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This easy tomato bruschetta recipe is a spin on the ever-popular Caprese salad. We start by cutting a sourdough demi-baguette into thin slices, and brushing it with olive oil and roasted garlic. Then we’ll add a layer of creamy burrata, and then fresh tomatoes and basil that have been dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Although bruschetta is normally eaten as an appetizer, it’s one of my quick and easy mid-week recipes. What I like about bruschetta is that I can toast the bread and chop the tomatoes ahead of time and then assemble it later for a quick lunch or snack.
Roasting the garlic probably takes about 40 minutes, but you can always skip adding the roasted garlic if you’re in a hurry! If you skip roasting the garlic, you can have this bruschetta done in about 25 minutes.
What is bruschetta?
In Italian, the word bruschetta simply means toasted bread. When most people use the word bruschetta though, they’re usually also referring to the bread with the tomato topping. You can top bruschetta, with anything though, it doesn’t have to be topped with tomatoes.
What type of bread should I use to make bruschetta?
This version uses sourdough, but any firm, crusty bread will work. I’ve experimented with flatbread, ancient-grain and ciabatta and these all work well. If you’re going to use a softer bread, you may just want to toast it a little longer so that it’s firm enough to hold the topping.
What kind of tomatoes should I use for bruschetta?
Campari, Roma, vine-ripened tomatoes or even Kumato tomatoes are all great choices for bruschetta. You want to use tomatoes that are ripe, but still firm and are bright in color. You should avoid using tomatoes that are mealy or mushy in texture, otherwise you’ll have soggy, unappetizing bruschetta!
Is tomato bruschetta a summer appetizer?
The summer is peak season for tomatoes, but you can find quality tomatoes at the market and prepare this easy tomato bruschetta recipe year-round. If you’re the type of person who prefers only local, in-season vegetables don’t forget to bookmark this recipe so you can come back to it when tomatoes are in season!
Tomato Bruschetta Ingredients:
- Thin sourdough baguette – sometimes this is labeled as or referred to as a demi-baguette. I like to use sourdough bread for bruschetta because of its firm, crusty texture.
- Quality tomatoes – you don’t want to use tomatoes that are pale in color, or mealy in texture. Fresh, quality tomatoes are best. Campari, vine-ripened, Roma or Kumato tomatoes are my favorites.
- 2 whole heads of garlic – I roast the garlic by keeping the entire head in tact. Then I brush the toasted bread with the softened cloves for added flavor.
- Burrata cheese – similar to fresh mozzarella but has a creamy filling in the center. You can substitute sliced fresh mozzarella for the burrata if desired though.
- Leafy fresh basil – leafy basil with deep green leaves is best!
- Extra-virgin olive oil is used at various points throughout this recipe, it’s used to brush the bread, roast the garlic and dress the tomatoes and the basil.
- Balsamic vinegar – used to dress the tomatoes and basil, lends a sweet and acidic taste to this dish
- Kosher salt and black pepper are used to taste.
How to make this easy tomato bruschetta:
Start by roasting the garlic
You’ll want to keep the bulbs in tact, and just cut the top ¼-inch off of the heads to expose the flesh. Roasting the garlic heads in a muffin tin helps to keep the garlic sitting upright.
Drizzle each head with a teaspoon or 2 of olive oil and cover the top of the head with foil. Roast the garlic for 35-40 minutes at 400°F. The flesh of the garlic will turn golden/amber in color.
Prepare the bruschetta
Cut the sourdough loaf into thin slices, like the photo shown below. Arrange all of the bread pieces on a large baking sheet and brush each slice of bread with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.
Toast the bruschetta for 10-15 minutes at 400°F, or until your desired level of crispiness is achieved.
Prepare the tomato topping
Wash, dry and dice your tomatoes and basil. Dry everything off with a paper towel. Chop the tomatoes using a sharp or serrated knife and set them in a bowl that’s large enough to toss them in.
Roll up the basil leaves and thinly slice or chop the basil. Add the basil to the bowl of tomatoes. Dress the tomatoes and basil with 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Mix together and season with enough kosher salt and black pepper to suit your liking.
Assemble the bruschetta
Take each slice of bread and rub it with a clove of softened garlic. You can use a butter knife to help with the spreading.
Dry off the burrata cheese and put it on on a plate. Use a knife to split the ball of cheese in half and gently deflate each half to release the creamy center. Use a butter knife to spread a layer of burrata over each piece of bread.
Top each piece of bruschetta with about a teaspoon of tomatoes. Try to drain off some of the liquid by tilting your spoon and letting some of the juices drain off the side of the spoon before placing the tomatoes on the bread.
Serving and storing tomato bruschetta:
Arrange the bruschetta on a platter or cutting board and serve!Bruschetta makes a great appetizer or mid-week lunch!
