Ready in just 10 minutes, this easy bruschetta recipe is a quick and simple recipe that uses juicy Roma tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and minced garlic for a crowd-pleasing appetizer that is perfect for any party or gathering!
Tomato Bruschetta Recipe
Need a fresh and delicious appetizer to share that is easy enough for a beginner? This easy Bruschetta recipe is ready in just 10 minutes with only a handful of ingredients like a crusty baguette, juicy Roma tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and minced garlic. We tried to recreate our favorite bruschetta from our time spent traveling through Italy and this is the best version we have found anywhere!
What Is Bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer (also known as antipasto) traditionally made with grilled bread. This bread is rubbed with garlic cloves and drizzled with good olive oil, then served with toppings like tomato basil salad, a blend of olives, artichokes, etc.
Also, it’s pronounced “broo-sketta”, not “broo-schetta.” It’s a commonly mispronounced word in America, but in Italian, the ‘ch’ letters are pronounced like a ‘k.’ Learn something new everyday, right?
Looking for an easy appetizer for your next get-together? Some of our other favorites are Caprese Salad and Homemade Mozzarella Sticks!
Tomato Bruschetta Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Roma tomatoes – Roma tomatoes are the best choice for this recipe because they’re less juicy and seedy than traditional tomatoes, which means they won’t make the bread mushy.
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Fresh basil – Don’t substitute dried basil! You really want the flavor of fresh basil here.
- Olive oil – Choose a quality extra-virgin olive oil—the kind used for drizzling and dressing, rather than the kind you cook with.
- Balsamic vinegar – You’ll need some for dressing the tomato-basil salad and some for making the optional balsamic reduction.
- Coarse salt
- Black pepper
- Parmesan cheese – This is optional.
- French baguette
What Is the Best Bread to Use for Bruschetta?
It might sound strange to use a French baguette in an Italian bruschetta recipe, but it really is the best bread to use, in my opinion. A rustic country bread works too. Just make sure it’s a bread that has a soft interior with a crusty exterior.
How to Make Bruschetta
- Make the tomato salad mixture. Gently toss the diced tomatoes, red onion, garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, if you’re using it.
- Toast the bread. Heat a broiler or grill to high heat, then toast the baguette slices on each side. You’ll want them lightly browned so they’re easy to bite through, but toasted enough to hold the tomato salad.
- Make the balsamic reduction. If you want to drizzle the bruschetta with a balsamic reduction, place ½ cup of vinegar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the volume is reduced by half, which should take about 5 minutes. Let the reduction cool.
- Serve. You can either spoon the tomato salad over the toasts and set them on a tray for guests to grab, or set the toasts on a board and place the salad in a serving bowl so they can assemble the bruschetta themselves.
Best Bruschetta Recipe Tips
- Use ripe tomatoes. They’re the star of the show here, so you want to make sure they’re at the peak of ripeness.
- Don’t cut the bread too thin. Nothing’s more embarrassing at a party than having a handheld appetizer fall apart when you bite into it!
- Drain off any excess liquid. If you make the tomato salad in advance, give it a stir and then pour out any excess liquid that has collected at the bottom of the bowl. This will keep the bread from getting soggy.
Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe Variations
There are endless ways to customize this tomato bruschetta recipe to your liking. Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Add fresh mozzarella to the tomato topping for a twist on classic caprese salad.
- Use colorful heirloom tomatoes in place of the Roma tomatoes; just scoop out the seeds first.
- Swap the fresh garlic for roasted garlic, which has a more mellow, caramelized flavor.
Bruschetta Recipe Make-Ahead Instructions
If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can prepare the tomato topping and store it in the fridge for a day, then make the toasts the day of your party.
How to Store Leftover Bruschetta
Leftover bruschetta will keep in the fridge for a day or two, but it's best enjoyed the day it’s made. Store it in an airtight container to keep it fresh.
Easy Bruschetta Recipe FAQs
Fresh herbs like basil can turn bitter if they are chopped too finely or bruised too much. Gently tear or chop them just before adding them to the bruschetta. Another factor could be overripe or low-quality tomatoes, which can taste bitter. Try using fresh, ripe tomatoes for a sweeter flavor. Also, be sure you're using good quality, fresh olive oil for the best taste.
If you have had trouble with soggy bruschetta, try preparing the ingredients ahead but assemble the bruschetta right before serving. This prevents the bread from sitting too long with the moist toppings. Also, try to remove excess moisture from ingredients like tomatoes. After chopping, place them in a strainer for a few minutes and pat them dry with paper towels. This reduces the liquid that could make the bread soggy.
