Tomato Bruschetta is an Italian classic and a common menu item in lots of Italian restaurants. The perpetual popularity of this dish goes to show how simple but good quality ingredients will never go out of style! I love making tomato bruschetta as a quick, umami-laden finger foods or appetisers whenever I have guests coming over or as a simple snack when the kids are hungry between meal times. I would recommend using only the ripest tomatoes or cherry tomatoes for more sweetness!
I’m so excited to share with you 3 different ways I make bruschetta 🤌 , the third way will surprise you and it is my favourite of the three!
Start with prepping the bread!
Grab a baguette and start slicing them on a bias into approximately 1.5cm thick slices. Lay the slices flat on a baking tray and drizzle generously with olive oil. Bake them at 180 degrees celsius for 6-8 minutes until slightly golden.
While waiting for the bread to bake into delicious golden crisps, we can start with the Tomato Salad.
Sometimes I’d spend a little extra for bruschetta, especially when making it for guests. Spending some extra moolah on vine tomatoes is a sure-fire way to get that natural, juicy sweetness and it is totally worth it! If you are using regular tomatoes, choose the ripest ones (but make sure they are still firm) and may I suggest that you scoop out the seeds before chopping them into small cubes, about 1.5cm. Unless you prefer soggy bottomed bread, scooping out the seeds is vital.
Dice the cherry tomatoes into 4 and toss them into a medium sized bowl. Take some basil leaves and proceed to roll them up together and slice them thinly. Add them into the bowl of tomatoes. Sprinkle some salt, black pepper to taste and drizzle with olive oil. Mix thoroughly and there you have it! You can make your bruschetta with just these ingredients! You can stop right here and assemble the bruschetta. Proceed further to see three more ways to style your bruschetta!
Bruschetta Bread
It may seem that bread is just bread is just bread. But the bread for bruschetta is the vessel that carries the topping. And it is important to have steady and flavourful vessels for such an important undertaking. When toasted, the baguette slices will crisp up, holding its integrity for longer after you add the wet toppings – very crucial if you are hosting guests. But it is not too hard either, because we are not toasting them for too long. You will end up with a perfect balance of crispiness/chewiness/softness when you take that bite of the bruschetta.
So once your bread slices are out of the oven and have cooled down slightly, peel one garlic clove. Rub each toasted bread with garlic. Trust me, this is not a step to be missed. It adds levels of flavour to the bruschetta! And raw garlic is good for you!
Did you know that raw garlic is known to improve immunity which helps to decrease inflammation? So for those with weaker immune systems, raw garlic is good for you! Eating raw garlic also aids in stabilising blood sugar levels which can be advantageous for managing Type 2 diabetes.
Once you’ve rubbed garlic onto each piece of bread, we’re ready to assemble!
Mozzarella Tomato Bruschetta with Balsamic Reduction
The most classic of them all is the Tomato Bruschetta with a base of fresh mozzarella and topped with a sweet balsamic reduction.
Drain a fresh mozzarella ball and slice them, laying one on each piece of toasted bread. Top it off with the tomatoes and drizzle with a good dose of sweet balsamic reduction. You can buy bottled balsamic reduction from the supermarket or you can make a small batch of your own, I’ve included the recipe below. Keep the extra and drizzle them over EVERYTHING such as rice bowls, sandwiches, eggs, etc, etc. Add more fresh basil, torn into pieces and black pepper, if you wish. Devour and enjoy!
Tomato Bruschetta with Avocado and Feta Cheese
I love this version of bruschetta too! The creaminess of the avocado adds so much buttery goodness to it and the crumbled feta cheese which has a natural saltiness to it creates a well-balanced palate of flavours.
First, slice open an avocado and cut into small cubes.
Lay some toasted pieces of bread on a plate and put the tomato mixture on each piece of bread followed by the avocados. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice to give it a tangy kick! Crumble some feta cheese and lastly, sprinkle some chilli flakes and olive oil for extra flavours! Just yum! To me, this makes a perfect breakfast!
Top it off with some good quality olive oil and you’re good to go! Enjoy while its fresh and crisp!
Tomato Bruschetta with Mango and Coriander
“THE RESULTS WILL SHOCK YOU!” Forgive me, but my youngest son have been watching a popular Youtuber and he literally speaks like this in his videos! Before trying out a recipe, I usually mix the flavours in my mind and kind of know what the end product might taste like but somehow, this final bruschetta recipe really knocked my socks off! If you’re making one bruschetta, MAKE THIS!
