Bruschetta al pomodoro is an appetizer that highlights the best of summer.
This tomato bruschetta recipe is made simply with ripe tomatoes, fragrant basil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper on toasted bread. So easy!
Toast the bread slices in the air fryer, grill, or oven.
When tomatoes and basil are overflowing at the farmers market, I can’t think of a better way to use them than in bruschetta al pomodoro.
This classic appetizer is:
- Quick
- Healthy
- Delicious
- Colorful
- Naturally vegan
Bruschetta is pronounced broo-skeh-ttah. Remember that “ch” is pronounced as “k” in Italian. Think Chianti or zucchini.
While many people assume bruschetta refers to the tomato topping, it actually relates to the toasted bread underneath.
For bruschetta, you can add whatever toppings you enjoy (like my asparagus bruschetta).
But ruby red tomatoes are a fantastic option – especially when they’re in season.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this easy bruschetta recipe.
Tomatoes: Fresh, in season tomatoes are best. Because it’s the dominant flavor, go for really sweet and juicy tomatoes like heirloom or vine varieties.
Garlic: Choose firm garlic that doesn’t have dark spots. It should feel firm to the touch, not hollow.
Basil: Fresh basil is a must. Dried won’t work here.
Extra virgin olive oil: Pick a high-quality EVOO with a flavor you enjoy.
Balsamic vinegar: Fig is my favorite, but any quality balsamic you like works.
Salt & pepper: Finishing with salt and pepper brings the flavors to life.
Baguette: Choose a mildly flavored bread that won’t take focus away from the topping. Think ciabatta or French, Italian, or sourdough baguettes. Save the grainy, whole wheat breads for another day.
Tip: Pick a bread that isn’t overly soft. And remember to toast it. Otherwise, the toppings can make the bread soggy very quickly.
Step by step instructions
Here’s how to make the recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
Put the following in a medium-sized bowl:
- Chopped tomatoes (Seeds removed, if desired)
- Minced garlic (I recommend using a grater zester or garlic press)
- Chopped basil (Fresh is a must!)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt
- Pepper
Stir to combine.
Cover the bowl.
Refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld.
(Short on time? You can skip the waiting period.)
Cut a baguette into ½ inch slices.
Lightly oil each slice (optional).
Toast the bread in the air fryer, oven, or on the grill.
Stop halfway through to flip the slices for even heating.
Before serving, taste the tomato mixture. If desired, add another splash of vinegar or pinch of salt.
Use a slotted spoon to top the toasted bread with tomatoes. If you like, garnish with more fresh basil for optimum color.
Serve on a platter.
Time saving tricks
This quick bruschetta antipasto is extra convenient & easy, because I don’t gut the tomatoes before chopping.
The juice around the tomato seeds has so much intense flavor. Plus, when you store the tomato mixture, that extra liquid keeps everything moist.
Then you can simply use a slotted spoon when compiling the toasts. Or you can drain the tomato mixture with a fine mesh sieve.
Most bruschetta recipes recommend rubbing a clove of cut garlic onto the toasts. But I love more pronounced garlic flavors.
I prefer to put finely minced garlic in the mix with the tomatoes, like an Italian version of salsa.
Tips for success
Here are some tricks to make your bruschetta al pomodoro the best it can be.
Use the tastiest tomatoes you can find
In the summer, I recommend full-sized tomatoes.
But off season, cherry tomatoes work well, because they keep their sweet flavor even in the winter.
Tear basil by hand or cut with shears
When preparing the basil, use kitchen shears to cut the basil into small pieces. Or tear the fresh basil leaves by hand.
Basil chopped with a knife goes black more quickly, which looks less appealing.
Drain excess liquid
If the bruschetta is extra juicy & you don’t have a slotted spoon, pour off any excess liquid by straining the tomatoes with a fine mesh sieve.
I recommend saving the strained tomato liquid.
The tomato juice is delicious to drink on its own, or dip warm bread into it. Or you can add it to dressings, sauces, or stews.
Make it your own
You can make this delicious antipasto your own by varying the ingredients, amounts, or cooking methods.
- If you don’t like tomato seeds, gut the tomatoes before chopping.
- For less intense garlic flavor, rub a cut garlic clove onto each piece of bread instead of mixing it with the tomatoes.
- Add a small amount of chopped onion to the tomato mixture. (The vinegar & salt will make the flavor milder with time.)
- Vary the way you toast the bread – either in the air fryer, oven, or on the grill.
- Add a layer of shredded vegan mozzarella cheese after flipping the toasts for cheesy bread, and cook until melted.
- Finish the bruschetta with a drizzle of balsamic glaze for flourish & added flavor.
Serving ideas
Bruschetta is a lovely light snack on its own, served with a salad, or soup.
It also pairs well with an Italian dinner.
