This Tomato Bruschetta Recipe is the most wonderful appetizer to make during your local garden-ripe tomato season. It is perfect for a party because ahead of time, you can make a large batch of the topping as well as toasting baguette slices. You can either bring out a bowl of the bruschetta topping for people to put on their own toasts, or do it for them right before serving.
Easy to prepare and bursting with summer flavors that make a great snack, appetizer, or side dish. So good that you could make a whole meal of them. Tomato Bruschetta is one of the best ways to enjoy the bounty of summer. Try these Tomato Bruschetta appetizers and you will be hooked!
Tomato Bruschetta does not require any cooking and is entirely dependent on the quality of your ingredients. It is just a mixture of chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, basil, and garlic spooned over olive-oil brushed slices of toasted baguette or rustic bread. You can add lots of different ingredients into the topping, but this classic recipe lets the tomatoes be the star. The way the sweet tomato juices soak into the garlicky toasted bread is irresistible. Just find some good ripe tomatoes, a decent baguette, and you are in business!
- 10 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and diced*
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup basil leaves, fresh and coarsely-chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh-squeezed
- 1/3 cup olive oil, extra-virgin
- Coarse salt and coarsely-ground black pepper to taste
- French or Italian-style bread slices
- Traditional Aceto Balsamico (aged Balsamic Vinegar), optional
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Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
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In a medium-size bowl, mix together tomatoes, garlic, basil leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper; set aside.
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Slice the bread into 1-inch slices. If you are working with a large loaf of bread, you will then want to halve each slice again.
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Brush one side of each slice with extra virgin olive oil. Place the slices oil-side down on a cooking sheet, and toast them in the oven until golden brown. Watch carefully and do not let burn. NOTE: These can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container. Be sure to let cool completely before storing.
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Either serve tomato mixture, room temperature, in a bowl with a spoon and lots of toasted bread slices, or top each bruschetta with the tomato mixture and then place on a large serving plate. Try not to top too far ahead of serving, as the bread can get soggy.
* Seeding Tomatoes: For some recipes, seeding the tomatoes can improve the dish's appearance or eliminate excess moisture. To remove the seeds from a tomato, cut it in half horizontally and remove the stem. Holding a tomato half over a bowl or sink, scrape out seeds with a small spoon or squeeze the tomato to force out the seeds. Then slice or dice as directed in the recipe.
Peeling Tomatoes: Now this is an optional, but I usually will take the time to do this when making this Tomato Bruschetta dish. Learn How To Peel Fresh Tomatoes.