Mandarin Orange and Prosciutto Crostini Recipe

Impress your guests with this delicious and easy prosciutto crostini recipe. Perfect for any occasion, these bite-sized appetizers are bursting with flavor and will leave your guests begging for more. Learn how to make them in just a few simple steps.

We have been loving our nativity dinner tradition and a few years ago we added this crostini recipe to the menu. It has been on repeat ever since. It is totally irresistible. This holiday appetizer is from one of my favorite cookbooks from my friend, Tara.

This savory crostini consists of toasted (or grilled) baguette slices topped with caramelized shallots, prosciutto, mandarin oranges, toasted hazelnuts and fresh thyme. The combination of flavors and textures is everything an irresistible appetizer should be!

What Do I Need to Make Prosciutto Crostinis?

Before you head to the grocery store to pick up all your holiday ingredients, be sure to add these items to your list:

• Baguette
• Olive oil
• Shallots
• Kosher Salt
• White Balsamic Vinegar
• Brown Sugar
• Bay Leaf
• Coriander Seeds
• Mandarin Oranges
• Prosciutto
• Toasted Hazelnuts
• Fresh Thyme

The measurements of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post so keep scrolling for all the details.

What is Prosciutto and Where Can I Find It?

Prosciutto is a dry-cured ham of Italian origin that is not cooked. It is usually very thinly sliced, very delicate, perfectly fatty and extremely elegant.

It can be found in the specialty meats area of your grocery store.

Does Prosciutto Need to Be Cooked?

No, it is cured using salt which draws out all the moisture and blood in the meat which makes it safe to eat without cooking.

How to Make Prosciutto Crostinis

Crostinis look so fancy and boujee, but they are really easy to make! You can even buy baguette slices that are already toasted if you want to eliminate a step. Here are the step-by-step directions:

1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375ºF and thinly slice a baguette.
2. Bake: Brush each slice of baguette with olive oil and place them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and bake until toasted. Let them cool completely.
3. Sauté: Heat a skillet over medium heat and sauté the shallot with the salt and 1 tablespoon of olive oil until the shallots are translucent – around 20 minutes.
4. Simmer: Add the vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf and coriander seeds to the shallots and simmer until the vine

Sweet Potato Rounds with Cranberry, Feta and Hazelnuts

Sweet potato rounds are like crostinis that you load up with goodness, but it’s all on top of roasted sweet potatoes making them a totally delicious and healthy side dish.

Years ago I started making little sweet potato rounds for our Christmas dinner. We did the gruyere sweet potato stacks the most but then with leftover cranberry sauce I started to experiment and eventually that led me to an adapted version of sweet potato rounds by Tidy Mom. I absolutely love making these and they are surprisingly very easy.

I love that I can use leftover cranberry sauce or fig spread. The cheese is also easy to swap and mix up. But most of all, I love that they taste absolutely scrumptious while looking stunning. Sometimes the best food is the ugliest, but that is not the case here!!

What Do I Need to Make Sweet Potato Rounds?

Just wait until you read all the delicious ingredients that go into this recipe! So much flavor in every bite…this is what you will need:

• Sweet Potatoes – you can peel the sweet potatoes if you want but I like to leave the skins on
• Olive Oil – used to roast the sweet potato rounds
• Fresh Orange Zest – you can’t beat the flavor of fresh citrus and it plays so well with the flavor of the toppings
• Kosher Salt – adds so much flavor
• Black Pepper – adds flavor and a teeny tiny kick
• Cranberry Sauce – you can use our recipe or make your own, but definitely make it from scratch
• Crumbled Feta – buy the brick of feta and crumble it yourself

For the Nuts

• Hazelnuts – easily swapped out for other nuts if you want, but roasted hazelnuts are so perfect for the holidays!
• Butter – helps roast the nuts and adds richness and flavor
• Cinnamon – adds flavor and warmth

For the Drizzle

• Honey – acts as the base for the drizzle and adds natural sweetness
• Balsamic Vinegar – adds a sweet tangy punch to the drizzle
• Fresh Thyme – adds a bright pop of flavor and freshness

Cheese Substitutes

If you aren’t a feta fan or want to change things up a little, then these are my suggestions for some possible cheese substitutes:

• Gorgonzola
• Bleu Cheese
• Gruyere
• Goats Cheese
• Parmesan Aged White Cheddar
• Manchego

Nut Substitutes

Hazelnuts can be a little harder to find than other nuts so if you have a hard time finding them or aren’t a fan, then try swapping them with any of these:

• Hazelnuts
• Pecans
• Walnuts
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