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Whenever summer rolls around, I go wild for tomatoes. Grilled, stuffed, in lasagna: I want all of the tomatoes, all the time. This Tomato Basil Bruschetta is one of my favorite ways of eating the fruit (let’s not get into that debate!). The garlicky, herby tomato mixture is the perfect topping for crunchy bread.
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Speaking of the bread, this tomato bruschetta recipe does something genius (if I do say so myself!) to add flavor: Right after it comes out of the oven, you rub a peeled, whole garlic clove all over the toast. This adds raw garlicky flavor without the bite.
Plus, the tomato mixture couldn’t be simpler to make. Mix up diced tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, red onion, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar and that’s it! Spooned onto the garlicky bread, it’s one of my favorite appetizers.
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: No-cook
Dietary Info: Dairy-free and vegan
Key Flavor: Tomatoes, basil, garlic
Skill Level: Easy
Summary
- Lets summer produce shine: When tomatoes are super ripe they don’t need cooking to make them taste amazing. I love that this bruschetta is basically no-cook (besides toasting the bread, of course!).
- An excellent choice for dinner parties: Because this is a vegan bruschetta, I make this for company all of the time. I love not having to leave anything out of a recipe to adapt it to dietary restrictions!
- Make-ahead: Both the tomato mixture and toast can be made days ahead (stored separately). In fact, I kind of like how the tomatoes soak up the flavor of the minced garlic, olive oil, and vinegar with a little time.
- Versatile: This tomato-basil mixture is also really great as a no-cook pasta sauce (just toss it with cooked spaghetti!).
Ingredients to Make Bruschetta
- Tomatoes: Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. These will taste the sweetest.
- Garlic: You’ll use minced garlic in the tomato-basil mixture and a whole clove of garlic for the toast.
- Basil: Fresh (not dried!) basil is the move here.
- Red onion: This has less of a bite than raw white or yellow onion. Make sure to finely mince it!
- Olive oil and balsamic vinegar: These will add flavor to the tomatoes, making them slightly sauce-y (and a good toast topping).
- French bread: I like that this squishy white bread lets the bruschetta shine.
- Olive oil spray: Using olive oil spray easily and evenly coats the toast so it browns well!
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Use different herbs. For this Italian bruschetta, I like fresh basil. However, you could use minced mint, oregano, dill, or parsley in place of it.
- Swap bread. French bread is like a blank canvas for the bruschetta, but you can use almost any bread, like ciabatta or focaccia.
- Add in cheese. If you don’t care about it being dairy-free, you could add cubed fresh mozzarella or crumbled goat cheese or feta.
- Swap out the red onion: You could use minced shallots instead. Just don’t try to swap in yellow or white onion (these will be a bit too pungent).
How to Make Bruschetta
I honestly think this classic bruschetta might be the simplest appetizer I have on my site.
Tips for Making the Best Tomato Basil Bruschetta
- Make sure to spray the toast with olive oil. Spraying the bread with olive oil creates a type of extra barrier between the bread and the tomato mixture, keeping the bread crispy and not getting soggy too quickly.
- Only assemble as much bruschetta as you’ll be consuming. Even with the olive oil barrier, the chopped tomatoes will still release a lot of liquid and soften the bread after a period of time. So it’s best to serve them separately or assemble a small portion of them only.
- Chop the bruschetta tomato mixture into small, evenly sized pieces. They will be easier to spoon onto the toast and much easier to eat that way. Check out this post to learn how to cut tomatoes quickly and easily.
- Core the tomatoes. Going off the above, make sure to core the tomatoes before chopping them. The core is tougher and not as tasty! I like to use a paring knife and cut around and down into the light brown part of the tomato to remove the core.
- Pick the right tomatoes. I prefer plum tomatoes for bruschetta, as they have a small core and more flesh. You could use heirloom tomatoes, too, or even grape or cherry tomatoes (they’ll just be harder to chop!).
Frequently Asked Questions
You can store any leftovers for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge. Keep the tomato mixture and bread separated and do not assemble until you’re ready to serve/eat or else you’ll end up with super soggy bread.
They are pretty similar! But I found this helpful guide that explains the difference well. Basically, bruschetta is made by toasting whole, large slices of Italian bread, while crostini are sliced and toasted from smaller, finer-textured bread, like a baguette. If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my crostini with roasted tomatoes.
I like to use plum tomatoes for this bruschetta recipe as they are fleshier and less watery than other large tomatoes. If you like, you can also make the topping with smaller cherry or grape tomatoes, you would just need to cut those in halves or quarters.
Yes, you can make the elements ahead of time, making them a great appetizer if you are feeding a crowd. The toasted baguette will keep well in an airtight container for a couple of days, if it loses its crispiness you can just heat it up again in the oven. The topping can be stored covered in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
I love how fresh this bruschetta is. It’s one of those recipes that tastes like you did way more work and, honestly, I think it’s because of just how flavorful ripe tomatoes are. While the tomato mixture is great on the bread, I’ve also eaten on top of grilled chicken and salmon and straight out of the container with a spoon. (I’m kidding about the last bit…or am I?)
More Tomato Recipes:
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta
- 5 Ingredient Tomato Soup
- Corn, Tomato, Avocado Salad
- Heirloom Tomato Lasagna
- Goat Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes
- Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
- Grilled Tomatoes
- Tomato Avocado Cucumber Salad
If you try this feel good Tomato Basil Bruschetta recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Tomato Basil Bruschetta
Video
Ingredients
- 6 ripe plum tomatoes finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves chopped
- 3 tablespoons red onions finely diced
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the garlic bread
- 1 loaf French bread sliced into ½-inch thick slices
- Olive oil spray
- 2 garlic cloves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, red onions, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper; set aside to marinate.
- Place the sliced french bread on the prepared baking sheet and spray with olive oil cooking spray. Bake for about 5 minutes, watching closely to ensure they don’t burn. Immediately rub the garlic on the bread slices when they come out of the oven.
- Add the tomato mixture on top if serving immediately, or serve on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Made for a small get together. Was a hit with no left overs.
Yay, I’m so glad to hear it. Thank you!