Sweet strawberries and mangoes tossed with balsamic vinegar and fresh basil all piled on top of crusty french bread slathered with whipped feta. Does it get any better than that?! I think not! These were one of the many appetizers we served at my sister’s late morning bridal shower. They are the perfect sweet and savory bite for brunch, or just about any other time you want an explosion of wonderful flavors in your mouth. Man oh man, I am drooling now just looking at these. I do believe I will be making these again ASAP!
I love hosting a party or holiday by only serving appetizers. It gives everyone a wide array of options and satisfies my desire to try a little bit of everything. When I go to a restaurant, I have a bad habit of taking forever to order. There are usually too many wonderful things I want to try, or in the few rare instances where I let my family pick the restaurant, there is nothing exciting enough to catch my eye. I typically take the lead when we are deciding on where to dine out, so more often than not, it is the former. I try and convince others to order different things so we can all share, but most of my family likes to order what they know they will like and not take any risks. They keep their entree all to themselves and I have to make the painstaking decision of what to order for myself.
My desire to always try something new sometimes leads me down a path of disappointment or regret, wishing I had just ordered one of my favorites that I knew I would like. But it has also led me to try some of my favorite dishes ever! I guarantee you, I won’t let a few food failures deter me from discovering my next favorite flavor combo.
These Strawberry & Whipped Feta Bruschetta are a definite must-try if you are looking for something new and flavorful to serve to a crowd. I promise that you won’t experience any disappointment with these little bites of summer! 🙂
Cut a baguette at an angle into 1/4″-1/3″ slices. Arrange your slices of bread on a cookie sheet and spray the tops with a quick spritz of pan spray. Bake for 7-10 minutes at 350° until the tops turn a light golden brown and remove from the oven to let cool.
Meanwhile, in a a food processor or with a medium bowl and immersion blender, combine 8 oz. cream cheese, 6 oz. feta and 2 Tbsp honey. Blend until the feta is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
In a separate bowl, combine 1 quart of strawberries diced, 1 mango diced, 3 Tbsp. chiffonade basil (fresh from the garden!), 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Gently fold the fruit together so it has an even coat of balsamic.
To assemble your bruschetta, top each piece of baquette with 2 Tbsp. of whipped feta, and 3 Tbsp. of fruit mixture. Serve chilled.
Strawberry & Whipped Feta Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 1 french baguette
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 6 oz. feta
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 quart of strawberries diced
- 1 mango diced
- 3 Tbsp. chiffonade basil
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Cut the baguette at an angle into 1/4"-1/3" slices. Arrange your slices of bread on a cookie sheet and spray the tops with a quick spritz of pan spray. Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes until the tops turn a light golden brown and remove from the oven to let cool.
- Meanwhile, in a a food processor or with a medium bowl and immersion blender, combine the cream cheese, feta and honey. Blend until the feta is completely incorporated and the mixture is smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine strawberries, mango, basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and salt. Gently fold the fruit together so it has an even coat of balsamic.
- To assemble your bruschetta, top each piece of baquette with 2 Tbsp. of whipped feta, and 3 Tbsp. of fruit mixture. Serve chilled.
Looking for more appetizers to please a crowd?
Corn & Green Chili con Queso is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with crunchy sweet corn, flavorful green chilis and melted cheddar and queso fresco!
Tzatziki – Cucumber, Dill & Garlic Greek Yogurt Dip is a refreshing appetizer served with pitas or a perfect accompaniment to any Greek entree!
Pineapple Pico de Gallo is a sweet snack with fresh pineapple and vegetables! This quick and healthy snack comes together in just 10 minutes!
Oooooo I always want to try new things at restaurants and then when I do it always seems like it’s terrible! I need to seriously be more adventurous. But you already know that! What a great appetizers for a party full of ladies!
It stinks when you venture outside of your comfort zone to try something new and it doesn’t pan out, but don’t give up! Once I have a nice new kitchen we will have to have you and the hubs over and make a few things outside the regulars. He can’t say no to a host, right? 😉 Oh, but that’s right, there is still my picky husband who can easily say no to me… haha