This bruschetta recipe is a family favorite and one I make often.
Ripe tomatoes are diced and tossed with fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, and a splash of vinegar, then spooned over garlic rubbed crostini. This appetizer is perfect for entertaining, summer snacking, or as a make-ahead starter.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
When traveling in Italy, I started almost every meal with bruschetta. The best bruschetta recipe is fresh and simple, just like this one!
- Flavor: This recipe is packed with flavor from juicy tomatoes, fragrant basil, and a hint of garlic, all served over crispy bread.
- Skill Level: This beginner-friendly recipe has a big flavor payoff!
- Prep Note: The tomato mix can be made ahead and served cold or at room temperature. The crispy bread is also perfect to bake ahead!
- Recommended Tools: While no special tools are required for this recipe, I do love this vegetable chopper to make quick and easy work of the tomatoes.
What is Bruschetta?
While the word bruschetta is thought of as the tomatoes, bruschetta refers to the preparation of the bread (cut, olive oil, and garlic rubbed), not the tomato topping.
This Bruschetta recipe is easy to prepare. Toast slices of baguette and rub the bread slices with garlic and a drizzle of olive oil. The toppings can vary but often include fresh tomatoes & basil.
Ingredient Tips for Bruschetta
- Tomatoes: Use fresh, ripe tomatoes. I choose Roma tomatoes or vine-ripened tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes work as well. While dicing the tomatoes, place them in a colander to drain.
- Bread: Slices from a baguette, hold the toppings, and soak up the marinade. Once toasted, rub the bread with a fresh peeled clove of garlic before serving.
- Marinade: While some recipes use balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar is more traditional. Use a great quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil.
- Extras: Finely diced cucumbers, minced red onion, slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, Greek olives, or parmesan cheese petals make bruschetta into a new appetizer every time!
How to Make Bruschetta
- Dice the tomatoes and drain (full recipe below).
- Toss the tomatoes and basil with the remaining ingredients.
- Slice the bread, place it on a baking sheet. Bake. Rub the bread with raw garlic.
- Spoon the tomato mixture over the top and enjoy.
Storing Bruschetta
- Prepare the tomato mixture up to 4 hours in advance; the flavors will only get better.
- The toasts can be made ahead of time and stored in an air-tight container. Ensure the bread is cooled before sealing, as it won’t stay crisp otherwise. Leftover bread can be made into croutons.
- The tomato mixture will last up to 3 days. Add it to sour cream for a quick dip, fold it into an omelet, or mix it into deviled eggs.
More Delicious Toast Toppers
Did you enjoy this Bruschetta Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below!
Ingredients
- 20 to 24 ounces ripe tomatoes 4 to 5 Roma tomatoes or 3 to 4 regular tomatoes, diced small
- ¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
For Serving
- 1 baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or to taste
- 1 clove garlic for toast
Instructions
- Dice tomatoes about ¼" and lightly drain.
- Mix all ingredients and let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour.
- Slice the baguette, brush with olive oil, and toast or grill until lightly browned about 2-4 minutes.
- Rub each toasted slice baguette with a clove of raw garlic. Top with tomato mixture.
Video
Notes
- Tomato mixture can be made up to 8 hours in advance.
- The tomato mixture will last up to 3 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Party Food, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Can you can this? I have so many tomatos from my garden and I want to can it not freeze it.
I haven’t tried canning this recipe so I can’t say for sure.
It was perfect! Verry tasty.
Yum yum. Cured the craving and was soooo much easier than the last Bruschetta I tried making. I added some red onion to mine because I needed to find a way to use up some left over in the fridge. It was good! Thanks for sharing. My husband literally picked up the serving spoon and ate it by the spoonfuls. (#childlessnewlywedperks) I figure that means he really liked it! :)
LOL! Definitely sounds like it was a hit with your husband! So glad you enjoyed it!
I love a good vinegarie Bruschetts that stays togther. Oh my I’m hungry for some right now. Got to go.
I hope you get to try this recipe soon! I think you will love it!
Made this tonight and it was deliciousssss! Thank you for posting your great recipes!
I’m so glad you loved it Ayla!! :)
Love your recipe. Wondered if you can make the tomato mixture ahead of time, like the day before, so the flavors can meld together.
We do eat leftovers the next day however this recipe tastes best within 6-8 hours of making it.
This along with a cheese plate and some wine and I’d call that dinner too :) Looks perfect!
Thanks Averie! I think we’ll have to make that dinner happen in the near future! :)
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try this!
I just made this and when the hubby took a bite he said mmmmm thats good and gave me the thumbs up saying “Jesus F’ing christ thats good!” We both agree this is going to be a staple in our home!
LOL! Sounds like it was a hit! So glad you loved it!
Bruschetta is served fresh and cold. with bread….antipasto can be canned………..and served with toast points or crackers…canning the bruschetta mix would ruin the idea and the recipe..FRESH is the word
Thank you for this recipe, it is excellent! My DH hates raw tomatoes but he will eat them this way, a miracle!
Does anyone have a recipe to save this by canning or freezing?
What if you don’t have redwine vinegar? what is a good replacement?
Balsamic
Ya. Definitely have to have vinegar! I use balsamic instead and throw a handful of chopped sun dried tomatoes in too! Delish!
instead of vinegar you can ad some pickled cucumber :)) Enjoy!!!
I bet my husband would love that!! I am definitely going to give it a try!
You are right!! :) I had no idea that it referred to the bread!! Thanks for the info!
Wikipedia says:
Made this tonight with some grilled ciabatta bread (outside grill)…& a tuna-pasta salad on the side…it was awesome! Will be using the leftover as side to my omelet in the morning…
How do you handle this… do you hot water bath can jars?
I just use it fresh. Mix it up and it doesn’t usually last longer than one day but will stay fresh in the fridge for a couple of days.
Can you jar this up in big batches or have to make it fresh all the time sounds really good.
I do not have canning experience, so I can’t say for sure… hopefully someone else can offer some advice. :)
I make a large amount and divide it into mason jars. the flavors intensify the longer you have it-so you don not want to keep it too long. Normally, when I jar it, I give them out to family and friends with a card attached with the ingredients and a small note. I also cut some bread for them. Good Luck!!
What a nice idea to give it as a gift!!
You would not want to hot water bath this as the olive oil would make the PH not acid enough for that method. It would need to be canned with a pressure method.
i love bruschetta and this sounds delicious. it’s also simple and easy to make.
I like a good and simple Bruschetta recipe…some people don’t add any vinegar and I luv it in mine. I also add a bare pinch of sugar for that sweet and sour effect. Thanks for sharing!
You GOTTA have the vinegar!!! :-)
ohh nahh
The sugar makes a world of difference…..especially if you got kiddies in your group! Glad I’m not the only one who does this.