Serve with finger foods & appetizers:
- Warmed Castelvetrano olives
- Olive tapenade
- Fried zucchini
- Fried almond cheese balls
- Fried artichoke hearts
- Fried olives
- Fried squash blossoms
Serve with any of these main courses:
Make it ahead of time
The tomato mixture can be prepped a few days in advance. Keep it in a covered bowl in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
I don’t recommend assembling the toasts until guests have arrived. That way the bread will stay as crisp as possible and won’t become soggy.
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Bruschetta al pomodoro: Tomato bruschetta
Ingredients
- 4 tomatoes medium-sized, diced in medium chunks (about 4 cups)
- 2 garlic cloves small-sized, minced or zested with a Microplane zester
- ¼ cup fresh basil cut with kitchen shears or by hand, plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil Plus extra for lightly oiling baguette, if needed
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of salt
- Dash of pepper
- 1 baguette cut into ½ inch slices
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, garlic, basil, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Cover the bowl and keep it in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. (If you’re short on time, you can skip the waiting period.) Once you're ready to use the bruschetta, taste it and add an additional splash of vinegar or pinch of salt, if needed.
- The crostini can be toasted in a variety of ways. Pick either the air fryer, grill, or oven.
- TO TOAST THE CROSTINI IN THE AIR FRYER: If you like, lightly oil each slice of baguette.Put half of the baguette slices in the air fryer. Some overlap is okay. Cook at 380 degrees for 3 to 4 minutes, stopping once halfway through to flip. Watch the crostini during the last minute to insure they don't burn. Remove the baguette slices, and repeat with the second half.
- TO TOAST THE CROSTINI ON THE GRILL: Heat outdoor grill to 400 degrees. Lightly oil the baguette slices and grill on each side for a few minutes, until brown and toasted. Remove from grill.
- TO TOAST THE CROSTINI IN THE OVEN: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the baguette slices in a single layer on two baking sheets. Lightly rub oil on the slices. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, stopping to flip the slices halfway through.
- To assemble the bruschetta, use a slotted spoon to top the crostini with the tomato mixture. (If the tomato mixture is extra juicy and you don't have a slotted spoon, pour off any excess liquid by straining the bruschetta with a fine mesh sieve.) Garnish with more fresh basil, if you like. Serve on a platter.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Content, photos, and recipe updated September 8, 2022. Originally posted August 17, 2013.
Sandrine Eifert
Made this for Thanksgiving canapes. It went fast. Thanks for the recipe especially air fry steps. So helpful!
Cadry Nelson
That’s so nice to hear! I’m glad you and your guests enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me know!
Jodie Sorenson
Super easy to make and very delicious!!! Thanks
Cadry
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Jodie! Thank you for the feedback!
Karly
So delicious! Perfect for summer and when all the tomatoes are ripe!
Cadry
Definitely, Karly! I’m counting the days.
Richa
gosh i am going to miss the sunshine. it makes all the veggies juicy and fresh. its already getting cloudy out here.. gorgeous bruschetta!
Cadry
I’m sorry to hear that it’s getting cloudy there already! We’re having a heat wave here. It’s supposed to get up to 100 degrees. I’m hoping that we’ll have some more moderate temperatures to enjoy before fall hits.
Thanks for the compliments on the bruschetta! I agree that summer makes for the best tasting fruits and vegetables by far!
celestedimilla
I love bruschetta, but I haven’t made it in awhile. I’ve been in a rut with cooking, making the same things over and over. But now you’ve reminded me about bruschetta with your lovely recipe. I’ll have to try it! Celeste 🙂
Cadry
It’s so easy to get in a rut, especially in the summer when there are so many more fun things to be doing outside. If you make the bruschetta, I hope that you enjoy it!
veganmiam.com
Beautiful and refreshing! I’ve been seeing so many tomatoes (all kinds, green, mixed, red, orange) lately here in Spain including the red peppers (big and small).
Cadry
How lovely! I hope you’re having a fabulous time!
Maggie Muggins
I’d store away a bottle of sunlight to open when the days have grown the shortest. Plus all the summer fruit, yup, all of it. I’m not picking any favourites here 😉 bruschetta is one of my favorite summer recipes, it’s so simple and with fresh summer tomatoes it tastes incredible!
Cadry
Aren’t the tomatoes amazing right now? We can hardly keep up with our appetites for them! I need to start buying them by the box!
I totally agree about storing away sunlight for short, dark days. I think that’s the hardest time of the year!
Shell
I made the bruschetta last night. It was FABULOUS! It looked and smelled too good to let it sit overnight. 🙂
Cadry
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that, Shell!
Bobbie {the vegan crew}
Had you experimented, your snowballs may have turned to ice blocks, but you still had me beat in the snowball preserving arena. When I was super little, I was so incredibly saddened when I discovered that the snowballs I had carefully placed in a ziplock and stored away in my toy box for later use had disappeared (and left behind what I can only imagine were some incredibly soggy dolls). You live, you learn. 🙂
I love the imagery of preserving one season’s pleasures and bounties in a time capsule to open in the midst of another. It’s making me smile just thinking about — after trekking into the house on a cold, snowy day — opening up a jar to experience a little bit of summer.
