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This Tomato Bruschetta Bread is made with crispy garlic-toasted bread topped with juicy tomatoes, fresh basil, Parmesan, and balsamic vinegar. It’s fresh, flavorful, and ready in less than 20 minutes. Serve it as an easy appetizer, snack, or side dish.
I make bruschetta whenever I have really good tomatoes and fresh basil. It’s such a simple appetizer, but when the ingredients are fresh, you really don’t need much else. Let me tell you, my kids LOVE this, and they ask me to make it all the time. Weirdly enough, my daughter loves it for breakfast and she tops it with some chopped avocados as well!
I especially love the combination of the warm, crispy garlic bread and the fresh tomato topping. The balsamic adds a little tang, Parmesan adds a salty bite, and the whole thing takes less than 20 minutes to put together.
Recipe Overview
Key Ingredients
Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card
- Italian bread: A baguette or rustic Italian bread works well. You want something sturdy enough to hold the juicy tomato topping without immediately becoming soggy.
- Cherry tomatoes: I like cherry or grape tomatoes because they’re sweet, flavorful, and easy to chop. Ripe Roma or vine tomatoes can also work.
- Fresh garlic: Use fresh garlic here if possible. It’s used both on the toasted bread and in the tomato mixture, so it’s a big part of the flavor.
- Fresh basil: Fresh basil makes a big difference in bruschetta. I wouldn’t replace it with dried basil for the tomato topping.
- Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is my first choice for flavor, but avocado oil will work.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds acidity and a little sweetness to the tomatoes. You can drizzle balsamic glaze over the finished bruschetta too.
- Parmesan: Shaved Parmesan adds a salty, savory finish. You can leave it off to make the bruschetta dairy-free or use a dairy-free Parmesan alternative.
What are the best tomatoes for bruschetta?
The best tomatoes are simply the ones that are ripe and flavorful. But cherry and grape tomatoes are my favorite because they’re naturally sweet and less watery than large tomatoes. Roma tomatoes are another great choice because they’re meaty and have fewer seeds.
During tomato season, ripe vine tomatoes work nicely too. If they’re very juicy, remove some of the seeds and excess liquid before mixing them with the other ingredients.
How to make Tomato Bruschetta Bread
Prepare the bread: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer without overlapping.
Make the garlic oil: In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, minced garlic, and fresh basil. Brush the mixture over each slice of bread.
Toast the bread: Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the bread is lightly golden and crisp around the edges.
Make the tomato bruschetta topping: While the bread is toasting, combine the quartered cherry tomatoes, Parmesan, fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Assemble and serve: Spoon the tomato mixture over the warm toasted bread and serve immediately.
How to keep bruschetta from getting soggy
The best bruschetta has crispy bread and juicy tomatoes, but you don’t want all that tomato juice soaking into the bread before it reaches the table. So here are a few things that will help:
- Toast the bread until it’s crisp enough to hold the topping.
- If the tomatoes release a lot of liquid, use a slotted spoon when adding them to the bread.
- If using large tomatoes, remove some of the watery seeds before chopping.
- Don’t assemble the bruschetta too early.
- Serve it soon after adding the tomato topping.
If I’m serving this for a party, I like to prepare the bread and tomato mixture separately and assemble them right before serving.
Common Questions
Tomato Bruschetta is just marinated tomatoes. The topping of the bruschetta is made of a mixture of tomatoes, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and basil. Topped over toasted bread of choice ( baguette, Italian, rustic), and topped with parmesan cheese which can be optional.
Tomatoes for bruschetta should be small in size. Depending on the tomato you are using, chop into smaller sizes so the juices of the tomatoes combine well with the garlic and olive oil. Serves better this way.
I like serving the bread warm or at room temperature with the fresh tomato topping on top. The tomato mixture doesn’t need to be heated.
No. There’s no need to peel cherries, grapes, Roma, or most ripe tomatoes.
If you’re using a large tomato with particularly tough skin, you can peel it if you prefer, but it’s usually unnecessary.
Not usually. Cherry and grape tomatoes can simply be quartered.
