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Perfect Summer Tomato Bruschetta Recipe
Bruschetta
Bruschetta was the first sophisticated dish I could really make. That’s probably because it doesn’t require any cooking and is entirely dependent on the quality of your ingredients. Find some good ripe tomatoes, a decent baguette and you’re in business.
For this recipe I used the abundance of spectacular tomatoes I found this weekend at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. I chose one big striped heirloom tomato, several dry-farmed early girls and half a basket of mixed cherry (red) and sungold (orange) baby tomatoes. It doesn’t matter much what varieties you choose, just make sure they are ripe and have good flavor.
Bruschetta Ingredients
The next essential ingredient is a good baguette. I bought sour and Italian baguettes from Acme Bread Co. To turn your bruschetta from good to amazing, be sure to brush your bread slices with olive oil and lightly toast them in the oven.
For this recipe I added a diced roasted pepper, but feel free to get creative with your ingredients. Chunks of fresh mozzarella are a great addition, especially if you are having a hard time choosing between bruschetta and caprese salad.
This recipe is the perfect summer snack and can be served as a starter, side dish or brought to a potluck (keep bread and topping separate until you arrive).
Summer Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients:
- 2 c. diced summer tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic, worked through garlic press
- 1/4 c. good quality extra-virgin olive oil
Roasting Pepper
- juice of half lemon
- 8-10 basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
- paprika, to taste (optional)
- good sea salt, to taste
- red bell pepper, fire roasted (optional)
- splash of balsamic vinegar (optional)
- sour baguette, sliced into 1/2 in. discs at an angle
If you are roasting a pepper, start by turning on a burner and placing the pepper on top. Blacken the skin evenly by using tongs to turn periodically. When the pepper is completely blackened, remove from flame and allow to cool. Scrape off blackened skin with a dull knife or fork, remove seeds, dice and set aside.
Bruschetta Mix
In the meantime preheat oven to 325 F and slice bread.
Combine first 9 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Some people add sugar, but I prefer to add a splash of balsamic vinegar if I want a little more sweetness. Paprika is also optional, but I find it adds a nice, subtle complexity. Don’t be shy with your sea salt in this recipe. Allow mixture to marinate briefly, stirring occasionally.
Olive Oil on Baguette
Next brush your baguette slices on one side with olive oil and place in warm oven. Toast for 6-10 minutes. Monitor carefully and do not allow to burn.
Place baguette slices on your serving plate and heap marinated tomatoes on top. Add extra small spoonfuls of juice on top of the mixture to add flavor and soften bread.
Serve immediately and crack the champagne.
What do you add to your bruschetta?
BEAUTIFUL photo and delicious looking recipe! I’ll have to try this with all the tomatoes I have from my grandpa’s garden 😉
Yum! Garden tomatoes are always the best. (Doesn’t hurt to save the $3.50/lb either!)
Mmmmmmm! This looks amazing!
I so rarely eat bread that when I do I should totally do something fabulous like this with it! Yum!
Exactly!
I wonder if this would taste as good or better on whole grain bread? I never see it that way in restaurants. I’ll have to make some.
Did you ever eat buttered cinnamon-suger toast using white bread as a kid? That’s one recipe that doesn’t translate well to whole grain bread.
I have to admit, I’m not the biggest fan of whole grain bread. I don’t each much bread in general, so I don’t worry about it when I do.
Mmmmmm……buttered cinnamon sugar toast……
Mental note to self: “Don’t visit Summer Tomato so early before you can go lunch.”
Damn this looks delicious…my salivary glands approve! I like to add the splash of balsamic…one of my favorite flavors.
I thought my Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Mushrooms and Slow Roasted Tomatoes was a great way to enjoy tomatoes but this looks even better! 🙂
Luckily it’s August and we can make both!
Thanks for the link Hillary. Now I have two great recipes to try!
