Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches

Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches is a perfect summertime finger food. Come learn how to grill peaches, how to make a balsamic reduction and how to serve them together with ricotta on a grilled crostini. Makes 6 servings.

Love peach recipes? Don’t miss Peach Margarita and Grilled Peach Salad with Burrata!

This Grilled Crostini was originally published on July 11, 2016. The photos and text were updated and republished in June 2021.

This grilled crostini came into being simply because the ingredients were hanging out in my house.

After all, we all know what happens to peaches when left unmonitored, and we had some that desperately needed eating. (In a recipe that wasn’t a dessert, even though I love a good peach dessert, like Dairy Free Peach Cobbler and Blackberry Peach Hand Pies!)

Why I love this recipe:

This started off as a dessert crostini situation, but it morphed into a savory rendition the second time around. The first time, we added honey instead of the balsamic drizzle, and though that was good, the balsamic added a bit of a punch to this dish.

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If you’re a cheese fan and a peach fan and a carb fan, you should make this ricotta crostini, especially because this dish is perfect for a summertime party and sharing.

Other summery appetizers to get your hands on: Tuna Pesto Crostini | Cucumber Bruschetta (Easy Cucumber Appetizer) | Galia Melon Jamón Skewers (Whole30 Appetizer) | Caramelized Onion Guacamole | Easy Snack Board | Caprese Skewers

What you need to make this Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches

The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

• Cast iron grill/griddle or an actual grill outside
• Tongs
• Saucepan

In addition to these tools, you’re going to need a few ingredients, too:

• A baguette or your favorite crusty bread—this will obviously be the base for our crostini. I like to use a thinner baguette so that these crostini are bite-sized, but you can use a larger loaf and make larger slices of toast, too.
• Ricotta cheese—your favorite brand and fat content works here. I lean toward whole milk ricotta because it has the most flavor, but you do you.
• Fresh peaches—we want ’em to be ripe, but not too ripe. If your peaches feel a little soft, you want to just eat those because they’ll fall apart when grilling if you’re not careful.
• Olive oil—for brushing the peaches
• Balsamic vinegar—we’re making our own reduction, but if you want to purchase one, they’re available online and in most grocery stores these days.

How to make Balsamic Reduction

Pour the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan over medium heat, and simmer until the vinegar reduces by half and is a thicker consistency.

Remove from the heat, and set aside until serving. This step can be done days in advance, as it will keep in your fridge for up to two weeks.

How to Grill Peaches

Preheat the grill (or a grill pan) to 400°F. If you’re using a gas grill, fire half of the burners so the peaches (and crostini!) can cook on indirect heat without getting charred.

Cut the peaches in half, removing the pits. (Don’t fret about the peach skin. We’re leaving it on, and it adds both color and texture.)

When the grill is at temp, brush the peaches with olive oil and place them flesh side down on the grill.

Cover the grill, then rotate the peaches once the flesh gets a good char on it. (This should take 3-5 minutes.)

Remove the peaches from the grill and slice them as they cool.

How to make Ricotta Crostini with Grilled Peaches

Place the sliced baguette on the grates to toast, covering to let the grill work its magic. Give each piece about 1-2 minutes before flipping because we want the crostini to get crispy, but not too crispy or burnt.

Like the peaches, place the slices of bread on indirect heat so they don’t get charred.

Remove the toasted baguette from the grill when they’ve reached the optimal crispness.

Smear the ricotta cheese on the crostni, and top with the grilled peach slices. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction, and enjoy warm.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

Making this ricotta crostini at home for a gathering is a brilliant and delicious appetizer to serve to guests. In fact, it’s one of my favorites to serve during the summertime because it’s simple to make, and oftentimes when we’re hosting friends, we’re planning to grill (hello, Backyard Barbecue), so it fits right in.

Here are a few ideas for how to take this recipe and make it entertaining-friendly:

• Double or triple the recipe. Depending on your people, they might more than one or two crostini, so make sure to have additional ingredients on hand if necessary.
• Make the balsamic reduction in advance. This can be kept in the fridge for a few weeks, so make it when you’re feeling easy peach.
• Make them truly bite-sized. While I’ve made these grilled crostini with larger slices of bread, I really like purchasing the small baguettes from the store so that I can slice rounds into bite-sized pieces. This way, guests don’t have to carry them around.
• The size of the peach will affect how many you need to make this recipe. For the bite-sized crostini, you just need one slice of peach. If you’re making larger toasts, you’ll want 2-3 slices of peach per slice of bread. You do you on this, but be aware that you might need more or less peaches accordingly.
• Don’t skip the garnish. The pop of brightness the fresh basil adds is absolutely delicious. You can also add a little sprinkling of flaky salt at the end, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to the best ricotta crostini

• Use the right peaches! If your peaches are too ripe, they’ll fall apart on the grill, so be sure they’re a little firm before using them in this recipe.
• Grill the crostini, too. Grill marks add some character to the toast, and
• Don’t leave out the balsamic reduction. If you’re unsure if you want to make this at home, you can purchase a balsamic reduction* (affiliate link) at most grocery stores and online.

Sounds delicious, huh?

Here’s how you can make it at home: