Asparagus and Camembert bruschetta is a fantastic appetizer idea for a summer night. It goes great on its own, with a glass of white - go for Trentodoc if you want bubbles, or Sancerre if you want still - for a lighter dinner option. Or you can have it as a starter, it's a great choice at barbecues.
While this bruschetta tastes scrumptious as soon as you take it out of the oven and the bread is fragrant and the cheese is soft and melty, you can also enjoy it cold! I wouldn't recommend to make it way ahead, since you would need to store it in the fridge and that would ruin the texture of both the bread and the cheese. But if you make it one hour ahead and keep it at room temperature, I promise it will also be very very nice.
Anyway, here's a goat cheese & mushroom crostini recipe if you want to try more! You could debate that these lean towards a bruschetta, since they're made from a loaf, but I cut the slices near the sides and not the middle, so they're not as large. Read on to settle the bruschetta vs crostini debate.
ingredients and substitutions
- Fresh asparagus - you can use frozen if not in season, it works as well steamed.
- Camembert - sub with Brie or any other white-mold cheese of your choice.
- Sourdough bread - alternatively, you could use ciabatta. We're only using a few slices, so with any leftovers you can make my zero-waste bread croutons!
- Olive oil - choose extra virgin for the best flavour.
- Garlic - you need to use fresh; skip if allergic.
For detailed quantities, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to make asparagus and camembert bruschetta
1. Slice the sourdough bread in the middle where it's largest, to make nice big slices, about 1,5-2 cm thick.
2. Place on an oven tray and brush the side facing up with olive oil. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes at 150C (302F).
3. Take out of the oven and rub a garlic clove over the whole crispy surface of each slice.
4. Clean the asparagus and remove the woody ends. Place in a steamer and cook until fork tender, 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and place directly in a bath of ice water for 1 minute. This helps preserve the green colour.
6. Drain from ice water and season with a sprinkle of salt and some olive oil.
7. Cut the camembert cheese into slices and distribute evenly over each toasted bread slice.
8. Top the cheese with the asparagus and return to the oven.
9. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted but not started to bubble. Take out and serve.
Is this bruschetta or crostini?
The bruschetta vs crostini debate is always hard to settle, as some foods may fall in between. As a general rule, although both feature toasted (or grilled!) bread, bruschetta is made on larger slices (using a sourdough loaf, or ciabatta), while crostini is smaller in size, usually made from slices of baguette or smaller rolls.
You may be familiar with classic bruschetta, the one topped with chopped fresh tomatoes and olive oil. That is the most popular bruschetta recipe, a favourite side dish to Italian barbecues, as the bread gets toasted directly on the grill. And chopped tomatoes with olive oil and salt feature everywhere as salad. So making tomato bruschetta is just such a natural option.
But bruschetta can take up many toppings, like in the case of this asparagus and Camembert bruschetta. The foundations are the same: toasted bread, olive oil, and rubbed garlic. Yes, garlic is part of the foundations, not a topping. It belongs in the bread.
More asparagus ideas
If you enjoyed this asparagus and camembert bruschetta recipe, here is some more inspiration for you. When asparagus is in season, I just can't get enough. My absolute favourite? Asparagus risotto! But you can also use it to top a flatbread, toss it in a salad (with strawberries!!) or shave it on top of a salmon carpaccio. Click on the pictures below to access more delicious recipes!
If you tried this recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments. If you're planning to try it another time, pin this recipe to Pinterest. Please consider subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Instagram and on Pinterest.
Asparagus and camembert bruschetta
Equipment
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Oven tray
- Food brush
- Steaming basket
Ingredients
- 250 g Camembert cheese
- 200 g asparagus
- 4 slices sourdough bread 1,5-2 cm thick
- 4 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 garlic clove
Instructions
- Place bread slices on an oven tray and brush the side facing up with olive oil. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes at 150C (302F). When out of the oven, rub a garlic clove over the whole crispy surface of each slice.
- Clean the asparagus and remove the woody ends. Place in a steamer and cook until fork tender, 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and place directly in a bath of ice water for 1 minute. This helps preserve the green colour. Drain from ice water and season with a sprinkle of salt and some olive oil.
- In the meantime, cut the camembert cheese into slices and distribute evenly over each toasted bread slice.
- Top the cheese with the asparagus and return to the oven. Bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese has melted but not started to bubble. Take out and serve.
