This tomato bruschetta is easy to make in 10 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients. Learn how to make bruschetta better than your favorite Italian restaurant with this easy bruschetta recipe.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and minced garlic and stir to combine.
Add the diced tomatoes and basil and stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Toast the Bread
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice bread into individual-sized servings.
Spread the bread evenly on a large baking sheet and brush the surface of each piece with olive oil.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes, until the bread is toasted but not too hard/crispy. I should be soft to bite into but toasted enough to hold the bruschetta without turning mushy.
Assemble the Bruschetta
Spoon the bruschetta on top of the toasted bread. If desired, add a thin slice of mozzarella cheese to the top. Serve and enjoy.
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Notes
*Note: nutritional information calculated for 2 tablespoons of the tomato bruschetta mixture without the bread, since every loaf of bread has different caloric values. Make in a Food ProcessorYou can also make this recipe in the food processor, but you have to be very careful not to over-process. To do this:
Put the garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and whole basil leaves in the container of a food processor with an “S” blade.
Process until the basil is roughly chopped.
Add half of the tomatoes and pulse once or twice to chop.
Add the other half of the tomatoes and pulse to chop.
Ingredient Substitutions
Vine-ripened tomatoes. Use your favorite tomato variety such as heirloom tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, etc.
Fresh basil. This really is a non-negotiable ingredient. I don't recommend making substitutions.
Olive oil.
Balsamic Vinegar. There is a difference between excellent balsamic vinegar and your run-of-the-mill varieties. High-quality balsamic vinegar should be so thick that it pours like syrup. It should be dark brown and taste sweet. It should most definitely NOT be thin, watery, or sour-tasting. My favorite balsamic vinegar can be found here.
Minced Garlic. I buy organic minced garlic in a jar and use that since I don't ever seem to have time to mince fresh garlic. But you can choose whichever you prefer.
Bread. I enjoy using sourdough, Italian bread, or homemade French bread, etc. Just make sure to slice it into individual serving size pieces before toasting.
StoreStore leftover bruschetta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I don't recommend freezing this recipe. Do not store the bruschetta on top of bread.