This Tomato Bruschetta recipe is a fresh, easy appetizer ready in just 15 minutes. Ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, and a splash of olive oil pile onto crunchy garlic toast, then finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
It’s best with garden-fresh summer tomatoes, and it’s always a hit at backyard BBQs, potlucks, and parties. The tomato bruschetta topping can be made ahead, so you just toast the bread when you’re ready to serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 15 Min– Quick to make, right before guests arrive.
- Simple Ingredients– Tomatoes, basil, garlic, balsamic glaze and French bread.
- Healthy option– There is very little oil and no complicated prep. Serve these with grilled chicken, steak, pasta, or even on top of salads or sliced on avocado toast.
And if you’re looking for more crostini recipes, be sure to try our Grilled Peach Crostini and our Fig and Prosciutto Crostini.
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Key Ingredients
- Fresh Tomatoes – you can use any kind of fresh tomatoes from your garden, the farmer’s market, or the grocery store. Make sure they are ripe, since they are the superstar of the recipe.
- Red Onion – dice finely so no bite has a big chunk of raw onion.
- Olive Oil – extra virgin olive oil is best.
- Fresh Basil – finely mince this. You can save a little minced basil to garnish, too.
- Garlic – you will need a whole clove of peeled and halved garlic to rub over the bread before toasting.
- Bread – you’ll need about 1 loaf of French Bread or Italian bread cut into 3/4″ thick slices.
- Balsamic Glaze – add a tad to the tomato mixture and then drizzle over the top just before serving.
How to Make Tomato Bruschetta
- Make the topping. In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, red onion, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Toast the garlic bread. Rub the cut garlic onto each slice of bread and place on a wire rack set on a baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, flip, and bake 5 more minutes.
- Assemble. Let the toast cool slightly, then use a slotted spoon to add about 2 tablespoons of topping to each slice.
- Serve. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve right away.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Tomato Bruschetta
- Pick the right tomatoes– Roma tomatoes are meaty with few seeds, so they hold up well. Juicy garden tomatoes are delicious too. (You can give it a little squeeze over the sink before you dice.)
- Drain the extra juice- after you dice the tomatoes, let them sit for a few minutes and then drain off the juice before adding the other ingredients.
- Choose a sturdy bread- a crusty French or Italian loaf sliced 3/4″ thick works great; cutting on a slight diagonal gives you more room for topping.
- Toast the garlic bread. Rub a halfed clove of fresh garlic onto each slice of bread, then place on a baking sheet with a wire rack. Bake the bread slices in a preheated 425 degree oven for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Flip over and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Assemble. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then use a slotted spoon and add about 2 tablespoons of tomato mixture onto each slice of bread.
- Drizzle Balsamic Glaze- it’s thicker and sweeter than vinegar so it clings to the tomatoes instead of running into the bread.
- Add a Sprig of Fresh Basil– to really take it over the top, add a little sprig of fresh basil to make it extra “fancy.”
- Serve- You can assemble the bruschetta if you are serving it immediately, or simply put out a bowl next to a platter of toast. This way, everything stays crispy and lets guests build their own.
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s pretty much the same thing; it’s just the type of bread you serve it on. Both are delicious! Bruschetta (sometimes spelled “bruchete”) comes from the Italian word bruscare, meaning “to roast over coals,” and is made by toasting whole, wide slices of rustic Italian or sourdough bread. Crostini are sliced and toasted from a smaller, round, finer-textured bread, more like a white bread baguette.
Yes, in fact, it tastes even better if made the night before. All the amazing flavors of tomatoes, onions, and basil will meld together to make this delicious appetizer.
After you have made your homemade bruschetta, you can store it in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve it. Don’t leave the tomato mixture out of the fridge for more than a couple hours. It’ll last in the fridge for about 3 days. Spoon it onto grilled or broiled bread when you’re ready to serve.
Toasting or broiling your bread will really help with this. Be sure to assemble your fresh tomato bruschetta just before serving to keep it from being soggy. The best bruschetta is when it has been assembled for 10-20 minutes and the juices have soaked into the bread and it’s also still crunchy, the perfect bruschetta texture.
Storing Instructions
Store tomato mixture in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Spoon it onto grilled or broiled bread when you’re ready to serve.
More Tomato Recipes from the Garden
Tomato Bruschetta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¼ pounds tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
- 1 loaf French bread, cut into 3/4" thick slices
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, onion, olive oil, basil, salt, and pepper and mix. Set aside.
- Rub fresh garlic onto each slice of bread, then place on a baking sheet with a wire rack.
- Bake the bread slices in a preheated oven for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Flip over and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then spoon about 2 tablespoons of tomato mixture onto each slice of bread.
- Add a splash of the balsamic glaze on top and serve immediately. Enjoy!
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More Easy Appetizer Recipes To Try
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Loaded Baked Potato Skins
- Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
- Jalapeno Artichoke Dip
- Homemade Pepper Jack Queso
- More Appetizers
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This Homemade Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil is made from fresh tomatoes with basil, olive oil, and balsamic glaze served on toasted bread. This Italian Bruschetta recipe is an easy, healthy and delicious appetizer.
