Who can resist a beautiful bruschetta appetizer with fresh vibrant tomatoes piled atop crusty bread?? We absolutely love bruschetta and order it anytime we see it on a menu, so creating an easy and delicious version to make at home is a must! This recipe for bruschetta features toasted bread topped with juicy tomatoes marinated in a combination of extra virgin olive oil, herbs and garlic and drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar. Serve this easy bruschetta for a party or gathering, or enjoy it as a tasty snack at home!
Of all the Italian appetizer recipes, bruschetta is definitely one of our favorites! Fresh Tomato Bruschetta is the perfect appetizer to enjoy during summer months when tomatoes are in season, but we love to make it all year long! As long as you can find some sweet and juicy tomatoes, then you can make this recipe in a pinch!
Jump to:
- What is Bruschetta?
- Types of Bruschetta in Italy
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- How to Make Easy Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar
- Equipment
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Variations
- Storage
- Top tip
- Troubleshooting
- What to Eat With Bruschetta
- What wines pair with Tomato Basil Bruschetta?
- Looking for more Italian recipes?
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
- Food safety
What is Bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a wonderful antipasto and easy appetizer that originated in Italy. When it was first made can be disputed, but it is most often attributed to the Ancient Romans. In those times it was simply bread and olive oil and possibly some salt. The key is that the bread is toasted (or more commonly grilled), there is high quality olive oil involved, and the end product is delicious! We love many versions of bruschetta and this recipe with marinated tomatoes and balsamic vinegar is one of our favorites and what we consider the best bruschetta recipe.
What bruschette (the plural of the word bruschetta in Italian) are today range from a version of the ancient bruschetta, with just olive oil and salt, to bread topped with salami, fresh tomatoes, various other pork products, garlic, beans or a variety of vegetables.
Types of Bruschetta in Italy
The most basic version found in Italy today has just olive oil applied to grilled bread with the possible addition of garlic and salt. But a simple tomato bruschetta recipe has become a very popular and common version throughout many parts of Italy and the world.
In Abruzzo and Tuscany there will often be salami or other pork products applied to grilled bread with olive oil. There are many versions in Tuscany and throughout the Italian peninsula as well as the islands. Some involve herbs and others different vegetables or even anchovies and other seafood. The key is that they are simple, and the ingredients are able to be tasted. For that reason, most seasonings, including and especially garlic, are used lightly. This classic Italian appetizer is so simple to make with few ingredients, but has an extreme amount of flavor!
For more crostini recipes, check out our Truffle Cheese and Steak Crostini or Roasted Peach Crostini with Whipped Blue Cheese Ricotta for a tasty summer recipe with stone fruit!
Ingredients
This super easy Bruschetta recipe is made with the following ingredients:
- Rustic and simple Italian bread: Nothing too complex here, but make sure there are not gaping holes in the bread so the toppings won't fall through!
- Fresh garlic cloves: A very small amount is used in this recipe and we often quickly blanch the garlic cloves to temper the assertiveness.
- Tomatoes: The sweetest variety are preferred, but they need to be fresh and your favorite will always work (we use cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes).
- Basil: Fresh basil leaves with tomatoes is a classic pairing, so we added basil to the tomato mixture in this recipe.
- Oregano: A small amount of fresh oregano adds an interesting depth to the tomatoes.
- Salt: Either kosher salt or sea salt will work
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: We use a good quality oil to brush the bread before toasting to a golden brown and to add to the tomato mixture.
- Balsamic Vinegar: A high quality aged balsamic vinegar is perfect for this bruschetta recipe.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Make sure you are using the real deal Parmesan from Italy. It is worth the extra cost to use the good stuff.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions
Here are a few common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:
- Tomatoes: We recommend using cherry or grape tomatoes in this recipe for best results. If using larger tomatoes, such as campari or roma tomatoes, discard the seeds and jelly before dicing. The fresher and sweeter tomatoes the better.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: A good pecorino cheese or aged goat cheese will also work very well on in this recipe.
How to Make Easy Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar
This recipe is so simple to make that anyone can do it! And it is ready in under 30 minutes.
Equipment
- A grill is perfect for toasting the bread, but this can be done in the oven, a toaster, a hot skillet, or using a broiler as well.
- A small silicone brush or pastry brush for brushing the bread with olive oil
- A cheese grater for the Parmigiano Reggiano
- A garlic press will make mincing the garlic easier, but you can also mince it with a knife.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the bread
Divide the olive oil, using 2 tablespoons in total to brush each piece of bread with a small amount of olive oil (about ½ teaspoon per slice) and grill or toast the bread. The remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil will be set aside for Step 3, below).
Step 2: Blanch the garlic (optional)
To a small pot of boiling water add the halved garlic clove for a minute, then remove. It will cool quickly. This step is optional but recommended to make the garlic a bit less aggressive.
Step 3: Prepare the marinated tomatoes
Quarter your cherry tomatoes and add to a bowl. Mince the blanched garlic and add to the tomatoes. Then add the chopped basil, chopped oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil to the bowl and thoroughly, but gently mix. Let this mixture sit for at least 5 minutes, preferably 15 to marinate. Once you are ready to assemble each bruschetta, taste the tomato mixture for seasoning and, if needed, add a touch of salt here or add finishing salt to the final, assembled dish.
Step 4: Assemble the bruschetta
Carefully assemble each bruschetta by spooning the tomato mixture onto each toast. Let the juices flow through to the bread! Finish with a few drops of good balsamic vinegar and a light dusting of parmesan cheese
Combine tomatoes, herbs, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl to marinate for 15 minutes.
Add marinated tomatoes to toasted slices of bread.
Top with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and drizzle with aged balsamic vinegar.
