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5 Comments

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope May 19, 2025

Jump to Recipe

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!

Don’t you love a vibrant, eye catching, flavor-FULL appetizer? The mix of nutty balsamic with fresh sweet tomatoes, warmed with a garlic infused oil oil brings out the best flavors in this easy cherry tomato bruschetta!

If you love recipes that use tomatoes, you might love these from: Fresh Roasted Veggie Pasta, Best Italian Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes or these easy The Best Homemade Sloppy Joe’s.

Tomato bruschetta in a bowl with fresh basil, crostini in the background.
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  • Tomato Bruschetta Ingredients
  • How to make bruschetta tomatoes
  • How to serve Tomato Basil Bruschetta
  • Other easy ways to use homemade bruschetta
  • Bruschetta Tomatoes FAQs
  • More great appetizer recipes:
  • Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

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.

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.

Tomato Bruschetta Ingredients

  • Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Personally, I like using gold and red, the contrast in colors is fabulous! Cherry or grape tomatoes work great in this bruschetta!
  • Fresh Garlic: In this recipe, fresh is best, but in a pinch, use jarred or frozen garlic as well. Please be careful when tossing into the hot oil.
  • Olive Oil: I like using a high-quality extra virgin olive oil; you don’t want an overly strong flavor, just enough to enhance the garlic.
  • Balsamic Vinegar: I typically use dark balsamic in this dish, but you could also use white balsamic and even red wine vinegar as a substitute.
  • Crostini: Either make your own (recipe included in recipe card) or purchase store bought crostini’s which is a fancy name for baguette slices toasted with a little olive oil.
  • Fresh Basil: In my opinion is a must; but you can leave it out if preferred. The bright pops of color, along with the lovely flavor that fresh basil brings is amazing!
  • Goat Cheese: This makes the appetizer, a little log of plain goat cheese for people to schmear onto the crostini, sublime!

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

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How to make your own crostini

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Lay out sliced crostini’s on a ยฝ 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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)

How to make bruschetta tomatoes

How to make tomato basil 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 is a fancy word for roll up and thinly slice, first stack 3-4 basil leaves on top of one another.
  • Roll into a little cocoon, then using a sharp knife slice into small shreds.
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.

Be sure to take a taste and 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.

How to serve Tomato Basil Bruschetta

Serve with crispy crostini slices and a small log of goat cheese (let sit at room temp while you make your bruschetta).

Schmear some of that creamy goat cheese onto the crostini and then spoon on a healthy spoonful of tomato bruschetta with juices on top.

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

You can also purchase the slightly firmer goat cheese crumbles and mix them directly into the bruschetta mixture. Excuse me while I go eat some! Manga!

Other easy ways to use homemade bruschetta

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

Bruschetta Tomatoes FAQs

What is the best bread for bruschetta?

A crusty, hearty bread like a French baguette or Italian ciabatta works best for bruschetta. You want something sturdy enough to hold the juicy tomato topping without getting soggy. Slice it about ½ inch thick, brush with olive oil, and toast or grill it for that perfect crispy edge and soft center.

What are the best tomatoes for bruschetta?

I love using in-season grape or cherry tomatoes for bruschetta—they’re naturally sweet, hold their shape well, and mixing up the colors makes the dish pop! If you have fresh Roma or plum tomatoes on hand, those work great too. Just aim for ripe, flavorful tomatoes with less juice to keep the topping fresh and not soggy.

Do I need to peel tomatoes for bruschetta?

Nope, no peeling necessary! The skins add a little texture and help the tomatoes hold their shape. Just dice them up and let the flavors shine—especially once you pour that warm, garlicky olive oil over the top.

Pinterest image of tomato bruschetta

Recipe inspired by The Pioneer Woman’s Bruschetta.

More great appetizer recipes:

  • Zucchini Corn Fritters
  • 3-Ingredient Sausage Dip
  • Antipasto Dip
  • Hawaiian Roll Ham and Swiss Sliders
  • Turkey and Cheese Sliders
  • Rosemary Cashews
  • Artichoke and Cheese Wontons
  • Mediterranean Layered Dip
  • Chicken Quesadillas
  • Blender Salsa
  • Homemade Guacamole
  • Creamy White Queso
  • Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Sliders
  • Maple Bourbon Pecans

Like this recipe?

Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!

Recipe Card
Tomato bruschetta in a bowl with fresh basil, crostini in the background.

Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

No ratings yet
Author: Kathleen Pope
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 minutes minutes
Total Time: 17 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 -8 people
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This recipe for easy tomato bruschetta with 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!

Equipment

  • Sweese 5114 Porcelain Souffle Dishes 6 oz,  Set of 6
  • Jamie Oliver Bolton Bruschetta Serving Board
  • Wusthof Santoku knife 5 inch; Black

Ingredients 
US Customary – Metric

  • 1-2 french baguettes
  • olive oil
  • ½ – 1 pint red cherry tomatoes quartered. Can use red grape tomatoes instead.
  • ½ – 1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 4-6 cloves garlic minced well
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 8-16 basil leaves chiffonade
  • Salt & Pepper to taste careful not to over salt
  • 1 log creamy goat cheese softened at room temp or goat cheese crumbles tossed in (Optional)
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut tomatoes into quarters. Add tomatoes to serving bowl. Slice your your basil, stacking a few leaves at a time, rolling and slicing gently to form crisp ribbons of basil. This is called chiffonade. Stir gently into tomato mixture.
  • In a small skillet, heat oil over medium heat, toss in garlic and stir, watching closely for about a minute, remove from heat just as first few pieces start turning golden brown. Cool slightly in pan, then pour over tomato mixture.
  • Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Gently toss to mix flavors. Taste add more salt if needed. If time, let sit for an hour, if not, it’s still delicious!

Crostini

  • Place rack in middle of oven, turn to broil.
  • Slice the baguette (or use slicer in your bakery section at the grocery store) into even slices. Brush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with a few grains of course sea salt.
  • Toast under broiler using the middle rack for a couple of minutes, watching closely, just takes a couple minutes Remove when golden brown. To serve, stir the mixture one last time.
  • If desired, spread a little soft goat cheese onto a toasted crostini, then spoon some of the bruschetta on top, allowing the juices to seep in. Or you may also stir in firmer goat cheese crumbles into the tomato mixture just prior to serving. Enjoy!
Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

Not just an appetizer, try this over fresh hot pasta or on top of grilled chicken!

Nutrition

Serving: 11 serving | Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 223IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
Tomato bruschetta in a bowl with fresh basil, crostini in the background.
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Hello, Sunshine!

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Kathleen Pope

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Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, Iโ€™m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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  1. Miz Helen

    Sat, Aug 3, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    I love Bruschetta, it is so fresh and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen

      Sun, Aug 4, 2019 at 5:14 am

      Thank you! Love participating in Full Plate Thursday!

      Reply
  2. PEti

    Wed, Mar 15, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    Thank you for sharing your gift and love! This is dinner tonight! ( my son gave up meat for lent), this will be a welcome change

    Love you K!

    Reply
    • Kathleen[email protected]

      Thu, Mar 16, 2017 at 3:05 am

      Thanks Peti! Wonderful, so glad you are going to try it, let me know how you like it! Hopefully it will be filling enough for him!

      Reply

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

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