This quick, party-ready appetizer doubles as a simple weeknight snack.
Planning dinner can be a delicate balance of many different factors: Weather, laziness levels, and available prep time (just to name a few considerations) all change our willingness to hover over a hot stove. Some nights, we’re in the mood for an elaborate, rich meal that simply screams main course — like creamy casseroles or scrumptious steak frites. After all, spending hours simmering sauces or braising meats is a meditative and loving act that can result in pleasing aromas and a dash of inner peace.
Then…there are times you can’t cosplay as Homemaker of the Year. It’s not quite a night to open Uber Eats and give in to that nagging takeout craving, but you also don’t have the mental space to honor Julia Child with a perfectly authentic beef bourguignon. This is when we need versatile dishes that come together swiftly — and it’s especially helpful when these reliable recipes can be scaled up for bigger groups or scaled down for solo dining.
Enter Cameron Diaz. Though known primarily as an actress, Diaz is also an entrepreneur — we can’t get enough of her wine line, Avaline (we’re so enamored that we proudly feature them in Katie’s Shop). And on top of that, Diaz also regularly posts Instagram tutorials for approachable, plant-based recipes. Late last year, Diaz introduced her Simple and Cozy Mushroom Crostini recipe along with a handy, soothingly candid step-by-step video.
Diaz explains that the dish is excellent for entertaining: “This is something I would make for my girlfriends if they were coming over.” But at the same time, the crostinis are simple enough that you can whip them up for a smaller crowd. Whether you’re seeking the perfect appetizer for a dinner party or want to dine alone in style, the earthy tones of mushrooms paired with sweet figs and creamy pops of cheese will be sure to delight.
Simple and Cozy Mushroom Crostini
Ingredients
3-5 cups sliced mushrooms (any variety)
2-3 medium sweet onions, sliced into strips
Garlic
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 oz goat cheese
1 jar of fig jam
1 baguette
Olive oil
Knob of butter (optional)
Avaline Cabernet or balsamic vinegar
Directions
Thinly slice 3-5 cups of mushrooms.
Thinly slice 2-3 medium sweet onions.
Mince the garlic to taste — Diaz uses one clove but you can add as much or little as you like.
Heat up a large saute pan on high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and stir occasionally. Cook down until brown and crisped.
Heat up a saucepan on high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally. Cook down until the onions are jammy.
While mushrooms are cooking, slice a baguette into crostini-sized pieces. Lay slices out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drizzle or spray with olive oil. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Add a knob of butter to the pan of mushrooms, if using. Add chopped garlic and a pinch of salt.
Pull leaves from your sprigs of fresh thyme. Add about half of the thyme to the mushrooms.
Add a splash of cabernet or balsamic vinegar to your onions. Stir, then add the onion mixture to the mushroom pan.
Spread fig jam onto the crostinis. Spoon the mushroom mixture on top of the jam, then add a dollop of goat cheese. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
