Favorite Bruschetta Recipe (2024)

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Five ingredients, ten minutes, and a knife is all you need to make epic bruschetta! It's beautiful, savory, naturally vegan, and usually one of the most popular dishes at a party! Both sophisticated andsimple, this bruschetta is hard to beat.

What does the word 'Bruschetta' mean?

According to the dictionary, 'Bruschetta' is toasted Italian bread with olive oil, tomatoes, and garlic.

To make traditional Italian Bruschetta, a clove of garlic is cut cross-wise in half, rubbed on a slice of toasted Italian or French bread and then topped with a mixture of tomato, garlic, and basil, and olive oil.

The Bruschetta recipe we'll be making here holds true to the essence of traditional bruschetta, but puts it all in one bowl for you to top whatever your heart desires!

How to Make Bruschetta:

Start by getting the most flavorful tomatoes available to you based on the season. In summer, the top choice of course would be fresh garden tomatoes of most any kind. In the winter, tomatoes-on-the-vine, Campari, or grape tomatoes chopped up in little pieces work great.

No fresh tomatoes at all?

High quality canned diced tomatoes will work in a pinch. Just omit the salt in the recipe at the bottom of this post and add only to taste after bringing the rest of the ingredients together.

Expert Cooking tips:

Dice those tomatoes up as finely as you can! Finely diced tomatoes meld wonderfully with the other flavor mediums, adding more flavor to every bite.

Room temperature tomatoes will taste the best, so try to give your tomatoes some time on the counter before prepping if you've been keeping them in the fridge!

Next, add the fresh finely chopped or minced garlic. My preference is chopped, as I love those spicy garlic bits now and then!

Expert Cooking tip:

Stack the leaves one on top of another, roll them up and then finely slice the roll of leaves into slivers. Chop up a bit to make smaller pieces and add to the bruschetta.

Mix it all up and let it rest for 5-10 minutes for the flavors to combine before devouring!!

How to eat Bruschetta:

on toasted French or Italian bread
on crackers or pita chips
spooned over pesto pasta
heaped on a simple bowl of lentils or white beans

How to serve Bruschetta:

If you serve your bruschetta as a party dish or appetizer for a crowd, you can prep a plateful right before serving and either have more handy or let guest help themselves.

Can Bruschetta be made the day before?

Fresh tomato Bruschetta is best eaten the same day but leftovers will last up to a couple of days in the refrigerator.

If you really need to prep ahead of time, you may want to consider using high quality canned diced tomatoes (if you do, omit the salt recommendation in the recipe, and add salt last, only to taste.)

What's NOT in this Bruschetta recipe:

Balsamic Vinegar! Often added to bruschetta recipes, Balsamic Vinegar adds a sweet tangy touch that many enjoy. I recommend trying the recipe as is without vinegar, but if you miss it, add a splash and no feelings will be injured!

That's all for now folks! Hope you enjoy this simple Italian recipe!

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Recipe

5 Minute Fresh Bruschetta

This simple Bruschetta is made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil and creates a wonderful rich topping for crusty French bread or whatever else you may dream up! Popular as an appetizer for parties, or spooned over a pesto pasta entree.

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: French, Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 82kcal

Author: Kate

Ingredients

▢ 2 Cups Diced Fresh Tomatoes
▢ 2 tsp. Finely chopped garlic
▢ ½ tsp. Sea Salt
▢ 2 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
▢ ¼ Cup Chopped Basil Leaves

Instructions

Chop your tomatoes into tiny pieces and place in bowl.
Finely chop 4-5 cloves of Garlic (or mince if your prefer)
Take several basil leaves at a time, stack and roll them, then slice the roll creating slivers. Chop these up a bit to decrease size.
Add salt, oil, mix and serve on well toasted French or Italian bread.
Total yield: About 2 cups

Notes

Dice those tomatoes up as finely as you can! Finely diced tomatoes meld wonderfully with the other flavor mediums, adding more flavor to every bite.
Room temperature tomatoes will taste the best, so try to give your tomatoes some time on the counter before prepping if you've been keeping them in the fridge!
How to cut your basil leaves: Stack the leaves one on top of another, roll them up and then finely slice the roll of leaves into slivers. Chop up a bit to make smaller pieces and add to the bruschetta.
Fresh tomato Bruschetta is best eaten the same day but leftovers will last up to a couple of days in the refrigerator. If you really need to prep ahead of time, you may want to consider using high quality canned diced tomatoes (if you do, omit the salt recommendation in the recipe, and add salt last, only to taste.)

