10 Minute Cheese & Pear Crostini Appetizer for the Holidays

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If you need a quick and delicious appetizer that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser, try this 10 Minute Cheese & Pear Crostini Appetizer recipe! Made with toasted walnuts, fresh pear and balsamic vinaigrette, it’s absolutely delicious!

*This is a sponsored post written on behalf of Crystal Farms® Cheese. All opinions are mine.* 10 Minute Pear & Gouda Crostini with Balsamic Vinaigrette

10 Minute Cheese & Pear Crostini Appetizer for the Holidays

This pear crostini recipe has two tasty flavor combinations – Crystal Farms® Sharp Cheddar and Crystal Farms® Shredded Gouda. Both ways are delicious, so try them today and let me know your favorite! Pear appetizer recipes are some of my favorite types of appetizers. Oh who am I kidding. It’s the cheese! Cheesy appetizers are my favorite! Especially when they’re easy to make and somewhat healthy. I hope you’ll love this delicious combination of fresh fruit, delicious cheese, and fabulous bread as much as I do.

Let’s make this Pear Appetizer Recipe with Cheese, Fruit & Nuts

First, move an oven rack to the top position and preheat your broiler. Cut a baguette into 20 thin slices and  place on a baking sheet. Do not line with parchment paper – I learned the hard way that it can catch on fire if it’s too close to the broiler!!   Carefully brown the bread for 1-2 minutes and then flip the bread and broil the reverse side until golden brown, about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes more. Set the bread aside. scoop the pear, cheese, walnut, vinaigrette mixture on the pear crostini

Peel, core and coarsely chop  pear, and then put it in a medium sized bowl.  Toast walnuts briefly over medium high heat and then add them to the pear. Next, add the vinaigrette and toss to mix. At this point, I recommend splitting the pear/walnut/vinaigrette mixture evenly in two bowls and adding 1/4 cup Crystal Farms® shredded gouda to one bowl, and 1/4 cup Crystal Farms® shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the other. You can cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours at this point, if you’d like to prep ahead for dinner or a party. 10 Minute Cheese & Pear Crostini Appetizer for the Holidays + Giveaway

I used Crystal Farms® shredded cheese for this recipe. Crystal Farms® is one of the largest cheese brands in the country, and located in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, they’re not too far from me! You can find their cheese, which is made by cheese lovers for cheese lovers, in the refrigerated dairy section at the grocery store.

pear appetizer recipes - pear & cheese crostini recipe with shredded cheddar or gouda

When you’re about ready to serve the pear crostini, spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the topping over each bread slice. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Plate up the beautiful little bread appetizers one a serving platter and enjoy!

Do you like pear appetizer recipes? Here’s a printable version of this one!

Yield: 20 pieces

Pear & Gouda Crostini with Balsamic Vinaigrette

pear appetizer recipes - pear & cheese crostini recipe with shredded cheddar or gouda

Delicious, quick and easy crowd pleasing appetizer.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Crostini

  • 1 loaf French bread, cut into 20 thin pieces
  • 1 large, ripe pear, diced fine 
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped and toasted walnuts
  • 1/2 cup Crystal Farms® Shredded Gouda cheese (Crystal Farms® Sharp Cheddar is also very delicious!)
  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette

Balsalmic vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons stone ground mustard.
  • 1 clove garlic, minced.
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. Put an oven rack in the highest position and preheat the brolier to high. Slice the baguette into 20 thin slices.
  2. Place the slices on a baking sheet and broil until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Pay careful attention to the bread as it broils so it doesn't burn.
  3. Carefully turn the bread slices and broil the other side about 1 to 1 1/2 more minutes. Set bread aside.
  4. Peel, core and finely chop the pear and place it in a medium sized bowl. Toast the walnuts and then add to the diced pear. Add the cheese and the vinaigrette, then toss to mix. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. 
  5. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the topping over each bread slice. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Place the crostini on a serving platter an enjoy!

Notes

If you'd like to made use two types of cheeses with this recipe, divide the pear, walnut, vinaigrette mixture equally into two bowls and and 1/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese to one bowl, and 1/4 cup shredded Gouda to the other. Then continue the recipe as described.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1 slice

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 186Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 5g

Nutritional information is not always accurate.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram tagging @simplifylivelove! I love to see your photos!

If you liked this appetizer recipe, you may like these too:

Baked Camembert with pomegranates and hazelnuts

How to make Queso Dip with real cheese

Focaccia Pizza Appetizer

Looking for pear appetizer recipes? Try this quick and easy pear crostini appetizer. On the table in 10 minutes, it's as easy as it is delicious!

About Michelle Marine

Michelle Marine is the author of How to Raise Chickens for Meat, a long-time green-living enthusiast, and rural Iowa mom of four. She empowers families to grow and eat seasonal, local foods; to reduce their ecological footprint; and to come together through impactful travel.

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76 Comments

  1. Not gonna lie this post left me freaking hungry! everything looks awesome and I haven’t even had dinner yet! Wish I could have some right now. I would love to try the marble jack cheese just sounds so yummy!!

  2. I absolutely love all the cheeses! I would like to try Crystal Farms Shredded Asadero it is one type of cheese I’ve never tried before.

  3. I love cheese! All Cheese! YOU SHALL NOT MAKE ME CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM!!

    Really, I have yet to find a cheese I did not like and would love to try them all.