Looks wonderful and a great way to use up all those extra tomatoes this time of year. Those Italians really know what they’re doing 🙂
And I love how you added some roasted peppers. Definitely adds a nice flavor to it, I’m sure. I actually made some roasted red peppers w/roasted tomatoes in a “salade cuite”…a recipe from my husband. Had friends over for dinner & they raved about it. Making me think I need to share it with others…
Mmm, loving your wonderful & healthy recipes!!!
It’s dinner time and my mouth is watering after reading this recipe and viewing the gorgeous photos. I’ll have to try this on Saturday after a trip to my farmer’s market.
This looks really good! I just got some Himalayan sea salt from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com and I think I’ll try it out in this recipe with the rest of our garden tomatoes. Thanks for sharing!
Lovely post! I love bruschetta and always have it during the summer. It is super refreshing and very sophisticated! Awesome photos, by the way. I would have never thought that you took your photos with a point & shoot as well.Lovely post! I love bruschetta and always have it during the summer. It is super refreshing and very sophisticated! Awesome photos, by the way. I would have never thought that you took your photos with a point & shoot as well.
Just perfect. I was just at that farmer’s market and enjoyed acme bread and cowgirl creamery very much!
You are so right about the quality of tomatoes, and you did some good picking. I learned in Italy that the bread is toasted dry and immediately rubbed with garlic coming out of the oven. The Italians are fussy about over doing the garlic. This makes the bread scrumptious. Then for me, it’s simple, tomato, basil olive oil, salt pepper, but my husband can’t resist the mozzarella.
I made this last night after seeing your post, as I had fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market, and fresh basil growing in the garden. I didn’t use toast, but put it over grilled chicken breast instead, and BOY was it flavorful! I didn’t do the roasted red pepper, but have been going ape shit over capers lately, so I added them instead. So good!
Love bruschetta! I can definitely see how choosing the right bread is important…and of course using summer tomatoes! 🙂
Hi Darya!
Since you love bruschetta, you will also like “ntakos”, a traditional dish from Greece (Crete).
Here is the recipe: http://www.grouprecipes.com/28488/ntakos-or-koukouvagia.html
Enjoy!
The way we make bruschetta in Italy, is we never put olive oil onto the bread before it is toasted. First you toast the bread, then you cut a clove of garlic in half, and then brush/grind it against the toasted bread–using the cut side, this will ‘print’ the garlic taste onto the bread. Then you put the tomatos and basil on top, and last you add a few drops of cold, virgin olive oil on top. Try it this way, and you will never go back. Ciaoo..
Will do!
slice tomatoes directly on the brush bread to keep all the vitamines ciao from south Italy!
Recently I roasted some garlic without much of a plan. But after getting some beautiful tomatoes at the farmer’s market, I decided to make some bruschetta. My variation was to make a spread by whizzing up the roasted garlic with some olive oil and shredded Parmesan in the food processor. Then I slathered it on the toasted bread before heaping on the tomato mixture. It was insanely delicious! I plan on making it again soon.
Just found your site recently and am loving it. I started a healthy eating plan this year and have lost 30 lbs so far. I’m not feeling deprived because I’m eating mostly delicious fresh food. Your site is a great help in this endeavor. Thanks!
Awesome, congratulations on your success! Your recipe sounds fantastic 🙂
Mmm so yummy. Bruschetta is one of the few things I can actually make! I do love the way you added roasted peppers! I make mine pretty simple when it’s just me. Tomatoes, basil, and olive oil, and sometimes garlic or mozzarella if I have it. I am getting so hungry! What would you pair this with to make it a meal?
I make bruschetta often and thought Id try your recipe. I absolutely loved it. I usually just use roma tomatoes. I really enjoyed the variety of tomotoes in your recipe and the added roasted red pepper. I am a garlic lover so i added just a little more garlic and some extra balsamic vinager. 🙂
I just finished eating this for dinner, it was phe·nom·e·nal!
This was the first recipe I’ve tried out from your site, needless to say I’ll be trying a lot more now. I’ve got plenty of leftover topping as well, so it looks like tomorrows lunch will be a delight as well! The paprika and roasted pepper really added an extra level to this dish that I haven’t had before.
Thanks!
Awesome! Try the roasted cauliflower next, it will blow your mind.