Whether you’re hosting a lively game night, attending a festive holiday gathering, or simply snuggling up for a movie marathon, these savory oyster crackers are sure to be a hit. Easy to prepare and irresistibly addictive, they are the ultimate indulgence for those seeking a zesty balsamic vinegar and flavorful Italian seasoning salty snack. Baked to perfection, these zesty oyster crackers offer a savory crunch that pairs beautifully with soup or chili, making them an excellent addition to almost any meal as well.
There are 26 letters in the English alphabet and I amazingly managed to create a recipe for each one over the past year. At the beginning of 2024, I was unsure as to whether or not I would be able to contribute a recipe every two weeks for the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, however, I made a promise to myself, that if I were to “do the thing,” that there would be no half-assing it. No letters would be missed. Not even X, which was a real pain in the you know what.
Surprisingly, I managed to miraculously make it happen, even while out of the country for a lengthy dream vacation to Scotland, England, and Iceland earlier in the year. “Doing the thing” definitely took a lot of planning. Figuring out potential recipe ideas for each letter, matching those recipe ideas to appropriate recipes for the time of year each letter event fell, and navigating real-life obstacles such as out-of-town vacations, full-on decorating season for The Historic Herndon Halloween House, and in the case of this letter, having two walls of my kitchen completely non-existent during our long-awaited house renovation.
So folks, here you have it; the final letter of 2024. Say hello to these “Z”esty little bites of snacky goodness. A savory pre-holiday snack recipe that is amazing enough to almost make me not care about my house being in complete chaos a week before Christmas. Notice I said almost. Let’s just pray that next year’s challenge doesn’t require me to kick off the year by borrowing someone else’s kitchen to “do the thing.”
Ingredients:
- 1 (9-oz.) Bag Oyster Crackers
- 1/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Olive Oil
- 3 Teaspoons Italian Herb Seasoning Mix
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
- Place the oyster crackers in a large resealable bag.
- Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, seasoning mix, and black pepper.
- Pour half of the oil mixture on top of the crackers. Seal the bag and gently turn it over and over until all of the oyster crackers are evenly coated.
- Add the remaining half of the oil mixture, seal the bag, and then gently turn it over and over until all of the oyster crackers are evenly coated.
- Preheat oven to 25o degrees.
- Gently pour the oyster crackers out of the resealable bag onto a baking sheet. Spread them out evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes, gently stirring the crackers every 10 minutes.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
Suggestions:
- This is the type of recipe you should use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar for. It will really make a huge difference in taste.
- I suggest using this Homemade Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No-Salt) for this recipe because the crackers already contain a high amount of salt. It’s an easy seasoning mix to make and you’ll be able to use it for so many different recipes.
- When you bake the crackers, they don’t need to be in a single layer on the baking sheet. You’ll be gently stirring them every 10 minutes, so they will all be pretty evenly baked. Just try to spread them out as evenly as possible.
- The crackers will take 30 minutes to bake, depending on your oven. They are done when they are toasted and no longer overly wet from the oil mixture. Do not overbake the crackers or the balsamic vinegar will cause the crackers to burn.
Improvements:
- Add a few tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan cheese to the olive oil mixture.
- If you like spice, add 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the olive oil.
- Add onion powder or garlic powder to the olive oil mixture.
- Serve these crackers with this Healthy Crockpot Balsamic Italian Lentil Soup or this Italian Asiago Artichoke Ham & Bean Soup.
Ingredients:
- 1 (9-oz.) Bag Oyster Crackers
- 1/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon Balsamic Olive Oil
- 3 Teaspoons Italian Herb Seasoning Mix
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
- Place the oyster crackers in a large resealable bag.
- Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, seasoning mix, and black pepper.
- Pour half of the oil mixture on top of the crackers. Seal the bag and gently turn it over and over until all of the oyster crackers are evenly coated.
- Add the remaining half of the oil mixture, seal the bag, and then gently turn it over and over until all of the oyster crackers are evenly coated.
- Preheat oven to 25o degrees.
- Gently pour the oyster crackers out of the resealable bag onto a baking sheet. Spread them out evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes, gently stirring the crackers every 10 minutes.
- Allow the crackers to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container.
PIN THIS RECIPE
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Gluten-Free Sweet & Salty Baked Spicy Rice Chex
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Baked Parmesan Italian Seasoned Crackers
Use this Homemade Italian Herb Seasoning Mix (No-Salt) to make these Zesty Italian Balsamic Baked Oyster Crackers. Making your own Italian herb seasoning mix is a real game changer, especially when there is no salt added. Not only does it give you the ability to control the salt content in your recipes, but it also allows you to customize the blend of herbs and spices to your liking. If you’re crazy about garlic, add more garlic powder. If you prefer food a little bit spicier, add additional crushed red pepper flakes. The best part about this homemade seasoning is that it only takes a few minutes to make and can be stored for use in all of your favorite Italian recipes. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
In 2024, we’ll be cooking and baking our way through the alphabet with several of our food blogger friends. Every other Wednesday, for the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, we’ll be sharing a new recipe featuring a consecutive letter of the alphabet, starting with A in January and ending with Z in December.
“A” – Dried Apple & Bourbon Oven-Baked Sauerkraut
“B” – Spicy Barbecue Seasoned Rice Chex Mix
“C” – Dove Dark Chocolate Chunk Cakey Muffins
“D” – Italian Deviled Eggs with Heart-Shaped Tomatoes
“E” – Buttery Everything Bagel Seasoning Biscuits
“F” – Butternut Squash Soup with French Herbes
“G” – Creamy Simple Stovetop Gouda Mac & Cheese
“H” – Sweet Honey Deviled Eggs with Fennel Fronds
“I” – Orange & Feta Italian Orzo Pasta Salad
“J” – Brown Sugar Caribbean Jerk Seasoning
“K” – Kalamata, Mozzarella, & Tomato Couscous Salad
“L” – Fresh Dill Deviled Eggs with a Hint of Lemon
“M” – Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Fresh Mint
“N” – Great Northern Bean Summer Caprese Salad
“O” – Firecracker Oatmeal Peanut Butter Blossoms
“P” – Creamy Potato Salad with Crunchy Fennel
“Q” – Butternut Squash Taco Ravioli with Queso Fresco
“R” – Cheeseburger Broccoli Rice Soup Casserole
“S” – Sweet Whiskey Skillet Teriyaki Chicken
“T” – Baked Chicken Tenders with Crushed Fritos
“U” – Unsweetened Coconut Oatmeal Peach Crisp
“V” – Sweet & Spicy Balsamic Vinegar Deviled Eggs
“W” – Whiskey-Soaked Raisin Baked Stove Top Stuffing
“X” – X’s & O’s (Hugs & Kisses) Brown Sugar Cookies
“Y” – Jalapeño Yellow Cornmeal Brown Sugar Cookies
“Z” – Zesty Italian Balsamic Baked Oyster Crackers
Please make sure to check out the other great “Z” recipes below. A huge thanks to A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this 2024 Alphabet Challenge event.
- Baked Ziti with Ground Beef by Blogghetti
- Easy Ziti Bake by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Kolokithipites by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Za’atar Swirls by Mayuri’s Jikoni
- Zabaglione alle Mandorle by Culinary Cam
- Zesty Italian Balsamic Baked Oyster Crackers by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Zhoug Zalouk Paratha Pockets by Magical Ingredients
- Zucchini Balls & Chicken Bake – Keto by Sneha’s Recipe
- Zucchini Jam by A Messy Kitchen
- Zucchini with Bacon Pangrattato by Food Lust People Love
- Zuppa Toscana by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