If you know that you won’t be able to eat all of the bruschetta in one sitting, can wrap tit up or store the bread in a plastic container for later. Be sure to store the bread in a cool and dry place, or even in the refrigerator. Leftover tomatoes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Did you enjoy this easy tomato bruschetta recipe? Check out some others!
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Sweet-Bread Croutons
Easy Garlic Knots Recipe – with Garlic Butter and Basil
PrintEasy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe with Burrata Cheese
This easy tomato bruschetta recipe is a spin on the ever-popular Caprese salad. Thin slices of toasted sourdough bread, brushed with roasted garlic and layered with creamy burrata, fresh tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 16–20 pieces of bruschetta 1x
- Category: Appetizers and sides
Ingredients
- 1 small loaf of sourdough bread (this is sometimes labeled ‘demi-baguette’)
- 2 whole heads of garlic
- 1 pound of tomatoes – Campari, Roma or vine-ripened tomatoes work best
- 8–10 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil, plus plenty more for drizzling
- 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 7–8 ounce ball of burrata cheese
Instructions
Prepare and roast the garlic
- Pre-heat your oven to 400°F.
- Cut about ¼-inch off the top of each head of garlic (you want to keep each head in tact, so don’t break the cloves apart). Place each head of garlic in a muffin-tin so that they stand up. Drizzle each head of garlic with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then cover each head with aluminum foil.
- Roast the garlic for about 25 minutes, the cloves will be soft and yellow/amber in color
Prepare the bruschetta
- Cut the baguette into thin slices and arrange them on a metal baking sheet.
- Brush each piece of bruschetta with some olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper
- Toast the bruschetta in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 400°F. Prepare the tomatoes while the bruschetta is in the oven.
Prepare the tomatoes
- Rinse, dry and dice the tomatoes. Transfer them to a bowl and set the bowl aside.
- Rinse the basil and dry each leaf by blotting them with paper towels. Roll up the basil leaves and cut them into thin strips. Add the sliced basil to the bowl of tomatoes.
- Drizzle the tomatoes and basil with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with a small amount of kosher salt and black pepper.
- Toss the tomato salad, taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Assemble the bruschetta
- Use a small butter knife to remove the softened cloves of garlic from their casings. Spread a clove of garlic over each piece of crostini.
- Remove the ball of burrata from the packaging and use a few paper towels to pat the burrata until it’s dry. Pierce the ball of burrata with a knife and press down gently to release the creamy filling. Spread the burrata over each piece of crostini.
- Top each piece of garlic/burrata-topped crostini with 1 teaspoon-full of the tomato salad. Arrange the bruschetta (or topped crostini) on a platter or cutting board and serve.
Notes
If you don’t want to use or can’t find burrata, buffalo mozzarella has a similar taste and texture, or you can use slices of fresh mozzarella
Keywords: bruschetta, Italian, tomato, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, vegetarian, appetizer, healthy, easy recipe
Britney Brown says
It’s the combination of burrata and bruschetta for me! All of that garlic and tomato and herbs with the burrata on a piece of crisp toast – PURE HEAVEN!
★★★★★
Chef Mireille says
Although I often make a version of this, never before did I try it with Burrata. It just melts in the mouth. Thank you for the great idea – I will now be making this version of it!
★★★★★
Renia says
The roasted garlic made this simple dish even more delicious. That’s something that I’ve done. I’ve been making the lazy version of this appetizer. Lol
★★★★★
Marta says
I swear I could live off of this burrata and tomato bruschetta for the rest of my life. It’s so crisp and fresh and creamy and simple!
★★★★★
Kate says
This turned out amazing! The roasted garlic pairs up so well with the tomato and burrata cheese! Great recipe!
★★★★★
Robin says
I have never used burrata in any recipe prior to this. It was so rich and creamy I will never make Bruschetta the old way again!
★★★★★
Mila says
This is one of my favorite snacks, and I love how you made them on mini toasts. It was a great bite-sized snack for my Superbowl party for 2!
★★★★★
Kaluhi says
I used Kumato tomatoes for this and my sisters and i looooooved each bite. We Made them as appetizer for family dinner and I’ll be making them midweek as part of my lunch!
★★★★★
Eric & Shanna Jones says
The roasted garlic is where it’s at! These were such a hit on game day — and really the perfect snack for any time.
★★★★★
Chenée says
This was the best bruschetta I’ve ever made! The roasted garlic was so much more mellow and rich than the typical fresh chopped garlic I’ve had in bruschetta, and the addition of burrata was so perfect.
★★★★★
Jazz says
This was so simple and perfect for a virtual watch party. Will be making your bruschetta again!
★★★★★
Tamara says
This is definitely my new favorite way to eat Barada cheese! Your recipe was super simple and my whole family was so happy with it; we will be making it again.
★★★★★
Capri says
I made this last weekend while hosting a couple friends! When I say they devoured it!! There was not a crumb left! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★