Serve and enjoy!
Hint: Don’t leave behind the juices, there is too much flavor there and the grilled bread will absorb it!
Variations
Here are a few ways to change it up if desired:
- Make it Spicy: A small pinch of crushed red pepper can be added to the topping for a little heat.
- Gluten Free: A good gluten free bread will yield excellent results as well.
- Make it Vegan: Just omit the Parmigiano Reggiano and you have vegan bruschetta!
- Use Mozzarella: Small dice or thin shreds of fresh mozzarella can be used as well in the tomato mixture for added flavor and texture.
Storage
How to store leftovers in the fridge:
Storing leftover toppings for bruschetta is not recommended for more than an hour or so, as the texture of the tomatoes will degrade rapidly. So use it up as soon as you can! This recipe is so quick and easy to make though, there really isn't a need to make this in advance.
How to make bruschetta for a crowd:
If you plan to prepare bruschetta for an appetizer table at a party, we recommend having a bowl of the marinated tomatoes with a spoon available and a basket of toasted bread slices for your guests to make their own bruschetta slices as they desire. You can also have a small bowl of grated parmesan and the balsamic vinegar to drizzle on top so your guests can create their own to their liking.
Can you make bruschetta in advance:
This really is a make-and-serve dish so there is only minimal prep work that can be done in advance. You can prepare the garlic, hours ahead of time to eliminate that step. And you can cut the tomatoes and store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to combine them with the other ingredients.
Can you freeze bruschetta?
Simply put, no.
Top tip
This recipe is about quality ingredients. The bread, olive oil, tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and parmesan should all be really good quality.
Troubleshooting
The main problem when making this dish, especially in the winter, is finding good ripe tomatoes. If it is not peak tomato season and your tomatoes are not so sweet, leave them on the counter for a day or even several. They’ll ripen a bit and will get sweeter.
What to Eat With Bruschetta
Since bruschetta is most often an appetizer, you can certainly pair it with other types of bruschetta! Maybe a trio of different ones! You can also have these bruschette before any nice Italian meal and they’ll be sure to complement it. Check out our Classic Italian Recipes for some ideas.
If you are looking for other Italian appetizers to serve alongside bruschetta, check out our recipes for:
- Whipped Ricotta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Basil Pesto
- Parmesan Risotto and Mushroom Ragù Phyllo Cup Bites
- Butter Poached Shrimp and Pesto Polenta Bites.
What wines pair with Tomato Basil Bruschetta?
A glass of wine will pair very nicely with this great appetizer. Recommended wines for this bruschetta would be a crisp Italian Pinot Grigio for a white, or something similar. Reds work as well, including Nebbiolo or a younger Chianti Classico. You could even do a Rosé, as long as it isn’t too acidic.
Looking for more Italian recipes?
If you love Italian recipes as much as we do, check out some of our favorite Pasta recipes. Or you can find 60 delicious Italian recipes in our cookbook, Mangiamo!
FAQ
The “best” bread is quite personal, but we’d highly recommend a country Italian type or a ciabatta that doesn’t have too many large holes throughout. Something simple that can develop a crusty outside crust when grilled or toasted. Avoid over-processed breads, and sourdough breads have too much flavor that competes with the tomato topping.
Caprese is generally a fresh salad consisting of tomatoes, basil and mozzarella as a base and not usually served as a bruschetta. However a caprese bruschetta is a thing and can be made similarly to this one with the addition of mozzarella cheese!
It just doesn’t! This simple dish will just break down and won’t taste as good and definitely will lose its fresh texture in the refrigerator. An hour at most.
Bruschetta is properly pronounced “brew-SKET-tuh” and the plural bruschette is “brew-SKET-tā.” In Italy, Bruschetta is NOT pronounced “brew-SHET-uh” and definitely not “brew-SHET,” which are both common mispronunciations in the US.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Easy Shrimp Cocktail with Homemade Horseradish Cocktail Sauce
- Zesty Italian Pasta Salad with Homemade Dressing
- Oven Roasted Italian Sausage and Peppers Recipe
- Butter Poached Shrimp and Pesto Polenta Bites
Pairing
These are some of our favorite pasta dishes to serve with bruschetta:
- Spring Gnocchi with Sugar Snap Peas and Dill Cream Sauce
- Blackened Chicken and Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo
- Three Cheese Stuffed Shells with Spicy Italian Sausage Sauce
- Butternut Squash Ravioli with Rosemary Cream Sauce
📖 Recipe
Easy Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinegar
Equipment
- 1 silicone brush or pastry brush optional - to brush bread before toasting
- 1 cheese grater
- 1 garlic press optional - to mince garlic
Ingredients
- 12 slices ciabatta or similar rustic bread
- 2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil - divided
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
- ½ teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
- Good quality aged balsamic vinegar to taste
- Grated parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Brush the bread slices with olive oil and toast bread. This can be done ahead of time.
- Next, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Halve the garlic clove and boil for 1 minute. Remove and set aside to cool. (Optional to lessen the aggressive raw garlic taste)
- Slice the tomatoes into small pieces (usually quarter a cherry tomato and grape tomatoes in 2-4 pieces depending on their size), and add to a large bowl. Mince the cooled garlic and add to the tomatoes. Add the basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil to the bowl and thoroughly, but gently mix. Let sit at least 5 minutes, preferably for 15. Taste for seasoning and add a bit of kosher or sea salt if needed or use a touch of finishing salt when assembled.
- Carefully assemble each bruschetta by spooning the tomato mixture onto each toast. Finish with a few drops of good balsamic vinegar and a light dusting of parmesan cheese. Serve!
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Angela says
This recipe is so quick and easy! Perfect to throw together anytime!