Potato Crostini Appetizer with Pesto Cheese

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This potato crostini appetizer recipe combines roasted potato rounds with creamy pesto cheese to make scrumptious finger food.

Potato rounds stand in for bread in this crostini-like recipe. The potatoes with crispy edges and fluffy insides pair perfectly with the cheesy pesto topping. It's a gluten-free appetizer, too.

It's easy to make if too many potatoes aren't scarfed down before you get to the topping! That's experience talking.

Luckily, the cheesy topping with pesto and cream cheese is easy to make. All told, there are just 3 main ingredients in this easy recipe.

The potato medallions are thicker than homemade sweet potato chips. However, you could serve the pesto cheese on a crispy chip instead!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Short-Cut
• Directions
• FAQ
• Storage and Make Ahead Tips
• More Finger Food Appetizer Recipes
• 📋 Recipe

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make pesto cheese potato crostini rounds:

• Potatoes - Smaller potatoes, such as red or Yukon gold, or a long but skinny russet potato, are best for this recipe. Sweet potatoes work, too!
• Cream cheese - The type you already use will work in this recipe
• Prepared pesto - We used a jar of traditional basil pesto. However, any preparation can be used, from sun-dried tomato pesto to pesto made with cilantro. Or learn how to make fresh basil pesto with this comprehensive guide by Dishes and Dust Bunnies.
• Salt - Table salt, sea salt, or garlic salt.
• Olive oil is used to mist the potato slices. Cooking spray can be used instead.
• Optional garnishes: Diced red pepper, chives, or parsley.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.

Directions

Here's how to make potato crostini with a cheesy pesto topping:

1. Cut medium-sized potatoes into ¼-inch slices, trying to be as consistent as possible so that the potato rounds roast evenly.
   • Tip: A mandolin, one of our kitchen essentials, makes quick work of this step.
   • Note: You don't need to peel the potatoes first.
2. Lightly mist potato slices with olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the top side with salt and roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender and browned. Flip the potato slices over halfway through and sprinkle with the remaining salt.
   • Tip: The potato slices should be completely coated with olive oil but not drenched. A misting pump is an easy way to do this and control the amount of olive oil used. Using a silicone brush is another great option.
3. While the potatoes are cooking, mix together softened cream cheese and prepared pesto. You can slather it on with a knife. To pipe it on, add the pesto cheese mixture to a plastic bag, squeeze it into one corner, and then snip off the tip.
4. Garnish with diced red peppers, chives, or parsley.

FAQ

Storage and Make Ahead Tips

Making cheesy pesto potato crostini rounds as a party appetizer?

• Pesto and cream cheese can be combined 3-4 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
• Potatoes can be sliced 1 day ahead of time. Store them in water in the refrigerator. Rinse and pat them dry before roasting.

The assembled appetizer will reheat poorly. So, scrape off the topping and store it separately if you have leftovers.

Reheat the potatoes in the oven or an air fryer, as you would reheat french fries.

More Finger Food Appetizer Recipes

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📋 Recipe

This recipe was originally published on 8/6/18 and has been updated to improve the reader experience.