Italian Bruschetta
This is a classic Italian bruschetta recipe that's full of flavor and crunch! It takes 25-minutes to make. It's one of the best appetizers you can make for any occasion, from birthdays to holidays - and even just because!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp minced garlic
- 7 to 8 roma tomatoes, diced (drain juices)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup chopped basil, in ribbons (can sub for dried basil - see notes)
- 1 to 2 loaves French bread (sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (I personally put up to 1/8 to 1/4 cup - I LOVE balsamic vinegar)
- parmesan cheese, shredded (for sprinkling over top of assembled bruschetta)
Instructions
- MAKE TOMATO MIX: Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a saucepan and add minced garlic. Sauté it until it becomes golden brown, about one to two minutes. Put garlic into a bowl, let it cool down for a few minutes, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.Add the tomatoes, parmesan, basil, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the garlic (do not add the balsamic yet). Toss together to combine.1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp minced garlic, 7 to 8 roma tomatoes, diced, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese,, salt,, pepper,, 1/4 cup chopped basil,
- TOAST BREAD: Once the oven has preheated fully, place sliced pieces of French bread on a lined baking sheet (in a single layer - do not overlap bread slices). Brush each piece with olive oil and bake for 5 minutes. Then turn slices over and bake for another 5 minutes.1 to 2 loaves French bread
- SERVE: When you're ready to serve, first add the balsamic vinegar to the tomato mix and stir to combine. You can either pre-assemble the bruschetta yourself by loading each slice of toasted bread with some of the tomato mix, sprinkling it with extra parmesan, and serving on a platter. OR you can serve the tomato mix in a small serving bowl alongside the toasted bread so your guests can assemble it themselves.2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese,
Notes
- If you are subbing fresh basil for dried basil, start by adding 1/8 cup, and keep adding to taste from there.
- It's important to add the balsamic vinegar last and right before you're ready to serve. Due to its acidic nature, you don't want the tomatoes marinating in it too long pre-serving as it can eat away at the diced tomatoes.