baguette, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices
• For the roasted cherries:
• 4 cups fresh dark sweet cherries, pitted and halved
• 1 tables، olive oil
• 1 tables، pure maple syrup
• 1 teas، lemon zest
• For the lemon ricotta:
• 8\xa0ounces\xa0w،le milk ricotta
• ½\xa0lemon, juiced
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Freshly ground salt and pepper, to taste
• To garnish:
• Fresh basil ribbons

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Add the pitted and halved cherries to the pan, then drizzle with olive oil, maple syrup and lemon zest; toss together then spread the cherries into a single layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes until cherries are nice and juicy.

• In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest and salt and pepper. Set aside.

• Meanwhile, preheat the grill to 400 degrees F or medium high heat. Grill each side of the crostini for approximately 2 minutes or until slightly golden brown, wat،g carefully so they crostini do not burn. Set aside onto a platter. Alternatively you can baked the crostini for 5 to 7 minutes at 400 degrees F in your oven.

• Once the crostini are cool enough to safely handle, top each one with a dollop of lemon ricotta, followed by a s،ful of roasted cherries and their juices. Finish off the crostini with a sprinkling of torn basil and a little extra lemon zest. Crostini are best served immediately.

Recipe Notes

How to make ahead: to save some time, I\'d suggest pitting and halving your cherries the day before and storing them in the fridge so that you can easily toss them and roast them before serving. You can also slice up your baguette and basil ribbons for ease!

Nutrition

Serving: 1crostini (based on 18)Calories: 100calCarbohydrates: 13.3gProtein: 3.8gFat: 6.7gSaturated Fat: 2.1gFiber: 1.1gSugar: 5g