Tomato Bruschetta Recipe
Make Tomato Bruschetta Recipe in just 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Bruschetta base
Tomato topping
Finishing
Method
Bruschetta base
- 1
Preheat and slice
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice the ciabatta or baguette on a slight diagonal into 12 to 14 slices about 1/2-inch thick.
- 2
Brush and season
Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the tops with half of the kosher salt (about 1/2 tsp) and a light grind of black pepper.
- 3
Toast
Bake in the preheated oven for 6–8 minutes, then flip and bake another 4–6 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges. Remove from oven and while still warm, rub the cut side of 2 garlic cloves over the toasted surfaces to impart a subtle garlic flavor. Set aside to cool slightly.
Tomato topping
- 4
Prepare tomatoes
Core and seed the 4 tomatoes: cut each in half horizontally and gently squeeze or scoop out seeds and watery pulp. Dice the flesh into roughly 1/4-inch pieces and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- 5
Mince aromatics
Finely mince the shallot (or small red onion) and the 1 garlic clove. Stack and chiffonade the basil leaves, then roughly chop to yield small ribbons. Add shallot, garlic, and basil to the bowl with the tomatoes.
- 6
Season and rest
Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to the tomato mixture. Gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and excess juices to marry.
Assembly & finishing
- 7
Assemble bruschetta
Spoon a generous tablespoon (or more) of the tomato mixture onto each toasted bread slice, allowing any loose juices to drain off before placing on the bread so slices don't become soggy. Press gently so the topping adheres.
- 8
Finish
Drizzle each topped bruschetta with a small amount of extra-virgin olive oil (about 1 tsp total) and, if using, a light zigzag of balsamic glaze (about 2 teaspoons distributed across all pieces). Garnish with an extra basil leaf if desired.
- 9
Serve
Serve immediately while the toast is still slightly warm and crisp. Leftover tomato topping can be refrigerated up to 1 day; keep bread separate to preserve texture.