• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Real Food Geek
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Lunch and Dinner
  • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Lunch and Dinner
    • Subscribe
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home

    Tomato Bruschetta

    Published: Jul 17, 2021 · Modified: Jun 10, 2023 by Cheryl Whyte · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    81 shares

    Tomato Bruschetta is a summertime treat, ideal for a light lunch or a simple gathering appetiser. The combination of fresh ripened red tomatoes and aromatic basil is simply a match made in heaven.

    JUMP TO RECIPE PRINT RECIPE
    Tomato bruschetta on a grey background this RECIPE

    WHAT IS TOMATO BRUSCHETTA?

    Bruschetta originates in Italy and has been around for centuries. Italians pronounce it “bru-sketta”, and describe it as grilled bread that has been rubbed with garlic and topped with extra virgin olive oil and salt.

    Today, toppings come in all kinds of weird and unusual varieties. Still, the classic and my absolute favourite is Bruschetta with tomatoes, or ‘Bruschetta con Pomodoro’ and this my friends, is where the inspiration for this recipe was born.

    WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO MAKE TOMATO BRUSCHETTA?

    During the summer when tomatoes are at their absolute best is the time to make this recipe. As it’s currently July in the UK, the best time is most certainly NOW!

    Bruschetta is an absolute crowd-pleaser and is always welcomed when it makes an appearance as an appetiser at a summer BBQ.

    But frankly, I’m not always up for sharing! You’ll often find me tucking into Bruschetta when I want a light lunch or an easy weeknight dinner. And, almost always, my face and fingers will be smothered in tomatoey, olive oily toppings. Sorry, not sorry!

    row of tomato bruschetta on a marble platter

    BRUSCHETTA INGREDIENTS

    Bruschetta is really simple to make with the most basic ingredients. I can never quite believe that something so simple can taste quite so good.

    Slice of brown crusty bread with a spread of pesto, piled up with chopped tomatoes, red onions and basil.

    1. BREAD

    The most ideal bread for a tomato bruschetta has a rough open crumb and a crunchy crust. The rough surface will encourage just the right amount of juice to be extracted from the garlic, the open crumb is perfect for capturing pools of olive oil, and the crunchy crust shouldn’t disintegrate under the weight of the tomato topping.

    Bruschetta should always be toasted. The best way is to use a grill pan. A hot grill adds beautiful scorch marks that infuse the bread with a hint of smoky flavour. If you don’t have a grill pan, just pop the bread in a toaster or under the grill (broiler). You are looking for a texture that is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

    As this is a real food blog where we want to avoid heavily processed ingredients, the bread I typically look for when making this recipe is a wholegrain sourdough or ciabatta.

    2. TOMATO

    I use a combination of mainly red vine-ripened tomatoes for their intense tomatoey flavour and a few cherry tomatoes for sweetness. Room temperature is crucial for maximum tomato flavour. The vine tomatoes are deseeded and diced to remove excess slimy seeds, and the cherry tomatoes are quartered, providing some variation in texture.

    3. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

    Using your favourite extra virgin olive oil for this recipe is essential. It’s added in with the tomatoes to add a rich and fruity flavour to the topping that is a major contributing factor to the overall taste sensation that is Tomato Bruschetta.

    4. GARLIC

    Too much garlic in this dish can overwhelm the rest of the ingredients, so I stick with Italian tradition and rub the garlic over the warm toasted bread allowing it to melt down and penetrate into the bread. I find this to be enough.

    5. RED ONION

    Although it’s not a traditional ingredient in tomato bruschetta, I like to add finely diced red onion for a subtle crunch, and its sweet and mild flavour works really well in this dish.

    6. BASIL & BASIL PESTO

    The traditional recipe for a tomato bruschetta often incorporates fresh basil. This recipe does the same. However, I am also going to double up on that basil flavour by spreading a thick layer of my Homemade Super-Green Pesto over the bread. The idea of adding pesto has been inspired by a meal I had at a restaurant on No Man’s Fort, where the chef drizzled a delicious pesto sauce over our Tomato Bruschetta starter. For more on that, check out the post Eating Real Food on No Man’s Fort.

