This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooked Perfect® Meatballs. All opinions are 100% mine.
Looking for an easy appetizer that will help make your party something to remember? These Basil Pesto Meatball Crostinis are insanely easy and packed full of flavor that is sure to impress your guests!
Entertaining doesn’t have to be intimidating and just got way easier with these Cooked Perfect Meatballs. This recipe embodies everything I love! Crunchy toasted bread, hearty meatballs, creamy basil pesto, and melty mozzarella cheese. It’s basically heaven!
Meatballs make for amazing appetizers that are a crowd pleaser. The trouble is making meatballs from scratch take a lot of time and need a lot of ingredients. That’s why I love these Cooked Perfect Meatballs! In no time, you can have delicious appetizers that your friends and family will enjoy without spending all day in the kitchen.
My favorite part about Cooked Perfect Meatballs is how they use real ingredients like beef, pork, cheese, herbs and spices. They’re also flame-broiled to sear in the flavor – which makes these meatballs such a crowd favorite!
Cooked Perfect Meatballs come in delicious flavors, including:
- Italian Style
- Homestyle
- Angus Beef
- Sweet Italian
Now, where can you find these scrumptious meatballs? Find Cooked Perfect Meatballs at your local grocery in the freezer meat & poultry section.
Today I’m featuring the Cooked Perfect All Natural Homestyle Meatballs on a crostini slathered with fresh basil pesto, mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes. These meatballs are in perfect ½ ounce balls that make it easier to eat and enjoy in a party setting. Homestyle meatballs also have a great flavor that lends itself to being paired with fresh flavors like pesto that your friends and family will enjoy.
This recipe also tugs at my heartstrings because every holiday season my family and I make an Italian feast and gather around the table. No matter how many miles are between us, the whole family comes together and makes new memories over a delicious meal. These Basil Pesto Meatball Crostinis have all those comforting Italian flavors that are beyond perfect for any entertaining occasion.
Let’s Make Some Appetizers!
Start by slicing the French baguette on an angle and place them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly brush or drizzle olive oil on the bread slices. Then place bread slices under the broiler or in a toaster oven and cook until golden brown on both sides.
While toasted bread cools, heat meatballs in the microwave as directed. Mix tomatoes, basil and garlic salt in a small bowl and set aside. Divide basil pesto over all the pieces of toasted bread, a little goes a long way so use about 1 teaspoon of pesto per crostini.
Next carefully cut meatballs in half and place two halves on top of each piece of toasted bread. Top with mozzarella cheese and place tray of crostinis under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted.
After the cheese has melted, remove from the broiler and finish with the fresh tomato and basil mixture. Serve and enjoy!
These basil pesto meatball crostinis are epic, so easy to make, yet super impressive. There’s nothing boring or bland about these appetizers, it will take your party to the next level! If you love this recipe idea, Browse more meatball recipes here!
Happy Entertaining!
Basil Pesto Meatball Crostini
Ingredients
For the Crostinis
- 1 18 ounce package Cooked Perfect Homestyle Meatballs, bite size
- 2 french baguette, cut into 20 slices each
- 1 1/2 cup basil pesto, prepared or recipe below
- 1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
- 1 cup heirloom tomatoes, chopped
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
- olive oil for drizzle
- garlic salt to taste
For the Basil Pesto Sauce
- 3 cups fresh basil leaves, removed from stems
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, high quality preferred
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- splash of lemon juice
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
For the Basil Pesto
- Into a food processor place all ingredients except for the oil. Pulse ingredients on low until everything is starting to get the proper consistency. Then slowly pour in the olive oil. It's important that this is down slowly since olive oil can become bitter and emulsify if processed too quickly.
- Once processed remove from the processor and put into a storage container such as a jar. Add a splash of lemon juice and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste approximately ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp black pepper.
For the Crostinis
- Lightly brush bread slices with olive oil then place bread slices under broiler or in toaster oven and cook until golden brown on both sides.
- While toasted bread cools, heat meatballs in microwave as directed.
- Mix tomatoes, basil and garlic salt in a small bowl and set aside. Divide basil pesto over all the pieces of toasted bread. Then cut meatballs in half and place two halves on top of each piece of bread. Top with mozzarella cheese. Place tray of crostinis under the broiler for 5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and melted.
- After cheese has melted, remove from the broiler and finish with the fresh tomato and basil mixture. Serve immediately and enjoy!
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