If you’re using large, very juicy tomatoes, removing some of the seeds and excess juice can help keep the bruschetta from becoming watery.
Fresh basil is much better for the tomato topping because its flavor is central to bruschetta. I wouldn’t substitute dried basil here.
A baguette, Italian bread, ciabatta, sourdough, or another crusty, rustic bread works well. Choose bread that’s sturdy enough to hold the tomato topping.
Tips for the best bruschetta
- Use fresh ingredients: This is such a simple recipe that the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil really matter.
- Don’t skip toasting the bread: The crispy surface helps it stand up to the juicy tomatoes.
- Cut the tomatoes fairly small: You want a little tomato, basil, garlic, and Parmesan in every bite.
- Taste the tomato mixture before serving: Tomatoes vary in sweetness and acidity, so adjust the salt, pepper, or balsamic if needed.
- Don’t make the finished bruschetta too far ahead: The tomato mixture can be prepared ahead, but wait to spoon it onto the bread until you’re ready to serve.
- Use a slotted spoon if needed: If a lot of liquid collects at the bottom of the tomato mixture, leave that liquid behind when topping the bread.
Can I make bruschetta ahead of time?
You can prepare parts of it ahead, but I wouldn’t fully assemble it until you’re ready to eat.
The tomato bruschetta topping can be prepared a few hours ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Keep in mind that salt draws moisture out of tomatoes, so more liquid will collect as the mixture sits.
The bread can also be sliced ahead of time. For the best texture, I prefer to brush and toast it closer to serving.
When you’re ready to eat, spoon the tomatoes onto the toasted bread and serve.
Easy Variations
- Add mozzarella: Top the bread with small pieces of fresh mozzarella or burrata before adding the tomatoes.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomato mixture.
- Add avocado: Chopped avocado works really well with tomato and balsamic. Add it right before serving.
- Skip the Parmesan: Leave it off for a dairy-free bruschetta.
- Use homemade focaccia: This would be an excellent internal link because the focaccia post already specifically recommends using it as a base for this garlic tomato bruschetta.
How to store leftovers
- For the best results, store the tomato mixture and toasted bread separately.
- Keep leftover tomato topping in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The tomatoes will release more liquid as they sit, so drain off any excess before serving.
- Store plain toasted bread in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. If it loses its crispness, pop it back in the oven for a few minutes.
- Once the bruschetta has been assembled, it’s best eaten right away.
More Appetizer Recipes
- Easy Marinated Tomatoes
- White Bean Tuna Salad
- Tomato Mozzarella Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Baked Brie with Pomegranate
- Homemade Hummus
- Cripsy Baked Broccoli
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Tomato Bruschetta Bread
Ingredients
- 1 small Italian bread, or any baguette or rustic bread, sliced into 1/2-inch slices (about 8 slices)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or parsley
Topping:
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place 1 small Italian bread (slices) on it, making sure they don't overlap.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons olive oil with 1 garlic clove (minced) and 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil. Baste each slice of bread with the garlic mixture.
- Toast the bread in the oven for 6-8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients (2 cups cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil, 2 cloves garlic, kosher salt and ground pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar).
- Remove bread from the oven and add spoonfuls of the salad topping. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Cherry or grape tomatoes work especially well because they’re sweet and not overly watery.
- Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes can also be used. Remove some of the seeds if they’re very juicy.
- Fresh garlic and fresh basil give the bruschetta the best flavor.
- Toast the bread until lightly crisp, so it holds up to the tomato topping.
- If the tomato mixture releases a lot of liquid, use a slotted spoon to add it to the bread.
- Don’t assemble the bruschetta until shortly before serving, or the bread can become soggy.
- A baguette, Italian bread, ciabatta, sourdough, or another crusty bread can be used.
- Avocado oil can replace the olive oil.
- Leave off the Parmesan or use a dairy-free alternative if needed.
- Store the tomato topping separately from the bread in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
isn’t the cuisine of Brushchetta Italian, not Indian?
fixing it! It sure is
I make this all the time.
Amazing