Fresh basil and cherry tomatoes shine in this tomato bruschetta recipe! In only a few minutes, you can prepare a delicious appetizer that will pair perfectly with any meal. Bright and summery, this recipe will bring a dose of sunshine to your dinner.
It’s finally summer! School is out. The weather is warming up, and the sunshine is putting the finishing touches on the season’s fruits and veggies. Farmers markets are filled with rows of homegrown produce. Cherry tomatoes are at their peak right now and calling out to be eaten!
Paired with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, and goat cheese, this tomato bruschetta topping is full of summery Italian flavors that will brighten your meal. For an extra delicious touch, use homemade sourdough bread from the night before as the base for your bruschetta.
Although bruschetta is traditionally Italian, it tastes so yummy, you’ll want to eat it with anything. In the winter, make it along with a creamy bowl of soup to remind you of sunny days. For a satisfying side, serve your bruschetta with grilled meat and a fresh salad during the summer.
It’s elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, yet simple enough to make on a busy weeknight. However you choose to serve it, you’re sure to enjoy this bright and summery side.
What is Italian Bruschetta?
Originally developed in Tuscany, Italian Bruschetta (pronounced “broo-sket-ta” according to La Cocina Italiana) refers to grilled or toasted slices of bread, usually rubbed with garlic and then garnished with olive oil and fresh vegetables, beans, cheese, or meats.
Although people often think of the toppings as the bruschetta, in reality, the word “bruschetta” only refers to the grilled bread.
What kind of Bread can I use for Bruschetta?
In this tomato bruschetta recipe, I recommend using sourdough baguettes, but most other types of bread will work well too. For example, you could also use whole wheat bread, French bread, or overnight sourdough bread. You want to pick a type that will toast nicely in the oven and not become soggy when topped with juicy tomatoes.
Alternatively, you can serve your bruschetta toppings with crackers although this technically would no longer be bruschetta. It will still taste good though! 🙂
If you want to use homemade sourdough bread, feel free to use these simple recipes:
Bruschetta Toppings
While this recipe is meant for tomatoes, you can top your bruschetta with nearly anything you like! Just follow the same basic steps of mixing your topping, toasting or grilling your bread, and serving. Here are some other ideas:
- Pesto Bruschetta – pesto, tomato, mozzarella, olive oil with French bread.
- Mushroom Bruschetta – cooked mushrooms, goat cheese, fresh thyme on sourdough bread.
- Artichoke Bruschetta – drained artichoke hearts, Parmesan, garlic on sourdough bread.
- Hearts of Palm Bruschetta – drained hearts of palm, bell peppers, feta on sourdough bread.
- Bell Pepper Bruschetta – bell peppers, basil, oregano, mozzarella on whole wheat bread.
Tips for making Tomato Bruschetta
- Use a serrated knife when cutting your cherry tomatoes. It will pierce through the skin easier and make your prep time go faster.
- Other tomato bruschetta recipes suggest rubbing your slices of bread with garlic before toasting them. To do this, peel your garlic cloves and cut them in half. Gently rub the garlic over your slices of bread for an extra tang! Since this recipe already involves garlic in the topping, I chose not to do this step, but feel free to try it if you like!
- Instead of toasting your bread in the oven, you can also grill your bread for a few minutes on medium-heat. Just make sure to drizzle them with olive oil or butter first so your bread doesn’t stick to the grill. Once you finish grilling your toasts, simply top with tomatoes and serve.
- Although I would recommend using goat cheese to garnish your bruschetta, you can really use any cheese you like. Some ideas include shredded Parmesan, Feta, or Mozzarella. Or omit the cheese altogether for a dairy-free appetizer; it’s up to you!
Bruschetta Ingredients
To make tomato bruschetta you will need
- 1 cup ripe cherry tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 5 basil leaves
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vineagar, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 cup of goat cheese
- 1/2 sourdough baguette or other bread of your choice
How to make Tomato Bruschetta
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. (I like to use the convection setting on my oven.) If you want, you can grill your bread instead, in which case you should preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a bowl. Roll the basil leaves and cut across the roll horizontally. This is called chiffon cutting. Add the basil to the bowl with the chopped tomatoes.
Peel and mince the garlic and add to the bowl with the tomatoes and basil. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the tomatoes and mix well.
Slice bread into 10 slices. (If you want to rub your toasts with garlic, now would be the time.)
Place the bread slices on a baking sheet lined with foil, and drizzle with extra olive oil. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes to toast, or on the grill for 1-3 minutes.
Take out of the oven (or off the grill) and divide bruschetta between toasts. Sprinkle the bread with goat cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
Put in them back in the oven for 3 minutes. (Or if you chose to grill them, omit this step.) Remove from the oven and serve!
Hungry for more?
Check out other delicious recipes from the Kitchen Counter here!
Tomato Bruschetta Recipe
Tomato Bruschetta is a fresh, bright, and delicious appetizer that only takes you a few minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
- 1 cup tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil, plus more for garnish
- 5 leaves fresh basil
- 1 TBSP balsamic vineagar, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup goat cheese
- 1/2 of sourdough baguette
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Cut tomatoes into quarters. Roll basil leaves and chiffon cut. Place tomatoes and basil in a bowl.
- Mince the garlic and add to the bowl with the tomatoes and basil.
- Add the olive oil and balsamic vinegar to the tomatoes and mix well.
- Slice bread into 10 slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with olive oil.
- Put bread slices in the oven for 5 minutes to toast.
- Take out of the oven and divide bruschetta between toasts. Sprinkle with goat cheese and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.
- Put in the oven for 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve!
Notes
Feel free to swap out the goat cheese for your favorite cheese! Feta and parmesan are both great options. Or omit the cheese altogether for a delicious dairy-free appetizer.
You can also choose to grill your bread instead of toasting it in the oven. Simply heat your grill to medium-high heat, brush your bread with olive oil, and grill for 1-3 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 10 Serving Size 1 slice of bruschettaAmount Per Serving Calories 47Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 3mgSodium 47mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 2g
Nutritional information was calculated using an online calculator and may vary based on your ingredients.
Did you enjoy this Tomato Bruschetta Recipe?
Let me know how your bruschetta turned out in the comments section below!
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