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Spiced Red Onion Chutney Crostini with Gorgonzola Cheese

Sweet, sticky red onion chutney spiced for the holidays, served on char-grilled ciabatta and topped with crumbly Gorgonzola. These crostini are an easy, festive appetizer that pairs beautifully with cheese boards and seasonal drinks.

A close up of red onion and gorgonzola crostini on a wooden serving board.

I set out to make a crostini that felt festive, pairing the assertive tang of Gorgonzola with a sweet, spiced red onion chutney. My mother-in-law’s Christmas chutney disappears in a day or two, so I developed a quick version that keeps the same festive warmth.

This simple chutney uses red wine and red wine vinegar for acidity, sugar for balance, and warm spices—cloves, cinnamon and juniper berries—for a seasonal aroma.

The spices give the chutney a deep, festive flavour that complements cheese beautifully. I used Gorgonzola Piccante for its strong, crumbly texture, but Gorgonzola Dolce or other blue cheeses will also work well.

Ingredients

An overhead shot of all the ingredients needed to make red onion and gorgonzola crostini.

Visual walk-through of the recipe

This visual guide highlights key steps. For full details and exact quantities, see the recipe card below.

  1. Prep the onions – slice the red onions thinly. A food processor with a slicing disc speeds this up and keeps your eyes from watering.
  2. Sweat the onions – place sliced onions and sugar in a saucepan, cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until soft. The covered pan traps moisture so you don’t need oil at this stage.
Four photos in a collage showing how to made caramelised red onions with festive spices.
  1. Add spices – remove the lid and add red wine, red wine vinegar, the spices and a bay leaf with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook uncovered for 10–15 minutes until the mixture is soft and sticky and there’s no excess liquid.
Two photos in a collage showing the final result after cooked caramelised red onions.
  1. Leave to cool – cool the chutney completely before storing in the fridge; the flavour improves after a day.
  2. Assemble crostini – drizzle ciabatta slices with olive oil and char-grill or toast them. Spoon chilled chutney onto slices and top with crumbled Gorgonzola, then serve.

Serving suggestions

The red onion chutney is delicious on sandwiches or as part of a cheeseboard. Serve these crostini at holiday parties alongside other small bites and chilled or sparkling wines for a festive spread.

An overhead shot of red onion crostini topped with gorgonzola on a serving board.

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Spiced Red Onion Chutney and Gorgonzola Crostini

By Emily

Prep: 30 mins
Cooling time: 2 hrs
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 15 crostini
A close up cropped image of red onion crostini topped with gorgonzola cheese.
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Sweet, spiced red onion chutney served with char-grilled ciabatta and Gorgonzola. The chutney below makes enough for about 15 crostini and can be doubled.

Ingredients

  • 3 large red onions
  • 50 g sugar (1/4 cup)
  • 50 ml red wine vinegar
  • 50 ml red wine
  • 3 juniper berries
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 pinch cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Gorgonzola piccante (crumbly type)
  • 1 loaf ciabatta bread

Instructions

  • Finely slice the red onions (a food processor with a slicer attachment works well).
  • Place onions and sugar in a large saucepan, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft.
  • Remove the lid and add red wine, red wine vinegar, juniper berries, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Stir and continue cooking until the mixture is soft, sticky and there is no excess liquid.
  • Allow the chutney to cool completely, then remove the whole spices (cloves, bay leaf and juniper) before serving.

Assemble the crostini

  • Slice the ciabatta, drizzle with olive oil and char-grill or toast until crisp.
  • Top each slice with the cooled red onion chutney and crumble over Gorgonzola. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Prep in advance – the chutney tastes better after a day.
  • Before serving – remove whole cloves, bay leaf and juniper berries.
  • Storage – keep refrigerated for 3–4 days.
  • Cheese alternatives – any blue cheese, Taleggio, a strong Brie or aged Pecorino also work well.

Helpful Info for All Recipes

  • I typically use extra virgin olive oil unless stated otherwise.
  • All vegetables are medium-sized unless noted.
  • Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven.
  • Nutrition figures are calculated automatically and should be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Calories: 99 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 14 g |
Protein: 4 g |
Fat: 3 g |
Saturated Fat: 2 g |
Fiber: 1 g |
Sugar: 4 g

Nutrition information is an approximation.

Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment below!