An appetizer fit for Fall! Butternut Squash is roasted and pureed and combined with tangy whipped goat cheese on a slice of toasted baguette. It’s topped with tart pickled cranberries and crispy sage. Perfectly savory and delicious!
I love appetizers. This should come as no surprise if you’ve been reading my blog for some time. I find the idea of appetizers so inspiring: there’s so much creativity that comes with creating small bites. You can find all of my appetizer recipes right here!
Creamy butternut squash, whipped goat cheese, pickled cranberries, and crispy sage. Can you think of a more cozy combination of flavors? The layers meld together perfectly: sweet, salty, tangy, savory. The variety of textures makes every bite satisfying. Read on to learn how to make this crowd pleasing appetizer!
Components of This Butternut Squash Crostini
- Toasted Baguette : Thin slices of French baguette are lightly toasted, serving as the perfect base.
- Roasted Butternut Squash: Butternut squash is one of my favorite fall flavors to work with. Here I cube it, roast it, and then puree it. It’s seasoned lightly with olive oil, salt, and pepper. It doesn’t need much to taste delicious.
- Whipped Goat Cheese: Goat cheese, cream cheese, olive oil, honey, and salt are whipped in a food processor until silky smooth. It’s absolutely incredible on its own, but is outstanding when combined with these other flavors.
- Pickled Cranberries: Yes, pickled cranberries. They’re little jewels bursting with flavor: they’re tart, sour, sweet, and spiced.
- Crispy Sage: Sage gives this dish the final aromatic kiss it needs to bring everything together. It’s lightly fried until crispy, providing a delicious and tender crunch.
How To Make Butternut Squash Crostini
- Start by pickling the cranberries. Add all the ingredients except the cranberries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat. Add cranberries to a glass jar, and pour the pickling liquid in the jar. You can make these up to one week in advance, but note that the flavor will become more pronounced the ginger they sit. Be sure to store in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add cubed squash to a baking sheet, drizzling with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until fragrant and tender.
- As the squash is roasting, make the whipped goat cheese. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste, and adjust salt and honey as needed. Transfer to a separate bowl.
- When the butternut squash has slightly cooled, transfer to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Now make the crispy sage. Add olive oil to a a small sauce pan. Add the sage leaves and lightly fry for about 1 minute. Watch closely though, it will go fast! Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Slice the baguette into 24 slices and brush with olive oil. Broil for about 1 minute a side until lightly golden brown.
- To arrange, spoon butternut squash on each crostini, followed by whipped goat cheese. Slice pickled cranberries in half and arrange on each crostini along with the crispy sage.
Other Appetizers To Try
- Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Turnovers
- Smoked Salmon Potato Bites with Whipped Cream Cheese and Dill
- Apple, Brie, and Prosciutto Puff Pastry
- Festive Pistachio and Cranberry Goat Cheese Log
- Rosemary and Maple Roasted Nuts
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Butternut Squash Crostini with Whipped Goat Cheese and Pickled Cranberries
Butternut Squash is roasted and pureed and combined with tangy whipped goat cheese on a slice of toasted baguette. It's topped with tart pickled cranberries and crispy sage. Perfectly savory and delicious!
Servings: 24 crostini
Ingredients
For the roasted butternut squash:
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Freshly cracked pepper
For the whipped goat cheese:
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 2 oz cream cheese
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the pickled cranberries:
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 cardamom pod
- 1 star anise
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
For the crispy sage:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 20 sage leaves
For the crostini:
- 1 French Baguette
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Start by pickling the cranberries. Add all the ingredients except the cranberries to a small saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat. Add cranberries to a glass jar, and pour the pickling liquid in the jar. You can make these up to one week in advance, but note that the flavor will become more pronounced the ginger they sit. Be sure to store in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add cubed squash to a baking sheet, drizzling with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes, until fragrant and tender.
- As the squash is roasting, make the whipped goat cheese. Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Taste, and adjust salt and honey as needed. Transfer to a separate bowl.
- When the butternut squash has slightly cooled, transfer to the food processor and pulse until smooth.
- Now make the crispy sage. Add olive oil to a a small sauce pan. Add the sage leaves and lightly fry for about 1 minute. Watch closely though, it will go fast! Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
- Slice the baguette into 24 slices and brush with olive oil. Broil for about 1 minute a side until lightly golden brown.
- To arrange, spoon butternut squash on each crostini, followed by whipped goat cheese. Slice pickled cranberries in half and arrange on each crostini along with the crispy sage.