    If you have the time to make your own pesto, it’s honestly worth the effort. But, if you just don’t have the time, before skipping the idea entirely, there are some real food options available like this Biona Organic Green Pesto. It’s worth having a couple of jars on hand for when a Tomato Bruschetta craving strikes.

    7. THICK BALSAMIC GLAZE

    Drizzling a thick balsamic glaze over Tomato Bruschetta is the finishing touch. No, it’s not essential. But yes, it IS necessary, if you know what I mean! It’s sweet and irresistible tanginess help to ensure tomato bruschetta so god darn moreish!

    HOW DO YOU MAKE TOMATO BRUSCHETTA?

    Tomato bruschetta ingredients

    Gather and prepare your ingredients.

    Bowl of tomato salsa

    Put the chopped tomatoes and onions in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Gently combine the ingredients and season with salt and pepper and leave to one side to macerate.

    Toasted wholemeal bread with garlic cloves

    Meanwhile, slice the bread. Grill or toast until the bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. While it is still warm, rub garlic over the top side of bread and let it melt in.

    Slice of brown crusty bread with a spread of pesto, piled up with chopped tomatoes, red onions and basil.

    Spread Homemade Super-Green Pesto (or alternative) over the slices of bread. Then pile on the tomatoes as well as a generous helping of freshly torn basil.

    Serve immediately and enjoy!


    I’d love to know how your Tomato Bruschetta turns out. Please get in touch in the comments and let me know. I hope it becomes a summer go-to recipe for you too!

    And, if you’ve got some leftover tomatoes and basil, why not try my Homemade Tomato Soup with Basil. Another light lunch where the tomato and basil are the superstars.

    FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS

    📖 Recipe

    Close up view of tomato bruschetta on a platter

    Tomato Bruschetta

    Author: Cheryl Whyte
    Tomato Bruschetta is a summertime treat, ideal for a light lunch or a simple gathering appetiser. The combination of fresh ripened red tomatoes and aromatic basil is simply a match made in heaven.

    If you love this recipe, rate it with 5 stars below!

    5 from 4 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 Toasts
    Calories: 136kcal
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Bread Knife & Sharp Knife
    • Chopping Board
    • Bowl
    • Grill Pan or Toaster

    Ingredients
     

    • 600 g (1.5 lbs) Tomatoes , On the vine and cherry varieties. Deseed and dice the vine tomatoes and slice the cherry tomatoes into quarters.
    • ½ Red Onion, Chopped into a small dice
    • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
    • ½ tsp Sea Salt
    • ¼ teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    • 12 Slices Wholegrain Rustic Loaf, Sourdough or Ciabatta works well. Slice into 12, 1cm thick slices. If using a thin french loaf, you'll get 24 toasts.
    • 1 Clove Garlic
    • 12 Fresh Basil Leaves, Washed and roughly torn or sliced into ribbons
    Optional (But Recommended) Toppings**
    • 6-8 tablespoon Homemade Super-Green Pesto, Or alternative green pesto
    • 2 tablespoon Thick Balsamic Vinegar

    Instructions
     

    • Prepare your ingredients and get your equipment ready.
    • In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onions, olive oil, salt and pepper. Put to one side and prepare the toasts.
    • Grill the bread slices with a grill pan, or place in a toaster. You're looking for a crisp exterior and soft interior. On a hot grill pan, it will take about 3-4 minutes on each side – you are looking for those smoky grill marks. While the bread is still warm rub a clove of garlic over the surface of the bread. It will melt into it nicely.
    • Spread each piece of toast with the pesto (if using) and then pile on the tomato mixture. To serve, arrange the bruschetta on a plate or platter, scatter with torn pieces basil, drizzle with balsamic vinegar (if using). Serve immediately***.

