Thyme, Honey, Peach, and Goat Cheese Crostini.
Thyme, Honey, Peach, and Goat Cheese Crostini. Grilled ciabatta bread with creamy goat cheese, sweet peaches, thyme, honey, walnuts, and fresh basil. This crostini screams summer entertaining and light lunches, and is the perfect way to use up those fresh farmers market peaches from now until early fall. Trust me, once you try this recipe, you’ll be making these crostini all summer long.
Getting back into the groove of real life after a week plus of being on vacation isn’t the easiest task, but I am chugging away. After a weekend full of all things work, I have one more very full day left in NYC today, then it’s back home to Colorado early tomorrow morning. As much as I’ve loved being away in tropical paradise and my time here in NYC, I have to say that I am excited to get back to my own bed, my favorite hiking partner, Merle, and yes, I am very excited to get back to cooking!
It’s been over two weeks since I’ve stepped foot in the kitchen and I think this will have been the longest I have gone without cooking even a breakfast or lunch in probably years. It was a nice break, but kind of too long. It’s safe to say that I love being in the kitchen and cooking, so I can’t wait to get back to it this week.
What’s the first thing I’ll be making tomorrow when I get home? Without a doubt, this peach crostini.
For one, I know that after two weeks of being away, the only thing that has the potential of still being edible are the peaches and goat cheese I have in the fridge. Thankfully, my freezer is stocked with ciabatta and my garden is overflowing with herbs that are screaming to be picked.
While that’s my hope anyway! We’ve had our neighbor taking care of the garden, so I’m assuming it’s been watered. Hopefully, all the herbs should be overflowing. Cannot wait to start cooking up all the herb filled recipes I’ve been brainstorming.
In the meantime, let’s talk about this crostini that I made before taking off for the Caribbean (where my family is still happily soaking up the sunshine).
It’s really no secret that I love a good crostini/toast situation. If you look at the appetizer section on HBH, you’ll find a quite few recipes involving toasted bread, but I mean, what’s not to love about crostini? It’s always a good idea in my book, and there are so many different ways you can do up a piece of toasted bread.
Today I’m going the very summery route and using fresh peaches, because peach season is finally here and I’m pretty happy about it.
Here are the details.
To start, find a good loaf if crusty bread that can hold up to some heavy toppings. I love using a loaf of ciabatta bread because it grills nicely, and well, it’s delicious.
Next up, the goat cheese. I like to use a simple creamy goat cheese log. Make sure the goat cheese is at room temperature so that it’s easily spreadable. Not a big deal if you forget to take it out of the fridge, but it’s just a littler harder to uniformly spread onto the bread.
The key to this crostini though is the peaches. While it’s a little early into peach season, I was able to find some super sweet, but still firm, Colorado peaches that were perfect for this crostini. I left my peaches raw to really let the sweetness and flavor from the peaches shine through. If your peaches are a bit under ripe, you can grill them along side the bread to help bring out their natural sweetness.
To finish the crostini, I topped the peaches with toasted walnuts, fresh thyme, basil, and a generous drizzle of honey.
Simple, but PERFECT…and PRETTY!
Which you know I love.
So. I know that this recipe is technically considered more of an appetizer, but I’m excited to eat it as a late lunch tomorrow. It’s all of my favorite foods, so easy to make, and the perfect meal to welcome me home.
That said, I will also be making this crostini again on the 4th of July. I still have no idea what my menu for the 4th looks like, but I do have two recipes that I know for sure will be on my menu. This crostini, and these ice cream sandwiches.
Cheese, fruit, and chocolate? Sounds like I have my priorities in check…
If you make this peach crostini, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Thyme Honey, Peach, and Goat Cheese Crostini
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: easy recipe, goats cheese and honey, grilled ciabata
Grilled ciabatta bread with creamy goat cheese, sweet peaches, thyme, honey, walnuts, and fresh basil. This crostini screams summer entertaining, light lunches, and is perfect for using up those fresh farmers market peaches that are perfectly ripe from now until early fall.
Ingredients
- 6-8 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread, sliced
- extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 ripe peaches, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
- thyme honey or regular honey, for drizzling
- white balsamic or balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Instructions
-
1. Preheat your grill to high heat or preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the goat cheese, lemon juice and thyme.
3. Place the bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil on both sides of each slice, season with salt and pepper. Place the bread on the grill and grill both for about 2-3 minutes per side or until lightly toasted. Remove from the grill.
4. Spread the goat cheese over the bread and top with peaches. Season with salt and pepper. Top with basil and walnuts. Drizzle with honey and balsamic. Serve and enjoy!
Pretty, sweet, cheesy, carby, and so good.
Our Favorite Recipes
Blueberry Brown Betty.
I’m amazed that you were able to go away for more than a week and still post daily. You’re so good! And these look perfect, I can’t await to get my first peaches of the season. 🙂
Thank you so much Caroline!
This looks delicious! Do you have any other cheese suggestions in place of goat cheese? I’m not the biggest fan of that, but would love to try this.
Hey Brittany! Sure! I think ricotta would be amazing. So would feta (YUM!) or even blue cheese! YUM!
Yum! That looks so delicious!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/beer-bread-for-dad/
Thank you Kari!
Wow! Fabulous. Made with whole wheat tonight, because that is what I had on hand. Grilled the bread on a panini machine, because the grill was out of gas and it was too hot down here in the south to start my oven, Tasted like summer! Keeping this recipe. Thank you!!
So summery and delicious, I could easily eat these crostini every single day! 🙂
Awh so happy you like this! Thank you!
I made this for a big family 4th of July picnic, and it was a HUGE success!! I used pre-sliced, small Italian loaves. Peaches weren’t ready but I found ripe plums and nectarines, and I alternated the purple and yellow slices. Made for a stunning presentation, and the flavors…oh YUM!! Thank you for an amazing appetizer.
I am so glad you loved this Laura! Thank you!!
This is AMAZING. Made it last week. My dad complained that it looked good except for the peach on top, and said he would remove it. I asked him to just take a bite with the peach before removing. He LOVED it. Big hit with the fam and will add it into the rotation. Really like your site. One of my new go tos for inspiration. Thanks!
That is so amazing!! Thank you so much Nadia, I am so glad you and your family loved this recipe!
Just wondering if you have any ideas how to make this recipe appropriate for winter?
Hey Amy, I would swap the peaches for pomegranate arils, sliced persimmons, or apples. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much!! xTieghan ?
I made this so many times last summer and it was a HUGE hit! I’m going to try it again this week with berries since peaches are not quite in season yet!
Thank you so much Anne! xTieghan
I love this idea but I was thinking of changing it a bit to make a Christmas version instead of summer. I would love your opinion and hope you aren’t offended by wanting to change things. I was thinking feta or bleu cheese and pears with pecans, instead of the goat cheese peaches and walnuts. Thoughts?? I love all of your recipes and have both of your cookbooks on my Christmas list. ? I am also planning on your cranberry Brie pastries as well as cheeseboard as a guide. I have some vegetarian family and a mother who is not a fan of goat cheese so I wanted to have more yummy options.
HI! LOVE the sounds of this. I would do blue cheese and pears. YDirectiosn should still be pretty much the same. YUM!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
Made this for my would have been wedding day and it was amazing! Didn’t have any balsamic vinegar but it was still amazing! Make this if you can! Also we diced the peaches and it was fantastic!