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A classic Italian appetizer, bruschetta is made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and served on toasted slices bread. It’s a favorite way to use ripe tomatoes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
It’s the perfect summer party appetizer! You can prepare the bruschetta topping ahead and refrigerate. The toasted bread can also be made ahead of time and kept in an airtight container. Assemble right before serving.
A great way to use up an overabundance of tomatoes! It seems like when tomatoes ripen in the garden, they do so all at the same time! Making bruschetta is the perfect way to use them!
What is Bruschetta?
A common Italian appetizer since the 15th century, bruschetta consists of grilled or toasted bread that has been rubbed with olive oil and then topped with chopped tomatoes or other vegetables.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes. I use roma tomatoes.
- Garlic. Use fresh garlic.
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fresh basil leaves
- Salt and black pepper
- Baguette style bread
How to Make Bruschetta
- Slice baguette into 3/8″ thick slices.
- Brush baguette slices with a thin layer of olive oil and place on a baking sheet.
- Place baking sheet under the broiler in the oven. Broil bread until lightly golden brown. Watch it closely!
- Chop peeled tomatoes into small bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Drain off excess juices.
- Mince garlic.
- Add minced garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar in with the tomatoes and gently toss.
- Slice fresh basil and add to the tomato mixture.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon bruschetta topping onto bread slices and enjoy!
Tips
- To easily skin tomatoes, place tomatoes, a few at a time into boiling water. When the skin cracks, place tomatoes into a bowl of cold water. The skin will come right off!
- Basil is a very tender leaf so you want to be careful not to crush it. I prefer the chiffonade method of cutting basil. Stack the basil leaves on top of each other and roll them like you would a cigarette. Using a sharp knife, slice the rolled basil into thin ribbons.
I can basically make a meal out of this easy bruschetta recipe and I think I could eat it every night during the summer when garden tomatoes are ripe!
Frequently Asked Questions
What other kinds of tomatoes can I use?
You want to use fresh, ripe tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are my favorite but you can also use plum tomatoes, grape or cherry tomatoes. You can also use heirloom tomatoes, a variety of colors makes for a pretty bruschetta. I have also made bruschetta with roasted red pepper.
Can I add cheese to bruschetta?
Yes! Sometimes I had freshly grate Parmesan cheese to the top of the bread toasts before I place them under the broiler.
The cheese can also be added to the top of the tomato mixture after it is added to the toast.
Can I freeze bruschetta?
Bruschetta is best enjoyed fresh. When you freeze tomatoes they become mealy and lose their flavor.
If you love this recipe, try one of these:
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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!!!
Tips & Notes:
- Bring a pan of water to a boil.
- Place tomatoes, a few at a time into boiling water.
- When skins crack place tomatoes into a bowl of cold water.
- The skins will come right off!
Nutrition Facts:
Debbie Hall says
I am just harvesting from my first tomato plants ever! Our family loves this curry recipe–heavy with tomatoes! Enjoy!
Chicken, Tomato, and Lentil Curry
2.5 lbs Chicken
¼ tsp crushed red peppers (more if you like it hot!)
4 cloves of garlic (sliced)
4 large tomatoes (cut in wedges)
¼ cup unsweetened coconut (this is optional for us)
½ cup lentils
2 med. onions (sliced)
2 Tbsps. curry powder
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
3 Tbsps. lemon juice
Boil the lentils and the crushed red pepper in 2 cups of water until the lentils are soft. Heat the oil and sauté the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes over a moderate heat. Add the curry powder, lower heat, stir continuously for about 3 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and the chicken. Cook for about 15 minutes. Next add the boiled lentils, the water in which the lentils were cooked, the coconut, lemon juice, and salt, and cook for another 10 minutes. Serves 3 or 4.
Sara says
Have you ever slow roasted your own sun-dried tomatoes in the oven? Holy smokes, my most favorite thing EVER! I have some in the oven as we speak and my house smells like heaven!
misty says
Oh my gosh! Who doesn’t love Bruschetta??? YUM
Christine Peterson says
I just posted on my blog my favorite Marinara sauce recipe that I used with all my tomatoes last week. You can find it at http://chefchristineutah.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-happened.html And I love your site!
Rebecca says
Yum! I love bruschetta and we’ve got our last crop of tomatoes turning red, so we’ll be making this recipe soon. Thanks!