Everyone should know how to make bruschetta, the classic Italian appetizer!
When you go to an Italian restaurant, you’re most likely going to come upon bruschetta in the appetizer section of the menu. Tomato bruschetta is simple to make, and it’s delicious.
Nowadays, you’re likely to see all kinds of gourmet bruschetta choices on the menus of trendy restaurants. You might see options like honey tomato bruschetta with ricotta, peach and brie bruschetta and grilled fig bruschetta with gorgonzola and honey. Those are all completely fabulous, but the very best bruschetta is the classic toasted baguette with a garlicky tomato-basil topping. Let’s learn how to make bruschetta!
Ingredients needed:
- extra virgin olive oil
- garlic
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- baguette
- tomatoes
- balsamic vinegar
- fresh basil
How to make Bruschetta:
The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
The first step is making the crispy baguette slices. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking tray with foil.
Add the oil, garlic, and salt to a small bowl and stir to combine. Gently toss together the sliced bread and garlic oil on the prepared tray. Bake until the bread is crisped about 5 minutes on the first side, and 3 minutes on the second side. The bread shouldn’t really take on color, it should just be a little crispy.
The next step is getting the tomato topping ready. You’ll combine chopped tomatoes with basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, kosher salt and pepper.
The longer the tomato mixture sits, the more moisture it will release. So it’s okay to serve bruschetta on a platter with a bowl of the chopped tomato mixture surrounded by toasted baguette.
If you’re having a party and you want to serve these right away, then the other option is to assemble the bruschetta and then add it to your serving platter. Just spoon the tomato mixture on top of the toasted baguette slices. Garnish it all with more fresh basil to make things pretty. Enjoy!
The Best Italian Appetizer Recipes:
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
How to make Bruschetta
Ingredients
CRISPY BREAD:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- One 10-ounce baguette, sliced
TOMATOES:
- 1½ pounds ripe red tomatoes, diced
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
MAKE THE CRISPY BREAD:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking tray with foil.
- In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, and salt. Gently toss together the sliced bread and garlic oil on the prepared tray. Bake until the bread is crisped about 5 minutes on the first side, and 3 minutes on the second side. The bread shouldn’t really take on color, it should just be a little crispy.
MAKE THE TOMATOES:
- Once the bread is ready, add all ingredients for the tomatoes to a large bowl and gently stir to combine.
SERVE:
- Serve the crispy bread topped with the tomatoes.
Notes
- The longer the tomatoes sit, the more liquid they’ll release.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
