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Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

bruschetta

Bruschetta just means grilled bread that’s been rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt & pepper. Simple, right? Then you can add any combination of toppings, from cured meat & cheese to mashed beans. My own favorite bruschetta variation is with thick slices of fresh tomato and chopped basil. It’s light, simple and so fresh.

You can make this heirloom tomato bruschetta as part of dinner every night (not that I know anyone who does that…eh-hem!) or serve it as a quick appetizer when guests come to visit. Choose the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find and make sure not to refrigerate them (or they become mealy and lose their flavor).

bruschetta

Enjoy these last few weeks of peak tomato season!

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Ingredients
  • Sliced baguette
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 clove garlic
  • Fresh heirloom tomato slices - any color
  • Fresh basil leaves
Instructions
  1. Drizzle baguette slices with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  2. Grill the bread, or toast in the oven on a baking sheet. It will take about 5-8 minutes at 350.
  3. Rub the toasted baguette slices with the garlic clove (use more cloves if you like a strong garlic flavor).
  4. Top each baguette piece with a slice of tomato and some torn basil leaves.
  5. Place all bruschetta on a platter and drizzle with more olive oil and another sprinkle of salt and pepper.
Notes
If you like a little heat, sprinkle the finished bruschetta with red pepper flakes instead of black pepper. For some creaminess, spread goat cheese on the baguette slices before adding the tomato.

7 Comments

  • Christina @ The Beautiful Balance
    August 27, 2013 at 4:23 pm

    Such classic and delicious flavors!

  • Emily @ Life on Food
    August 28, 2013 at 3:27 am

    I have so many tomatoes right now from the garden. Unfortunately the heirloom types didn’t work out. Love the simple use here. Best way to taste the true flavors.

  • Megan (The Lyons' Share)
    August 28, 2013 at 2:43 pm

    These pictures are beautiful! I love bruschetta (although I still say “brush-shet-ta,” which I know isn’t correct!)

  • Amelia
    August 28, 2013 at 2:49 pm

    Bummer about your heirlooms 🙁 but having fresh garden tomatoes of any kind is such a treat!

  • Amelia
    August 28, 2013 at 2:49 pm

    It’s hard to get used to saying bru-sket-ta when barely anyone says it that way 😉

  • Anna @ Fitness à la Anna
    September 24, 2013 at 1:06 pm

    I love how simple this is, without having to dice up all of the tomatoes! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  • A.J. Drew
    March 16, 2015 at 12:32 am

    My family and I are homesteaders here in the foot hills of Kentucky where spring has not sprung yet. Searching for new ideas for garden goods and dreaming of fresh tomato again. Thanks for the fix I needed to hold me off a few more months.

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