Name: Easy Tomato Bruschetta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 17 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American, Italian
Ingredients: 1-2 french baguettes; olive oil; ½ - 1 pint Red Grape or Cherry tomatoes, quartered; ½ - 1 pint Yellow Cherry tomatoes, quartered; 4-6 cloves of garlic, minced well; 2 TBL olive oil; 1 TBL Balsamic Vinegar; 8-16 Basil Leaves (chiffonade); Salt & Pepper to taste (careful not to over salt); Creamy Goat Cheese Log, softened at room temp or Goat Cheese Crumbles tossed in (Optional)

An easy tomato bruschetta loaded fresh basil, toasted garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar on top of a crispy crostini schmeared with creamy goat cheese — I make it often, especially during the summer, but equally as delicious during the winter!

Pinterest image of white bowl with grape tomato bruschetta with leaves of basil, and french bread baguette slices

JOIN THE FRESH COOKY ON PINTEREST

Kapow! Wow! Amazing! That’s what your mouth will say when you bite into this scrumptious appetizer. It’s fresh and bright, and you will be asked for the recipe every time.

How to Make Crostini

grape tomatoes in red, yellow and orange in a carton on a cutting board with a bowl of cut up tomatoes behind and a french baguette.

Buy a couple of fresh baguettes and slice them about ¼ inch thick, 1 – 1½ baguettes is usually the right amount, it never seems like there is enough bread. Or you can cheat and use the slicer in the bakery section of your grocery store; it slices the baguette super neat, nice and even.

Lay out your sliced bread on a 1/2 sheet baking pan, and using a basting brush, “paint” the olive oil over the top of the bread slices then sprinkle with a little sea salt.

⭐️ FREE, DELICIOUS RECIPES? YES, PLEASE! ⭐️

Broil on the middle rack, watch closely so you don’t burn them, set the timer initially for 2 minutes, then every one minute until they are done to your liking. Good thing my hubby likes them a little crisper. Toast until lightly brown crispy, not like the first dark batch on the left, but more like the lighter on the right.

Plate full of toasted crostini slices (sliced french baguette)

ASSEMBLE TOMATO BRUSCHETTA

Now for the bruschetta, these ingredients scream fresh and flavorful! Cut tomatoes into quarters and place into bowl. Aren’t they beautiful, so full of color, even in the middle of winter.

Sliced grape tomatoes on cutting board with knife.

In a small pan, heat olive oil on medium, then carefully place minced garlic into the hot oil. Stirring or swirling constantly, it will burn quickly, so watch closely. How I love my cast iron pans!

minced garlic simmering and toasting in a cast iron pan with wooden spoon.

Just as a few pieces start turning brown, just a minute or so, remove from heat.

toasted garlic in olive oil in cast iron pan with toasted crostini in background.

Let cool slightly and then pour (still warm, not hot) over tomatoes

Pouring toasted garlic and olive oil over fresh sliced grape tomatoes in glass bowl

Pour in a couple glugs of balsamic vinegar.

Pouring balsamic vinegar over garlic and tomato mixture

What does Chiffonade mean?

Chiffonade the basil (fancy word for roll up and thinly slice), first you stack them up (3-4 together)…

basil leaves stacked on cutting board, hand holding ends. — ..then you roll them into a little cocoon and slice little “shreds”.

Rolled stack of basil leaves thinly sliced with knife in background. — Mix into the tomato mixture gently and viola, you have an amazing appetizer.

If needed, add a little more sea salt, but taste before adding too much.

Mix together and allow to sit on the counter (or fridge if not serving for awhile) allowing the flavors to marry.

⭐️ FREE, DELICIOUS RECIPES? YES, PLEASE! ⭐️

Serve with crispy crostini slices and a small log of goat cheese (let sit at room temp while you make your bruschetta). Now, for my favorite part, schmear some of that creamy goat cheese onto the crostini.

hand holding crostini smeared with goat cheese and topped with bruschetta mixture.

Then spoon some of the bruschetta mixture on top of the cheese schmeared crostini, allowing the juices to seep in. You can also purchase the slightly firmer goat cheese crumbles and put them directly into the bruschetta mixture. Excuse me while I go eat some! Manga!

TOMATO BRUSCHETTA IS NOT JUST AN APPETIZER

Try spooning this mixture on top of grilled chicken, or over a hot bowl of pasta. YUM!

Happily sharing on my favorite parties Weekend Potluck and Meal Plan Monday

Recipe inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Bruschetta.

⭐️ FREE, DELICIOUS RECIPES? YES, PLEASE! ⭐️

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Yield: 6-8 people