Gorgeous Tomato Bruschetta on Garlicky Crostini
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Forget what you know about classic bruschetta. In this recipe, we’re using juicy cherry and grape tomatoes, fresh basil, a good dose of garlic, and balsamic glaze. It also has a little secret, not-so-secret ingredient – lemon zest! – which isn’t traditional but takes this recipe up a notch. All these flavors come together to make this simple and gorgeous bruschetta on garlicky crostini!
Is it possible to start loving a food after 29 years on earth? Because up until *checks calendar* like, 1 week ago, I was kind of a hater about raw tomatoes. I mean, it’s not that I hated tomatoes, I just didn’t get why everyone was so obsessed.
But a few weeks ago, I got the most gorgeous cherry and grape tomatoes at the farmer’s market and wow wow wow. Listen, I know I’m late to the party. But these tomatoes were life-changing.
And now that I’m suddenly a tomato girlie, I’m making all of the raw tomato recipes I thought were “meh” when I first learned how to make them in culinary school. That is, panzanella salad, tabbouleh, sandwiches, you name it. But this bruschetta is by far the best so far!
And yeah, I know you’ve probably made a hundred bruschetta recipes. But let me tell you why this one is better. First of all, it has cherry and grape tomatoes which are texturally elite. (Team No Soggy Tomatoes!) It also comes together in minutes and it’s make-ahead. I usually just serve it with garlicky homemade crostini but it would also be amazing with marinated mozzarella balls or spooned over whipped ricotta dip.
Cherry & grape tomatoes
A lot of recipes use Roma tomatoes but I’m partial to making bruschetta with cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or a mix of the two. But of course, you can use any tomatoes you like in this recipe! Roma, heirloom, Campari, etc. But if you’re using larger tomatoes, just make sure to scrape out the seeds to keep the bruschetta from coming out soggy and bitter.
Once you pick out the tomatoes, you’ll need a few more ingredients. Homemade crostini (or store-bought), fresh basil, garlic cloves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, lemon zest, Morton’s Kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper.
Cherry and grape tomatoes tend to taste better year-round. So unless it’s the middle-of-summer tomato season, stick with those varieties for the best flavor!
Balsamic glaze
This recipe has both balsamic vinegar and balsamic glaze. The vinegar adds acidity to the marinade but the glaze adds an intense, syrupy flavor to make the recipe pop. You can buy balsamic glaze but I like to make it at home – it’s so easy!
Make this appetizer
Don’t be afraid to be generous with the salt. Tomatoes can handle a lot of salt and it helps bring the flavors out even more.
You’ll want to let the tomatoes marinate for at least 30-60 minutes. I promise, it makes this appetizer so much more flavorful!
Assemble right before serving
Make sure to assemble the crostini right before you serve them to guests. Otherwise, the marinade in the tomato mixture will make the toasts soggy. Or, if you don’t want to deal with putting everything together while people are showing up, you can serve the crostini separately too!
Make-ahead tips
You can make both the crostini & the tomato mixture the night before. You just don’t want to make it too early or the tomatoes will break down and the toasts will get stale. For the best results, I would make the appetizer the morning of your get-together and assemble it right before guests show up.
Storing leftovers
If you have leftover toasts, place them in an airtight container or zipper bag. Store them in the pantry for up to 2 days. Spoon the leftover cherry tomato bruschetta into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days. You can spoon leftover bruschetta over chicken, fish, or even pizza!
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Simple Tomato Bruschetta on Garlicky Crostini
Ingredients
Balsamic Glaze
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar (240 milliliters)
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, packed (28 grams)
Brushetta Crostini
- 24 ounces cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or a mix (680 grams)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for serving (12 grams)
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (9 grams/3 cloves)
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil (28 milliliters)
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (28 milliliters)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
- 24 homemade garlic crostini, store-bought works too
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Serrated knife
- Cutting board
Instructions
Balsamic Glaze
- Pour the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved.
- Simmer the balsamic glaze, stirring often, until it's syrupy and coats the back of a wood spoon, about 8-12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the glaze cool completely. It will thicken more as it cools.
Bruschetta Crostini
- First, use a serrated knife to slice the tomatoes in half. If they're especially big, slice them into quarters – they should be bite-sized. Tip the tomatoes into a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the basil, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Stir the tomatoes well and season to taste. Cover and marinate for about 30-60 minutes.
- Right before serving, spoon the bruschetta over the garlic crostini. Drizzle with a few spoonfuls of the balsamic glaze, to taste. Sprinkle with extra chopped basil and enjoy!
