Bruschetta may sound a little fancy, but don’t let that scare you off. At its heart, it’s just fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil doing what they were born to do.
You do not need perfect bread, perfect knife skills, or a magazine-cover patio to enjoy it. You can pile it on toasted bread, scoop it with Triscuits, add feta, skip the cheese, or stand at the counter eating it with a spoon. No judgment here.
When summer tomatoes are good, this is one of the best ways I know to make every bite count.
Are you a tomato lover? Are you a gardener who raises prize-winning tomatoes? If so, you might like these tomato recipes, too!
"Sun-dried" Cherry Tomatoes- Make them in your oven! So easy!
The first time my daughter and I tried bruschetta was years ago in a tiny upstairs Italian restaurant in Philadelphia. One bite and we were hooked. Back then, bruschetta still sounded a little fancy to us, but it turns out it’s one of the simplest and most delicious appetizers you can make at home.
Was it authentic? Well, our table was a few feet from the kitchen, and we could hear the chefs arguing heatedly in Italian! We nibbled on the bruschetta and thoughtfully rolled every bite around on our tongues, trying to analyze the ingredients so we could recreate it at home in Nebraska.
And honestly? Everybody deserves to try it at least once.
These days, we eat it in all kinds of ways. Sometimes we spoon it over toasted bread, and sometimes we skip the fuss and serve it with woven wheat crackers or Triscuits instead. I’ve even started adding crumbled feta sometimes, because, as we all know, everything’s "betta with feta."
Around here, bruschetta isn’t something you politely nibble off crostini with your pinky extended. It’s something you pile onto a cracker and stuff in your face while hoping nobody notices you going back for thirds. It's a great burger topping, too!
The best part is there’s no single “right” way to make bruschetta. Add more basil. Use extra garlic. Toss in feta or Parmesan. Skip the cheese altogether. Taste as you go and make it your own.
When tomatoes are fresh and ripe, this is one of those dishes that disappears almost as fast as you can set it on the table.
Bruschetta (say it Broo-sketta) is a class of antipasto (appetizers) and not a specific recipe. Every Italian kitchen has a unique way to make it. We fell in love with the bruschetta we ate at the tiny restaurant where we first discovered it.
This is as close as I can get. It’s more of a method than a recipe. We have it almost every day in the summer when fresh tomatoes are abundant at the farmer’s market.
Around here, bruschetta isn’t something you politely nibble off crostini with your pinky extended. It’s something you pile onto a cracker and stuff in your face while hoping nobody notices you going back for thirds.
I often make just one or two tomatoes for Papa and me. When we meet up for a family summer feast, I make a huge batch using 8 or 10 big tomatoes and a giant bunch of basil.
Bruschetta is fun to say, and it's even more fun to eat! I could make a meal of it! Best of all, it's quick and easy to throw together. I bet you'll be making it all summer long now that you know how!
Wash, core, and chop the tomato coarsely. Toss it in a bowl, reserving as much juice as you can. I prefer a glass bowl because bruschetta is somewhat acidic.
You can use a combination of yellow and red tomatoes or any heirloom variety. They make the dish even more beautiful. Cherry or grape tomatoes work fine, too. But especially homegrown tomatoes. And my Lord, especially if they are still warm from the sun!
Some prefer to use only the tomato's meat, and you can decide. We chop up the whole tomato, seeds and all. We love the "jus" that forms when everything mingles and the delicious way it soaks into the bread or cracker you choose. You will develop your own spin on bruschetta, and I say go for it!
Now, simply add the rest of the ingredients, stir gently, and let it sit while they meet, fall in love, and make magic. In my opinion, bruschetta tastes best at room temperature.
If you don't eat it all, store it in the refrigerator, but let it sit out a bit before serving. Tomatoes vary widely in sweetness, so feel free to adjust your sugar, salt, and balsamic until your mouth is happy!! This is one of the recipes where you stand at the counter tasting and adjusting until you love it!
Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman, serves her classic bruschetta on crostini or thin buttered garlic toast. She makes hers in a skillet, and it looks amazing! Hint: Some sandwich shops sell their skinny day-old loaves for 50 cents, and they work perfectly for making crostini like that if you want to!
Here's the deal, though. For a lot less hassle and time spent, we have found a woven wheat cracker such as Triscuit works splendidly and soaks up all the marvelous juices like a sponge. It sure works for our hungry bunch.
Ta-Da!! You are now a kitchen maven who can whip up a batch of fresh bruschetta like a champ!! Enjoy!! And love every drop of sunshine in the season!
Also, I have to add that this recipe is always a big winner at my Christmas cookie exchange. When I make it in December, I use store-bought "tomatoes on the vine."
Bruschetta is an appetizer that begins with firm ripe tomatoes and fresh basil. Salt, sugar, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil make it sing in Italian!
Have you ever tried bruschetta? Have you ever made it in your own kitchen? Have you put chopped olives in it? Yes or no?
Here are some of our family's favorite summertime recipes we love to eat!
Amish Macaroni Salad - The best macaroni salad is easy to make. It consists of lots of crunchy vegetables in a creamy dressing with just the right amount of sweetness.
Root Beer Float Cake- Here is a recipe for an easy, yummy root beer-flavored cake with thick root beer-flavored cream cheese frosting! It makes you feel like a kid!
Alabama White Barbecue Sauce - A unique mayonnaise-based sauce that's perfect for grilling chicken and great on raw veggies, chips, even sweet corn!
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.
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