Nutrition

FAQs

What's the best tomato for bruschetta? ›

Something sweet and juicy, like heirloom tomatoes, tomatoes, vine tomatoes or Roma tomatoes. If making bruschetta when tomatoes are not in season, I recommend using grape or cherry tomatoes instead. Garlic – We will use just a clove to rub on the bread! Oil – The best extra-virgin olive oil you can afford!

What is bruschetta topping made of? ›

Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer that is easy to make at home. Toasted bread is topped with tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and fresh basil. Use a high-quality balsamic vinegar for best results.

How to make bruschetta Martha Stewart? ›

Combine tomatoes, oil, 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Toast cut side of baguette halves on grill or under broiler 1 to 2 minutes. While still hot, lightly rub cut surface with garlic. Spoon tomato mixture over bread with a slotted spoon, then add onion.

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How do you describe bruschetta on a menu? ›

Bruschetta (/bruːˈskɛtə/, /bruːˈʃɛtə/, Italian: [bruˈsketta]) is an Italian antipasto consisting of grilled bread often topped with olive oil and salt. Most commonly it is served with toppings of tomato, vegetables, beans, cured meat, and/or cheese.

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Should I remove seeds from tomatoes for bruschetta? ›

Take the extra effort to peel and seed large tomatoes…

Not only can thick tomato skins and bitter seeds add a less-than-desirable flavor and texture to your topping, but seeds add extra water, which can make your toasts runny and even soggy.

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How to enhance bruschetta? ›

Add 1 tablespoon of lime zest, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried chili peppers (to taste) for an extra kick. Smear the toasted baguette points with goat cheese, or crumble some queso fresco into the topping. Make it vegan by using an avocado in place of goat cheese on the bread.

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Why is my bruschetta bitter? ›

If your bruschetta is bitter, it's likely because the tomatoes you used were not ripe enough. Be sure to use ripe, fresh tomatoes for the best flavor.

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Is bruschetta good or bad for you? ›

The primary ingredient in Bruschetta is tomatoes and as you already know tomatoes are extremely good for health. They are packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin K1, folate and potassium. Moreover, they are also a rich source of antioxidants such as Chlorogenic Acid that is known to help lower blood pressure.

Why is my bruschetta watery? ›

Too Much Topping or Dressing: Overloading the bread with too much tomato mixture or dressing can make it soggy. It's important to use a moderate amount of topping and to drain your tomatoes well if they're particularly juicy.

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How long does homemade bruschetta last in the fridge? ›

Once the bread is lightly toasted, rub garlic on each slice and spoon on the tomato mixture. Drizzle with the balsamic glaze, if desired, and enjoy! Store any excess bruschetta in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

What is the stuff on top of bruschetta called? ›

Ian De Pagie. food blogger Author has 2.9K answers and 48M answer views. · 1y. Though the whole thing is usually called bruschetta, the topping is called the condiment.

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What is a fun fact about bruschetta? ›

Bruschetta traces its roots back to ancient Rome, where peasants created a simple dish by grilling leftover bread over an open fire. This practice allowed them to make use of stale bread and add flavor to their meals. The word “bruschetta” comes from the Italian verb “bruscare,” which means “to roast over coals.”

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What kind of tomatoes do Italians use? ›

A DOP Italian tomato that's probably the best known in the world is the San Marzano tomato. San Marzano tomatoes are from the Campania region and are almost always used for tomato sauce, fresh or canned. They are somewhat elongated and have a thick and rich pulp with very few seeds.

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Which tomato is best for caprese? ›

When selecting tomatoes, choose fragrant ones that smell earthy at the stem end and feel heavy for their size. Avoid any with wrinkled skins. You can also make a caprese with smaller tomato varieties, such as plum, roma, cherry, grape, or sungold.

What tomatoes are best for Italian cooking? ›

San Marzano: San Marzano tomatoes are considered the gold standard when it comes to Italian tomatoes. They are known for their sweet flavour, low acidity, and dense flesh. They are often used to make sauces, as well as being great for canning.

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