These butternut squash crostini are the perfect appetizer! The sweetness of the roasted squash with the salty speck and smooth ricotta are an amazing combination that will leave you wanting more!
These crostini are a great fall appetizer, but they work for any time of the year really! If you're looking for more crostini ideas, definitely check out this roasted grape crostini recipe.
Ingredients
- Baguette slices
- Cubed butternut squash
- Whipped ricotta
- Speck
- Olive oil
- Fresh thyme
What is speck?
Speck is a cured, lightly smoked ham, that is similar to prosciutto crudo. It has a more smoky flavor than prosciutto, and comes from South Tyrol (northern Italy), while prosciutto generally comes from Parma.
How to make butternut squash crostini - step by step
Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel butternut squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut it into small cubes. Place 1 cup of butternut squash cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast butternut squash in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden and tender.
Prepare the bread toasts by baking, grilling or frying them.
While squash is roasting, add the ricotta to a bowl and season with salt. With an electric mixer, whip the ricotta until it is creamy and smooth, a few minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the speck and sautée until slightly crispy, a few minutes.
Spread the ricotta on the bread. Top with butternut squash, speck and fresh thyme. Serve immediately!
More appetizer recipes you might like
- Classic Tomato Bruschetta
- Focaccia with olives and onions
- Steamed Mussels with White Wine, Garlic and Tomato Broth
If you’ve tried making these Butternut Squash Crostini, or any other recipe on the blog please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, TWITTER, AND PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’ve been up to.
Recipe
Butternut Squash Crostini with Speck and Ricotta
Ingredients
- 12 slices of a french baguette cut into ½"-¾" slices
- 1 cup butternut squash cut into small cubes
- ½ cup speck cut into strips
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- ½ cup ricotta
- fresh thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Peel butternut squash, cut in half, and remove the seeds. Cut it into small cubes. Place 1 cup of butternut squash cubes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast butternut squash in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until golden and tender.
- Prepare the bread toasts by baking, grilling or frying them.
- While squash is roasting, add the ricotta to a bowl and season with salt. With an electric mixer, whip the ricotta until it is creamy and smooth, a few minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the speck and sautée until slightly crispy, a few minutes.
- Spread the ricotta on the bread. Top with butternut squash, speck and fresh thyme. Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes
- Try to get the speck sliced a little thicker than usual, so it's easy to cut into strips
- If you can't find speck, you can use prosciutto. Once again, try to get thicker slices
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