Croissant Toasts with Hot Honey Tomatoes & Whipped Ricotta
Reprinted with permission from Ohana Style: Food from Hawai'i, for Your Family by Sheldon Simeon, with Garrett Snyder, copyright © 2026. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Kevin Miyazaki. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
Everyone loves fresh croissants; nobody loves day-old croissants. That is, until I realized that leftover croissants are essentially pre-buttered toast, and they turn out great when you squish them down and griddle them in a hot pan until they’re flaky and crispy once more (look at the “flat croissant” trend on TikTok to see what I mean). Here, I’m pairing some crispy croissant toasts with a low-effort combination that would be just as good over any type of toasted bread: jammy roasted tomatoes in a sweet-spicy honey vinegar sauce with fluffy whipped ricotta. Great for impressing any friends invited over for brunch—no mention of leftover croissants necessary.
Yield: 4 servings.
How to Make It
1
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2
Arrange the tomatoes and garlic on a 9-by-13-inch baking sheet or a similar-size baking pan and drizzle with 1/3 cup of the olive oil. Roast undisturbed until the tomatoes are blistered and soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
3
While the tomatoes are roasting, place a large skillet over medium heat. Using a rolling pin, flatten each croissant until it is as thin as you can get it, then spread a thin layer of butter on each side. Working in batches, toast the flat croissants in the skillet until browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side, pressing them down to develop a nice crust. Remove from the pan and let cool.
4
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, chili garlic sauce, and shoyu. Gently fold in the roasted tomatoes and any oil remaining in the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the remaining 2 tsp. olive oil, the lemon zest, and the lemon juice. Blend with an immersion blender or electric mixer on low speed until the ricotta is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6
To serve, spread each croissant with a layer of whipped ricotta. Spoon the tomato salad on top and garnish with the chopped herbs. Serve immediately.
Ingredients
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
⅓ cup plus 2 tsp extra- virgin olive oil
4 plain croissants
softened salted butter
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek
1 tsp shoyu (soy sauce)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (any combination of mint, dill, or basil)
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