Fresh Tomato Bruschetta
Sweet, cherry tomatoes tossed in extra-virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar, parsley, basil, and more, served over toasted French baguette slices. Aromas, flavors, and textures are all in this simple appetizer.
Ingredients
- 2 heaping cups (12 - 16 ounces) fresh tomatoes, (cherry, cocktail, Roma, etc.), cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, (not dried basil), chopped, chiffonade cut, or torn
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, grated on a zester/Microplane, or pushed through a garlic press
- Sea salt, or flavored salt, to taste
- Freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 - 2 tablespoons excellent-quality extra-virgin olive oil, or an infused oil, my favorite brand
- 1 -2 tablespoons excellent-quality aged dark balsamic vinegar, my favorite brand
- 8 slices French baguette, or other artisan/crusty bread loaf
- 1/4 cup Parmesan, Gruyere, or Asiago cheese, or other firm cheese, grated
Instructions
- Gently toss the tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl.
- Add the oil, adjusting the amount to your preference. Some people like a minimum amount while others like the richness and saturation of the oil into the bread.
- Drizzle the balsamic, beginning with a tablespoon and adding more as desired to taste.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Set the Bruschetta mixture aside.
- Heat the broiler to low. Set an oven rack about 6 to 8” under the broiler. See Notes for more toasting options.
- Slice the baguette/loaf into ½” slices and lay them out onto a baking sheet. Brush the tops with oil. Broil until lightly browned, or desired brownness. Keep an eye on your oven so you don't burn the bread.
- Pull the baking sheet from the oven and carefully (pan and bread will be hot; use tongs) place the bread slices onto a serving platter/plate.
- At this time, you may rub a cut garlic clove over the warm slices. See Notes.
- Top each slice of warm, toasted bread with a spoonful or two of the Bruschetta mixture.
- If desired, sprinkle with the finely grated cheese.
- Serve immediately and thoroughly enjoy.
Notes
If you do not want to heat up the oven and your kitchen, you can butter and toast in a shallow skillet on the stovetop. An air fryer or toaster oven work well, also. Take care to keep an eye on the amount of browning while under heat so as to not burn.
Optional. After toasting, rub a garlic clove that has been cut in half, over each slice while still warm. This brings an added garlic flavor. Or, use this method and omit the fresh garlic in the Bruschetta.
There is a plethora of infused/flavored salts available. Maldon salt is a natural sea salt that you may enjoy on Bruschetta. It’s considered a “finishing” salt, so it would be really nice here. Since it is a coarse salt, there will be more texture with each bite than a finer sea salt.
The nutrition chart is calculated with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Fresh Tomato Bruschetta
Amount per Serving
Calories
209.67
% Daily Value*
Fat
5.49
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
1.26
g
8
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.48
g
Monounsaturated Fat
3
g
Cholesterol
3.37
mg
1
%
Sodium
580.75
mg
25
%
Potassium
264.27
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
33.15
g
11
%
Fiber
2.14
g
9
%
Sugar
3.84
g
4
%
Protein
7.59
g
15
%
Vitamin C
13.41
mg
16
%
Calcium
84.04
mg
8
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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