This classic bruschetta recipe loads crisp, garlicky toast with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil. Plus, a trick to keep it crunchy!
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 how to keep it crunchy!
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 bruschetta? This is a topic of debate! 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).
Key Ingredients For Tomato Basil Bruschetta
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: Use any variety, but make sure they are ripe. Some people swear by using roma tomatoes, but this type of tomato is often tasteless and mealy. In peak season, I love heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes. In winter, halved cherry or grape tomatoes can work.
- Fresh garlic and red onion: These add just the right savory flavor. Garlic powder doesn’t work here, so make sure to use fresh garlic.
- Basil: Another essential ingredient, it brings in a peppery, herby flavor.
- Olive oil: For seasoning, and also to make the crostini.
- Balsamic vinegar: This acidic ingredient brings a pop to the flavor of the vegetables.
- Baguette: Used for the homemade crostini; you can also use any type of artisan bread, cut into small pieces.
How To Make Bruschetta (That’s Not Soggy)
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.
Bruschetta Toppings and Variations
Of course, bruschetta is just an idea of putting “stuff on toast.” The toppings vary by the season and region in Italy. Use whatever you like to top bruschetta, including:
- Add cheese: The classic Italian version doesn’t have cheese, but you could add a layer of whipped ricotta, fresh mozzarella, or torn burrata before topping with tomatoes.
- Drizzle with balsamic: Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
- Go seasonal: In the fall, add goat cheese and apples, or try my goat cheese bruschetta with mushrooms.
- Go Spanish: Make pan con tomate instead: it uses ripe tomato and garlic and grates it right onto toasted bread.
What to Serve with Bruschetta
Bruschetta is a natural starter for any Italian-inspired dinner, and it’s always the first thing to disappear from a party spread. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
- An ultimate antipasto platter
- Caprese skewers or marinated mozzarella balls
- Marinated mushrooms and olives
- A big bowl of pasta pomodoro or minestrone soup
- A crisp Italian salad
Can bruschetta be a meal? With a big salad and a few cheese-topped slices, I’d call it a summer dinner. Alex and I have done it more than once!
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.
Dietary Notes
This bruschetta recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based and dairy-free. For gluten-free, use gluten-free bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most traditional is just garlic, olive oil, and salt, but toppings vary by region and season. Classics are tomatoes and basil in summer, and white beans, sautéed greens, or mushrooms the rest of the year.
Ripe tomatoes, toasted bread, and the most important part: straining the topping before you assemble. This keeps the toast crisp instead of soggy!
Tomato bruschetta is made with whole food ingredients like tomatoes, garlic, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, all staples of the Mediterranean diet. Use homemade bread if you can or highest quality bread (here’s my homemade baguette recipe). Add it to a meal with lots of vegetables, protein, and fiber.
Easy Bruschetta
This classic bruschetta recipe loads crisp, garlicky toast with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and olive oil for a tasty party appetizer. Plus, a trick to keep it crunchy instead of soggy!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Appetizer
- Diet: Vegetarian
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.
Another delicious hit! Thank you!