As important as it is to choose ripe tomatoes, it is equally important to choose a ripe (but firm) mango. Just typing this is making me super excited (drooling) because: sweet mangoes, sweet tomatoes, coriander mmmmmm! Now, grab that mango and cut it lengthwise as close to the flat side of the seed as possible. Hold the piece of mango in your hand and turn it so its peel is on your palm. Using the tip of your knife, and without cutting all the way through, make incisions through the length and width of the mango piece. Using a spoon, simply scoop out the mango and there you have it: cubes of mango! Add these mango cubes to equal amounts of chopped cherry tomatoes.
Grab some fresh coriander and chop them up and toss them into a bowl. Season with salt, black pepper a dash of lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. I also love adding some chilli flakes to this!🌶️
Mix them all together and you can begin to assemble!
Just like the others, lay out a few pieces of toasted, garlicky bread on a plate and scoop out some of the mango tomato mixtures onto the bread. Top it with some fresh pomegranate seeds and teared-up cilantro and be amazed!
Leave in the comments what other recipes you’d like me to try out!
Bruschetta 3 Ways: Avocado, Mozzarella and Mango
Each type serves 6-7 as finger food.
Ingredients
- Bruschetta Mozzarella with Balsamic Reduction
- Bruschetta Bread
1 loaf of Baguette, slice on the bias into approximately 15 slices
Olive oil, for drizzling
1-2 clove of garlic
- Balsamic Reduction
120g balsamic reduction
120g light soya sauce
100g brown sugar
- Topping – Basic Tomato Salad
16-17 vine cherry tomatoes, diced
8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
- Other ingredients
3 balls of fresh mozzarella, sliced
Extra basil leaves, for garnish
2 tbsp of balsamic reduction
- Tomato Bruschetta with Avocado and Feta Cheese
- Baguette
1 loaf of baguette, slice on the bias into approximately 15 slices
Olive oil, for drizzling
1-2 cloves of garlic
- Topping – Basic Tomato Salad
16-17 vine cherry tomatoes, diced
8 basil leaves, thinly sliced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Other ingredients
1 avocado diced
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
60g-80g feta cheese crumbled
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Tomato Bruschetta with Mango and Coriander
- Baguette
1 loaf of baguette, slice on the bias into approximately 15 slices
1-2 cloves of garlic
Olive oil, for drizzling
- Topping – Tomato and Mango Salad
10-12 vine cherry tomatoes, diced (approximately 270g)
1 ripe mango, diced
Small bunch cilantro, chopped
Pinch of salt, pepper and chilli flakes
1-2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
More cilantro, for garnish
1 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish
Directions
- Baguette
- Slice a baguette into around 1.5cm thick. Lay the slices on a baking tray and drizzle with some olive oil.
- Bake them in the oven for at 180 degree celsius for 6-8 mins until slightly golden.
- Rub raw garlic on each slice of toasted bread.
- Use this method of preparing the bread for all three types of bruschetta.
- Balsamic reduction
- Mix the balsamic vinegar, light soya sauce and brown sugar together.
- On medium-low heat, simmer until reduced to a syrupy and slightly viscous consistency.
- Leave to cool before storing in a bottle or jar.
- Refrigerate and keep for up to 2 months.
- Basic Tomato Salad
- Dice cherry tomatoes and add into a medium sized bowl
- Roll some basil leaves and slice them thinly. Add them into the bowl of tomatoes earlier.
- Season with some salt, and black pepper and drizzle with some olive oil. Mix together thoroughly.
- Bruschetta Mozzarella with Balsamic Reduction
- Drain the water from the fresh mozzarella and slice them. Laying each piece onto a slice of toasted bread.
- Top each of the bread with the Basic Tomato Salad.
- Drizzle with some sweet Balsamic Reduction.
- Add more torn fresh basil and black pepper. And enjoy!
- Tomato Bruschetta with Avocado and Feta Cheese
- Slice open an avocado and cut into small cubes
- Lay some toasted bread and add in the Basic Tomato Salad followed by the diced avocados.
- Squeeze some fresh lemon juice and crumble some feta cheese.
- Sprinkle some chilli flakes for that spicy kick and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil.
- Tomato Bruschetta with Mango and Coriander
- Cut the mango and cherry tomatoes into similar sized cubes.
- Chop a small bunch of coriander and toss in the same bowl. Season with salt, black pepper, a dash of fresh lemon juice, chilli flakes and extra virgin olive oil.
- Mix everything well
- With your toasted garlicky bread on a plate, scoop some of the Mango and Coriander mixture onto the bread.
- Garnish with some fresh pomegranate seeds and tear some cilantro. Enjoy!
- PS: THIS IS MY FAVOURITE BRUSCHETTA EVER!