    Notes

    *If you choose NOT to spread Homemade Super-Green Pesto or an alternative Pesto onto the toast, then the Bruschetta would benefit from an extra tablespoon of extra virgin olive. Drizzle directly onto the toasts to infuse flavour into the bread. 
    **The nutritional information does not include the optional serving ingredient Homemade Super-Green Pesto. If you choose to add this ingredient, the nutrition panel is on the recipe card on the Homemade Super-Green Pesto page. 
    ***Assemble the Bruschetta just before serving so that the bread doesn’t go too soggy. If you want to get ahead, you can make the tomato topping ahead of time. In fact, the tomato salsa topping gets better if you leave the flavours to mingle (or macerate) for a couple of hours before serving. Just ensure to discard excess juices. Otherwise, you’ll still end up with soggy bread.

    Nutrition Information (Per Serving)

    Calories: 136kcal (7%) | Carbohydrates: 13g (4%) | Protein: 2g (4%) | Fat: 8g (12%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Sodium: 174mg (8%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 8g (9%)

    Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional information is estimated using an online nutrition calculator. For accuracy, we recommend you calculate using the exact ingredients and brands you used.

    Course | Appetizer, Lunch, Snack
    Cuisine | Italian
    Keyword | easy appetizers, finger food, summer recipes
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Share a photo and tag @therealfoodgeek so I can see all your delicious creations!


    If you get the chance to give this Tomato Bruschetta a try, drop me a note in the comment section and provide a star rating. I’d love to know what you think!

    For more real food recipe ideas, you can check out the recipe page. Or, come on over and say hi on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. I look forward to seeing you there! 👋

    You can also stay up to date with new posts and healthy real food recipes by subscribing to The Real Food Geek mailing list below.

    Thank you so much for reading.


    PIN FOR LATER!

    A single tomato bruschetta drizzled with balsamic glaze on a grey background

    More Recipes

    • Two bowls of Nourishing Chicken No Noodle Soup with a seeded baguette, torn bread, and a silver spoon.
      Nourishing Chicken No Noodle Soup with Vegetables
    • Randomly placed dark chocolate hazelnut clusters on a grey background.
      Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Clusters (Healthier Candy)
    • Collage of Tenderstem broccoli recipe images.
      How to Cook Tenderstem Broccoli (Broccolini) – 5 Ways
    • Healthier apple flapjacks sliced into bars sitting on a wire rack, surrounded by Pink Lady apples, a knife and rolled oats.
      Healthier Apple Flapjacks with Cinnamon (No Butter)
    81 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this recipe




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, I'm Cheryl, The Real Food Geek! I'm all about delicious and nutritious recipes fueled by my love for food, weight loss journey, and expertise as a certified culinary medicine coach. Let's make healthy eating enjoyable by returning to basics in the kitchen and embracing the joy of real food.

    Learn more about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Bowl of curried butter beans over brown rice, and a roti surrounded by extra roti and a small bowl of red pepper flakes.
      Easy Curried Butter Beans (Lima Beans) with Spinach
    • A bowl of Roasted Beetroot Pumpkin Salad surrounded by 2 munchkin pumpkins, feta crumbles, and a set of wooden serving spoons.
      Roasted Beetroot Pumpkin Salad with Feta and Walnuts
    • Healthy Crispy Chicken Fajitas on a sharing platter.
      Healthy Crispy Chicken Fajitas (Breaded and Baked)
    • Sweet Potato Coconut and Chilli Soup in a soup bowl with a spoon topped with red chili slices and cilantro leaves.
      Creamy Sweet Potato Coconut and Chilli Soup (Vegan)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Affiliate Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Browse

    • Lifestyle
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    The Real Food Geek ©2023

    81 shares
    Tomato bruschetta on a platter
    Tomato bruschetta randomly placed on a grey surface
    A single tomato bruschetta drizzled with balsamic glaze on a grey background
    A single tomato bruschetta drizzled with balsamic glaze on a grey background
    A single tomato bruschetta drizzled with balsamic glaze on a grey background