Description
Easy tomato bruschetta made with grilled bread, ripe tomatoes, garlic, basil, and optional fresh mozzarella. A simple Italian appetizer that comes together quickly and is best served immediately.
Ingredients
12 slices Italian bread or French baguette, 1/2-inch-thick
3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 pound ripe fresh tomatoes, at room temperature (3 to 4 medium / 450g)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the bread
12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into small pieces, optional (170g)
Instructions
1. Prepare tomato topping: Chop the tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces, then add to a medium mixing bowl with a generous pinch of salt, a small pinch of black pepper, and the olive oil. Stir and let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the bread: Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over medium heat or prepare an outdoor grill for medium heat. Drizzle the bread slices with the remaining olive oil and grill for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until warmed through and grill marks appear.
3. Rub garlic over the bread: Rub one side of the warm grilled bread with garlic (two to three strokes per slice should do it), and then place it onto a serving plate with the garlic-rubbed side facing up.
4. To finish: Stir and taste the tomatoes, then add more salt or pepper as needed. Spoon a generous amount of tomatoes onto each bread slice. Drizzle a little of the juice remaining at the bottom of the bowl over the tomatoes, and add basil and optional mozzarella. Serve immediately.
Notes
Canned tomatoes: If you cannot access sweet, ripe tomatoes, use high-quality canned whole tomatoes. Reserve the juice for another recipe and chop the whole tomatoes for the bruschetta.
We love San Marzano tomatoes and have also been very happy with canned Muir Glen tomatoes.
Balsamic vinegar: For extra flavor, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar into the tomatoes, or drizzle a balsamic glaze over the bruschetta before serving.
The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include mozzarella.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 bruschetta
- Calories: 169
- Sugar: 3
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: easy tomato bruschetta, tomato basil bruschetta, Italian appetizer, garlic bread