PS. The bruschetta looks lovely!
Cadry
Aw, that’s such a cute story! I can only imagine the disappointed look on your face when your snowballs were replaced with puddles.
Andrea
Yum. I can almost smell the heady scent of fresh tomatoes, basil and grilled bread. I once did kind of a cross between your snowballs, and preserving ripe summer tomatoes. I popped a bunch of beautiful, ripe tomatoes in the freezer. Then when I removed one in the winter, it looked startlingly like a fresh tomato — except it was hard as a rock. It was thrilling, though, to see it! I put it into a pot of soup and enjoyed a little bit of preserved summer.
Cadry
In the deepest, darkest part of winter, it really is the little things! I love the image you painted of opening your freezer to the sight of a whole tomato. It reminds me of last winter when our Co-op suddenly had local, organic basil! Apparently, some farm here has a greenhouse, and it was like a gift to get that taste of summer while the earth was still covered with snow.
Ashley F.
What a lovely sentiment! I enjoy your writing so much and your bruschetta looks delish!
Cadry
Thank you, Ashley! It warms me to hear that.
Kelly @ Vegan Iowan
These look beautiful! I just had bruschetta last weekend, but didn’t even think to grill the bread. I’ll spare myself turning on the oven next time!
Cadry
Thank you, Kelly! Yes, the bread is great on the grill, and we often use garlic sourdough instead of a baguette for extra garlicky goodness. When we’re already outside grilling vegetables, it makes it that much easier to keep an eye on them. Plus, everything tastes better on the grill!
Shell
You totally read my mind, Cad! We have a ton of tomatoes that multiple people have given to us. When I asked Josh yesterday morning what he thought I should make with them, he said bruscetta. Now I don’t have to spend time searching for a recipe!
Cadry
Lucky you! I hope that you enjoy the bruschetta! Let me know how it goes. 🙂
Shell
I used your recipe again today. As always, a great way to use fresh tomatoes this time of the year!
Joey
Such a pretty post! If I could pack up one thing to travel across the seasons, it’d be English asparagus – it’s gorgeous, but the season is so short, and so erratic because of the weather!
Cadry
Oh, excellent choice! I couldn’t agree more! Asparagus season is way too short, and it’s one of my very favorite vegetables. I’m so excited when it’s here, but it’s gone much too quickly!
Caitlin
i LOVE bruscetta! it reminds me of when i went to spain and they always automatically put “tomato bread” on the table (but then charge you for it :P).
Cadry
That is so funny! It’s a good thing you like it, I guess, since you were going to be paying for it regardless!
Mel
I love this post so much as my seasons are out of whack with the Northern Hemisphere and I’ve been coveting bloggers summery recipes from my cold dark home for what seems like forever! Thankfully spring isn’t too far away…
A time capsule is a wonderful concept to embrace the best of both seasons – juicy red tomatoes and basil would be high on my list to put in it. Your bruschetta looks gorgeous!
Cadry
Thanks so much, Mel, for all the kind words!
“Thankfully spring isn’t too far away…” Ah, your hope is my sadness! I was just telling someone the other day that I would enjoy fall a whole lot more if it was immediately followed by spring. Knowing that those crisp autumn leaves takes us one step closer to shoveling and cold makes me less inclined to enjoy the changing seasons.
luminousvegans
I love this simple bruschetta recipe! Bruschetta is so wonderful because it is so minimal yet it is bursting with flavor. Plus it is a great way to take advantage of summer tomatoes and basil.
Cadry
So true! During this time of year when tomatoes are at their best, I’m more inclined to just get out of their way and let them shine. A little bit of balsamic, salt and pepper enhances their flavors without masking them. Plus, when tomatoes are in season, I want to eat my weight in them. This gets me one step closer! 🙂
Hannah
You can have all the summer tomatoes, but I’m taking an entire winter’s worth of raspberries and plums with me.
Cadry
You can totally have the plums, but we’re going to need to have further discussions where the raspberries are concerned…
Hannah
NOPE SORRY DONE DEAL. Tomatoes yours, raspberries mine. Move along. 😉
Cadry
You’re hardcore! I have to respect that.
Abby
Even though squash and tomatoes in my garden are threatening to take over the yard, I’m not a huge fan of tomatoes (I know…craziness.) But my mom loves them and uses them for cooking. I just wanted to say your photos are gorgeous. The colors are so vibrant and alive! I’m sure your bruschetta is delicious 😉
Cadry
Thanks so much, Abby! That’s really nice to hear. I got a new camera for my birthday, and so I’ve been playing with it. 🙂