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Pesto Crostini Christmas Tree
Bring a touch of classy and festive fun to your next holiday gathering with this delicious pesto crostini Christmas tree! Made with crispy toasted crostini, a vibrant creamy pesto, cherry tomatoes, and a balsamic glaze – this edible Christmas tree will be your favorite new Christmas appetizer!
Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 20 slices
Calories: 153 kcal
Course:
Appetizer
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- 20 small toasted French bread slices
- ½ cup pesto homemade or store-bought
- 20 mozzarella cheese pearls
- 20 cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 slice cheddar cheese
- balsamic glaze optional
Instructions
- Start by placing your spinach (or basil) leaves down on a large wood charcuterie board in the shape of a Christmas tree.
- Add the toasted bread slices on top of the spinach. You want to cover the majority of the spinach and keep that Christmas tree shape.
- Add pesto, a mozzarella pearl, and a cherry tomato to each of the toasted brea slices.
- Sprinkles toasted pine nuts across the entire Christmas tree.
- Use a star shaped cookie cutter to cut out a star out of the cheese and add to the top of the tree.
- If desired, drizzle the entire tree (but not the star) with the balsamic glaze. Or just serve on the side for people to drizzle on their own.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Ingredient Notes:
- If you don’t buy already toasted bread slices, you can buy a loaf of French bread and cut it into thin slices for this recipe. Brush with olive oil and toast in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes, until they’re just slightly toasted. Just watch them so they don’t burn!
- Pesto – you can use either homemade pesto (this creamy pesto is my favorite) or store-bought pesto to save time.
- Spinach – this is totally optional, but it’s a fun way to give your entire Christmas tree that green color. You could also use fresh basil if that’s easier to get. It’s for looks totally so if you don’t want to use it, just skip it.
- Cherry tomatoes – cherry or grape work, you just want something small enough that when you cut them, they fit on the crostinis.
- Pine nuts – I like to toast mine. Just put them in a cold pan on the stove over medium heat and heat them until they toast lightly (you’ll start to smell them when they are toasting) – just be careful not to burn them because they go from toasted to burnt fast!
- French bread – you can use pre-cut crostini (typically find them in your grocery store bakery) or buy a loaf of French bread and cut and toast yourself.
- Balsamic glaze – this is optional, but I sure love pesto and balsamic together! Use the instructions in my eggplant rolls post to make a balsamic glaze or buy one at the store.
- Mozzarella cheese – if you can find the little mozzarella cheese pearls, they’re perfect because they fit really well on the crostinis. If you can’t, you can cut pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh goat cheese, or even feta cheese crumbles would be great!
Nutrition Information
Calories
153kcal
(8%)
Carbohydrates
17g
(6%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
11g
(17%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Cholesterol
11mg
(4%)
Sodium
285mg
(12%)
Potassium
104mg
(3%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
498IU
(10%)
Vitamin C
5mg
(6%)
Calcium
155mg
(16%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 153
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 153kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 285mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 104mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 498IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 5mg | 6% |
| Calcium | 155mg | 16% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.