Goat Cheese & Cherry Pepper Crostini with Sardines is the perfect holiday appetizer. It’s quick, easy, and calls for just seven ingredients!

Golden sheet pan with crostini on it, which are topped with goat cheese, cherry peppers, and sardines.

This post is sponsored by King Oscar | Thank you for supporting the brands I trust.

So Much Flavor in Just One Bite!

Crostini are always a hit at holiday parties. And for sardine lovers (I know you’re out there!), what better way to enjoy a biteful?

I love this recipe because it’s approachable, calls for little ingredients, and can easily be doubled if need be. A lot of sardine lovers prefer their favorite canned fish right out of the tin, but I don’t even think the purists will complain about the way we’ve jazzed them up here.

What’s in Goat Cheese & Cherry Pepper Crostini With Sardines?

  • King Oscar’s Brisling Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Spicy Cracked Pepper. The kick from the black pepper goes oh-so-well with the tangy goat cheese and the sweet peppers. However, if you can’t find them at your local grocer, you could use one of King Oscar’s other flavors instead. You can also get them on Amazon.
  • French baguette. You just need a half-sized baguette if you’re sticking to this recipe as is. If you’re doubling it, get a large one. You could also buy a bag of pre-sliced baguettes from your grocer’s bakery section to make things that much simpler.
  • Olive oil. Brush a bit of olive oil over your crostini to help them attain a nice golden crisp in the oven.
  • Goat cheese. Keep it plain with the goat cheese, because we’re getting plenty of flavor from the sardines and the peppers!
  • Cream cheese. In order to help the goat cheese have better spreadability, I warm it up with a bit of cream cheese. You still get the nice tanginess from the goat cheese, but with a creamier texture.
  • Sweet cherry peppers. Not fresh—these babies gotta be straight from the jar! We want that vinegar-y briny goodness to pair with our other flavors here. I went with mild, but you go up the heat if you prefer.
  • Fresh parsley. For garnish, and a little smidgen of freshness. Plus, a pop of green always looks nice.

Package of King Oscar sardines next to a small bowl of mixed goat cheese, a loaf of artisanal bread, a bowl of cherry peppers, and a bunch of fresh parsley.

Here’s How to Make These Tasty Crostini.

  1. Preheat the oven to 400º F.
  2. Slice the baguette into 1/2-inch slices and place them onto a baking sheet.
  3. Brush the baguette slices with the olive oil and pop them in the oven for about 5-8 minutes, or until they’re just starting to turn golden; remove and let cool.
  4. Pop the goat cheese and cream cheese into a small microwave-safe bowl and heat it up in the microwave for about 15 seconds or until softened enough to whip it up and spread it easily.
  5. Evenly spread the goat cheese mixture over each crostini, then crack some black pepper on top.
  6. Top the crostini with slices of sweet cherry peppers followed by a sardine fillet.
  7. Sprinkle some freshly chopped parsley on top.

Collage: pastry brush brushing oil onto crostini; crostini topped with goat cheese; then topped with peppers; then topped with sardines.

Check out these 25 sardine recipes for more ideas on ways to get creative!

Useful Tools for This Recipe:

Why King Oscar Sardines Are the Way to Go.

When it comes to canned fish, you can taste the difference in quality. If you’re a seafood lover, you should be able to tell the difference between low-quality unsustainable options vs high-quality sustainable options by just looking at it.

This is why I’ll always push for King Oscar. Their fillets are hand-packed with care with prime ingredients so you get the best when it comes to textures and flavors—not to mention health benefits.

The best part? King Oscar offers up a wide variety of flavors—from this spicy cracked pepper variation to a fresh lemony variety.

You’ll never get bored, and there’s always room for creativity.

Opened can of cracked pepper sardines.

Golden sheet pan with crostini on it, which are topped with goat cheese, cherry peppers, and sardines.

Golden sheet pan with crostini on it, which are topped with goat cheese, cherry peppers, and sardines next to a package of sardines.

Have You Made This Recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a STAR rating & commenting below with feedback!

You can also show off your creations on Instagram by tagging @killing__thyme

Other King Oscar Appetizers You’ll Love:

Golden sheet pan with crostini on it, which are topped with goat cheese, cherry peppers, and sardines next to a package of sardines.

Goat Cheese & Cherry Pepper Crostini with Sardines

Goat Cheese & Cherry Pepper Crostini with Sardines is the perfect holiday appetizer. It's quick, easy, and calls for just seven ingredients!
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Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 8 crostini
Author: Dana Sandonato

Ingredients

  • 8 1/2-inch thick slices of fresh baguette
  • 2 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 can King Oscar Brisling Sardines With Spicy Cracked Pepper, drained
  • 2 TBSP plain goat cheese
  • 2 TBSP plain cream cheese
  • 4 sweet cherry peppers, sliced; stems removed
  • A few cracks of pepper
  • Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400º F.
  • With a serrated bread knife, slice the French baguette into 1/2-inch slices; place them onto a baking sheet.
  • Using a pastry brush, pat the baguette slices with olive oil. Place them into the oven for about 5-8 minutes or until they start to turn golden, then remove them and let them cool.
  • Put the goat cheese and cream cheese into a small microwave-safe bowl and heat it up in the microwave for about 15 seconds, or until it's softened enough to stir well and spread evenly.
  • With a knife, spread the goat cheese mixture evenly over each crostin; crack some black pepper on top.
  • Place slices of sweet cherry peppers on top of the goat cheese, followed by a sardine fillet.
  • Top with some freshly chopped parsley and serve.