Be sure to also make sure the bread is toasted enough to create a sturdy base. Use a rustic or dense bread like ciabatta or baguette, and brush it lightly with olive oil before toasting. This creates a barrier that helps prevent the bread from absorbing too much moisture from the toppings.
And if all else fails, you can also serve the toppings separately in a bowl and let guests assemble their own bruschetta. This way, everyone can control the moisture content on their own slices.
If your bruschetta is turning out watery, it's likely due to excess moisture from the tomatoes. Tomatoes contain a lot of water, especially if they are not ripe or if they're diced and left to sit. To minimize the water content, use ripe tomatoes and remove the seeds and excess pulp before dicing. You can also let the diced tomatoes sit in a strainer for a few minutes to drain excess liquid.
The best tomatoes for bruschetta are those that are flavorful, juicy, and have a good balance of sweetness and acidity. Roma tomatoes, also known as plum tomatoes, are meaty with fewer seeds and less juice, making them a popular choice for bruschetta due to their texture and flavor. But San Marzano tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, and cherry or grape tomatoes can all also be used.
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Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Easy Bruschetta Recipe
Ingredients
Bruschetta
- 6 Roma tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Balsamic reduction (optional)
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 French baguette sliced into ½-inch slices
Instructions
- Combine the diced tomatoes, red onion, garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the Parmesan, if desired.
- Heat a broiler or grill to high heat, then toast the baguette slices on each side until lightly browned.
- Serve together for guests to top their toasts individually so they don't get soggy, or top each toast with the tomato mixture and serve immediately.
- If desired, make a balsamic reduction to drizzle over the top of each bruschetta by bringing the balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan, then reducing the heat to medium-low until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the balsamic vinegar to cool before drizzling over the bruschetta. The reduction will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in March, 2018. The photos and content were updated in June, 2022.
Honestly I don't even want to think how much olive oil I go through. I should have shares in a company. Homemade bruschetta is so easy and delicious. The prefect app for dinner any night of the week. The perfect way to get the party started too.
Bruschetta is so good! I love it in the summer with fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden! Although having it other times of the year it's still tasty and reminds me of warmer weather.
What a wonderful appetizer! I always love it in the summer, with all the fresh product, it just can't be beat! How delicious and tasty!
I could not survive in a world without olive oil! No way! This bruschetta looks amazing and easy to make. One of those appetizers everyone always loves!
I've had the pleasure of eating baguettes in both France and Italy. The Italian baguettes are just like American French baguettes so you are spot on using French bread here in the States for bruschetta. I love this recipe and I agree, the olive oil is everything!
Thanks for that insight! That's super helpful to know!
I love tomato bruschetta and can't wait for this summer so I can make some fresh from the garden. This recipe looks scrumptious!
Look at these juicy tomatoes! They look just perfect all covered in delicious Bertolli Olive Oil (also, one of my favourite olive oil brands). These little morsels of food just scream summer. And your suggestion of grilling the bread sounds wonderful, although I agree with you that toasting the bread in the oven is so much easier... but then that's what husbands are for 🙂
This makes me crave summer so badly! I can't wait for my homegrown tomatoes to pop up, and I will eat SO MUCH bruschetta. I've usually made mine with butter, but I love the idea of using olive oil instead. YUM
I love Bertolli products! They have such a great reputation for quality. This bruschetta looks so classic, and perfect as we're heading into prime tomato season. I'll be serving this one all summer for al fresco entertaining!
I didn't think i would like this as much as I did. I did not grow up with Italian food other than generic pizza and pasta , but this really surprised me. it made me feel quite fancy and my daughter even ate one with her pinky out. XD Because she felt so fancy. It surprised my husband that I did something so different. Thank you for bringing me out of my cooking comfort zone.
I made this for lunch today to participate in the August Farmers market challenge, and me and the kids loved it! It was quick and delicious, and a great use of all of those yummy summer tomatoes on my counter. Photo submitted on instagram 🙂
I made this for a family occasion and it was the hit of the party. Everyone raved about it and I will make this a staple for anywhere I go, and at home. Thanks for another fantastic, delicious recipe.
I don't usually like raw tomatoes and onions but this was delicious I want to put this on everything, I also metaled some smoked gruyere cheese on the bread first combine with the tomato mixture it was amazing
Simple, quick and delicious! A terrific way to make use up the piles of basil my family grew over the summer. Thanks for the recipe!
It's the best! Easy and quick!