Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Mix together fresh tomatoes with a bit of garlic, basil, and balsamic vinegar to make this Easy Homemade Bruschetta recipe!  You can serve it on toasted bread or as a dip for an appetizer or add it to your favorite grilled chicken for a quick and healthy Italian dinner.

Homemade Bruschetta Recipe

If you need a new recipe idea for all of those freshly grown vine-ripened tomatoes, look no further – this easy bruschetta recipe is the BEST way to use them up!

When I’m not making these easy Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, this homemade bruschetta is on the menu!

Finely diced tomatoes get mixed together with a bunch of fresh basil from our garden…

Then crushed garlic cloves and a bit of vinegar go into the bowl.

You’ll be lucky if any of this fresh tomato dip makes it past your spoon and onto a piece of toasted bread or grilled chicken breast – because yes, it is SO good you’ll be eating it by the spoonful!

What is Bruschetta?

Bruschetta, pronounced broo-skeh-tuh, is an Italian dish made from finely diced fresh tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, vinegar, and a bit of olive oil.  This easy Italian dip is much like the Mexican pico de gallo in that it’s made with fresh tomatoes, onions, and herbs but it does not have any spicy peppers added to it.

Tomato bruschetta is often served with baguette bread that is brushed with oil and then toasted in the oven.  Sometimes fresh mozzarella cheese is added, balsamic glaze is drizzled on top, or it’s served as a Bruschetta Chicken dish.

Ingredients

All of the ingredients for this bruschetta recipe are super easy to find and are incredibly fresh and healthy for you.  You can either find them all at your grocery store or us up some of your freshly grown tomatoes and basil!

• Tomatoes– You’ll need about 5-6 medium-sized tomatoes for this recipe.  Read below to learn more about the best type of tomatoes for bruschetta and how to prepare them.
• Basil – Fresh basil is key.  Do not try and substitute with dried basil.  Your finished dish will not have nearly the same amount of taste and flavor.
• Garlic – Once again, fresh garlic cloves are essential.  You can either finely mince them or crush them using a garlic press.
• Onion – A red, sweet, or yellow onion can be used.  I prefer a red onion for their beautiful pop of color in the dip.
• Oil – A good quality olive oil will give you the most authentic Italian flavor.
• Vinegar – Either balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar can be used in this recipe.

Best Type of Tomatoes

There are a variety of tomatoes that work well when preparing a homemade bruschetta recipe.  The main qualities you want to look for is their flavor and liquid content.

You want tomatoes that are naturally sweet and flavorful on their own while also not containing too much moisture or seeds.

A few types of tomatoes that are best for bruschetta include:

• Campari – The best and most authentic type to use.
• Vine-ripened – A good runner-up and relatively easy to find at most grocery stores.
• San Marzano – A little harder to find, but taste great if you have some!
• Cherry or Grape – These have a bit more skin but pack a lot of flavor.
• Learn more about different types of tomatoes.

If you can avoid it, I would not recommend using beefsteak tomatoes.  These generally have the least flavor and the most water content.

Preparing the Tomatoes

In order to get the most flavorful and best-tasting bruschetta, you’ll want to make sure and properly dice and seed your tomatoes before using.

Cut the flesh of the tomatoes and discard the inner core.  Scoop or brush out the seeds using your knife or a spoon.

Finely dice the tomatoes until they are about ¼ -½ inch in size.

How to Make

You an either make this fresh tomato bruschetta as a dip or topping for chicken, or toast some baguette bread with it for an easy appetizer!

Here are the step-by-step instructions you will need to follow to serve it with toast:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, onion, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl.  Toss gently until just combined. (Image above.)

3. Cut baguette into 1-inch pieces at an angle. (Top image)

4. Brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over all of the baguette pieces. (Bottom image)

5. Lay bread on a large baking sheet in a single layer. (Bottom image)

6. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

7. Top toasted baguette pieces with a spoonful of bruschetta and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.  Enjoy!

Serving

Once you have your homemade bruschetta ready to eat, there are numerous ways you can enjoy this healthy tomato dish!

• With toasted baguette bread and maybe even a slice of mozzarella cheese.
• On top of some Honey Balsamic Chicken.
• As a dip with Baked Tortilla Chips.
• Or just eat it by the spoonful!

Storing

Fresh tomato bruschetta will store well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

While you can freeze it, the tomatoes will lose a large majority of their flavor and it will become quite watery after thawing.

FAQs

Why is my bruschetta soggy?

If the seeds and juice of the tomatoes are not removed before mixing with the other ingredients you will end up with overly soggy and watery bread.

What vinegar is best to use?

Both balsamic vinegar and red wine vinegar can be used in a bruschetta recipe.  Balsamic vinegar will add a subtle sweetness while the red wine vinegar will give it more of a tangy bite.

Is bruschetta gluten-free, low-carb, or Whole30?

The actual fresh tomato topping is completely gluten-free, but the baguette bread may not be.  There are some great gluten-free baguette breads out there by Schar and Udi’s that can be found in the freezer section or on the gluten-free aisle at your grocery store.

Tomatoes are full of naturally occurring sugars, and therefore carbs.  This recipe can be enjoyed in small quantities when on a low-carb or keto diet.

The fresh bruschetta topping is full of real food ingredients and is allowed on a Whole30 diet.  Just make sure you select a vinegar that is made without malt or gluten.

5 from 1 vote

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Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Mix together fresh tomatoes with a bit of garlic, basil, and balsamic vinegar to make this Easy Homemade Bruschetta recipe!  You can serve it on toasted bread or as a dip for an appetizer or add it to your favorite grilled chicken for a quick and healthy Italian dinner.

Course Appetizer, bread, Dinner, dip, lunch

Cuisine Italian

Keyword best, bread, dip, easy, homemade, Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 45 kcal

Author London

Ingredients

• 2 cups tomatoes seeded and finely diced
• ¼ cup fresh basil finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil divided
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• ½ tsp. salt to taste
• ¼ tsp. black pepper to taste
• 1 baguette cut into 1-inch pieces, optional
• Balsamic glaze optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, basil, garlic, onion, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Toss gently until just combined.

3. If serving with bread: Brush 1 tablespoon of olive oil over all of the baguette pieces. Lay bread on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden.

4. Top toasted baguette pieces with a spoonful of bruschetta and a drizzle of balsamic glaze, serve as a dip, or on top of grilled chicken. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

• Nutritional information is calculated for ¼ cup of bruschetta without baguette bread.
• Use gluten-free baguette bread if you're Celiac or gluten-sensitive
• Serve it on top of chicken without the balsamic glaze if you're on a low-carb diet.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 45 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 122mg5%

Potassium 96mg3%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 350IU7%

Vitamin C 6mg7%

Calcium 6mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.