This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
Bruschetta is a favorite way to use up ripe tomatoes at our house.
I’ve been having to do some readjusting to my cooking this week. Now that we only have one child at home I am finding I am making too much food! For dinner last night I cut the recipe in half and still had enough leftovers for another meal! Yikes! One plus is my grocery bill should go down.
Another thing we have lots of at our house is tomatoes! Yes, it’s tomato time! We’ve got lots of ripe tomatoes in the garden so expect a few tomato recipes over the next couple of weeks.
In fact, if you have a favorite tomato recipe I’d love for you to share it – just leave it in the comment box below so everyone can enjoy it. By the looks of this tomato crop I’m going to need a few new recipes. Thanks!
One of our favorite things to do with the tomatoes is make bruschetta. Tessa is the official bruschetta maker at our house and when it is tomato time we eat it several times a week.
Our neighbor and friend Hannah shared with us a great bruschetta tip she learned when she and her family went to Italy. We just brush some olive oil on the sliced bread and then toast them under the broiler.
Then just pile on the yummy tomato/basil mixture. The more, the better.
I can basically make a meal out of bruschetta. I really don’t need anythng else and I think I could eat it every night during the summer when garden tomatoes are ripe!
This recipe was originally posted on the blog in September of 2008.
Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 7 roma tomatoes skinned and chopped into small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
- 8 fresh basil leaves chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 baguette style bread sliced into 3/8" thick slices
Instructions
- Cut 1 baguette style bread sliced into 3/8″ thick slices
- Brush on a thin layer of olive oil and then toast under broiler to toast until golden brown.
- To skin the tomatoes we put them into boiling water until the skins crack and then place them in cold water – the skins pop right off.
- Chop tomatoes finely, add garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar in a bowl and mix.
- Chop the basil thinly, add to tomato mixture and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon tomato mixture onto bread toasts – enjoy! Yum!!!
Nutrition Facts:
Carolyn says
Bruschetta makes the best lunch. I change mine up a bit by adding a little green onion to the mix. We had it once at a restaurant and I have added it ever since. I also make a balsamic vinegar reduction until it’s think and syrupy and drizzle it over the top of the tomato mixture after it has topped the crustini.. One other addition I do sometimes is a mixture of grated asiago and parmesan cheese that I put on top of the toasted crustini’s and stick under the broiler for a minute or two to melt. Then add the tomato mixture and balsamic reduction. Makes a complete meal with protein. WAY yummy!
Susan says
Love bruchetta too! Just a suggestion to change it up. I roast my garlic in its peel in the oven. Pour olive oil on it and cover it for @30 min. I also add oregano and rosemary to the mix. Finally, Mix in some feta cheese with the tomatoes. Wow, it is awesome!!!
Leigh Ann I love your blog. Always look forward to reading it.
Leigh Anne says
Love your suggestions! Especially roasting the garlic. I definitely do that next time.
Thanks for sharing
Shawna says
The best salad using fresh tomatoes and cucumbers!
Fresh Tomato And Cucumber Salad
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
½ tsp sea or kosher salt
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
10 fresh basil leaves
5 fresh oregano leaves
3 small fresh cucumbers
2 large beefsteak tomatoes, vine ripened
Mince garlic or press through a garlic press. Let garlic stand in balsamic and wine vinegars for 10 minutes (this takes the “edge” off). Discard any garlic which has green sprouts in the center, as the flavor is too sharp and bitter for this salad – use for another purpose.
Wash basil and oregano leaves (pick at noon time on a sunny day for best flavor). Roll up leaves and slice into little strips (chiffonade). Chop and add to your best olive oil and allow to stand in oil while garlic marinates.
Meanwhile, prepare salad ingredients. Wash cucumbers and tomatoes. Peel cucumbers, leaving a scant amount of peel (helps with digestion). Slice cucumbers into ¼ inch coins (circles).
With a sharp knife, remove stem and blossom end from tomatoes (a very small amount). Slice tomatoes into wedges, being careful not to crush and lose juice.
Place tomatoes and cucumbers in salad bowl and sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt.
Combine olive oil with vinegars, whisking together well. Use to dress tomatoes and cucumbers; serve at room temperature.
Variations: Add 1 thinly sliced red onion, pitted oil cured black olives or fresh mozzarella, sliced (or use the small bocconcini).
Hope you like it. And as always, thanks for sharing good food, great ideas, and yourself with us.