This bruschetta recipe pairs the traditional Italian grilled bread with tomatoes, garlic and basil. A simple, crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Need a crowd-pleasing appetizer or snack? Let’s make classic bruschetta! This Italian appetizer has become ubiquitous all over the world because of its easy-to-love flavors. Who can say no to crunchy, toasted bread piled with tasty toppings? The most popular way to serve bruschetta in America is with chopped tomatoes, garlic and basil: but it’s actually not the traditional Italian way. Here’s how to make it and more about the background of this classic dish.
What is bruschetta?
Bruschetta is an Italian appetizer (antipasto) of toasted bread with vegetable, cheese, or meat toppings. The term bruschetta refers to the toasted bread, not to the topping itself. The tomato and garlic topping that’s often served in America is actually not traditionally Italian. Italian-style bruschetta has varied toppings that are often seasonal or up to the chef (like mushroom bruschetta, artichoke bruschetta, ricotta bruschetta, and more).
How to pronounce it
How to pronounce bruschetta? Italians say it broo-skay-ta. The “ch” sound is pronounced like a “k”. This word is often mispronounced in America as bruh-shetta. What’s the plural of bruschetta? The Italian word is bruschette (prounounced broo-skay-tay).
Ingredients in this bruschetta recipe
This bruschetta recipe features the classic American-style topping: tomatoes, onion, garlic and basil. This recipe is perfect for summer when fresh tomatoes abound. The ingredient list is simple, but there are a few things to note in the method that make the classic flavors possible. Here’s what you’ll need to make bruschetta:
- Tomatoes: of any variety, make sure they are ripe. Some people swear by using roma tomatoes, but this type of tomato is often tasteless and mealy (more on that below).
- Garlic
- Basil
- Red onion
- Olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Baguette
- Salt and pepper
Tips for how to make bruschetta
It might seem simple (just put tomatoes on toast!). But there are a few tricks to making bruschetta. The most important challenge: tomatoes are juicy and can easily soak through the bread. This bruschetta recipe avoids becoming soggy for at least 1 hour at room temperature, plenty of time for eaters to enjoy. Here are a few tips for how to make bruschetta:
- Chop only the flesh of the tomatoes. Discard any liquid and seeds.
- Mix the vegetables with seasonings. Add the chopped vegetables with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and allow them to sit while you toast the bread.
- Toast or grill the bread. Brush the bread slices with olive oil and toast in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 to 10 minutes. Or grill the bread on a grill or grill pan.
- Strain the tomato mixture. Here’s the important part! Strain off all extra liquid with a fine mesh strainer before topping the toasts.
- Add the tomatoes to the bruschetta, then top with flaky sea salt. The extra sprinkle of salt provides the final flavoring.
Make ahead and storage
Making bruschetta for a party? Here are a few tips for making this tasty summer appetizer ahead of time:
- Make the tomato topping in advance without the basil. Store refrigerated until serving, up to 1 day in advance. The strain before using as a topping, then add the fresh basil. (Basil becomes brown when refrigerated).
- Toast the bread in advance. Toast the bread. Allow it to cool completely, then store it in a container with the lid loosely closed or a towel on top. Any extra moisture can cause the bread to become soggy, so use caution. If it does become soggy, place it in the oven for a few minutes to re-crisp up.
- Assemble directly before serving. Add the topping to the bread directly prior to serving.
More appetizer recipes
Entertaining and need some party ideas? Try these crowd-pleasing appetizer recipes:
- Try the Spanish variation, Pan Con Tomate
- Go for tasty Caprese Skewers or Antipasto Skewers
- Mix up a batch of Marinated Mushrooms or Marinated Mozzarella Balls
- Make Margherita Flatbread or Caprese Flatbread
- Grab Loaded Hummus Dip, Easy Fruit Dip or French Onion Dip
This bruschetta recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.
Print
Easy Bruschetta
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 1x
Description
This bruschetta recipe pairs the traditional Italian grilled bread with tomatoes, garlic and basil. A simple, crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds or 3 large tomatoes (2 1/2 to 3 cups diced)*
- 3 medium garlic cloves (2 minced and 1 whole)
- 10 large basil leaves, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 baguette or thin French bread loaf
- Sea salt, for garnish (or more kosher salt)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Chop and dice the flesh of the tomatoes, discarding liquid and seeds. Mince the garlic, slice the basil and mince the red onion. Gently mix the chopped tomatoes with the garlic, red onion, basil, ½ tablespoon of the olive oil, vinegar, salt and fresh ground black pepper. (Depending on the type and ripeness of the tomatoes, it will become very juicy: you’ll strain out the liquid later.) Allow the tomatoes to sit while you toast the baguette.
- Slice the baguette into 1/2-inch slices and brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, split between the slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until crisp, then broil for 1 to 2 minutes until it browns on the edges. You can also make grilled bread on a grill or using a grill pan. Once the bread is toasted or grilled, peel the remaining garlic clove, cut a flat edge and rub it on the top of each toast.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to drain the tomatoes of all liquid. Then use a fork or spoon to remove the tomatoes from the bowl and place them onto each piece of bread, leaving any remaining liquid behind in the bowl. Sprinkle sea salt (or more kosher salt) for garnish, which adds the final flavoring. Bruschetta lasts up to 1 hour without getting soggy.
Notes
*You can use any tomato variety. Roma tomatoes are less juicy (which helps reduce sogginess), but have less flavor. Because you’ll strain the mixture before topping the bread, any type of tomato works here.
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Appetizer
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Bruschetta, bruschetta recipe, how to make bruschetta
