Easy Garden Fresh Bruschetta

ONCE YOU LEARN HOW TO MAKE BRUSCHETTA, IT WILL BECOME YOUR EASY
ANNUAL GO-TO RECIPE FOR USING UP THAT SUMMER CROP OF TOMATOES.

by Meghan Rodgers

August 17, 2021

Too many tomatoes. It’s a great problem to have! This time of year — if you’ve had a good growing season — the garden is overflowing with ripe, juicy tomatoes. Cherry, grape, heirloom — you’ll find new red beauties turning seemingly overnight.

So what to do with this glorious crop?

In an effort to reduce food waste, you could always gift them or even can them. But you’ve put in all of that hard work over the summer tending to your tomatoes, so you might as well enjoy them! It’s helpful to have a few tomato-heavy recipes on hand that celebrate this end-of-season staple.

And there might be no better way to celebrate those tasty homegrown tomatoes than in classic Italian bruschetta.

What is Bruschetta?

While you may have had bruschetta, did you know that the word ‘bruschetta’ in Italian actually refers to the preparation of the bread, and not the tomato topping? Bruschetta means the bread base is cut and rubbed with olive oil and toasted. While you can top bruschetta with just about anything, classic tomato always holds a special place at a summer dinner spread.

How to Make Bruschetta

If you’ve never made bruschetta before, or if you’re looking for the best bruschetta recipe out there, you’ve come to the right place. This recipe is easy, delicious and oh-so fresh!

Tomatoes

There really isn’t a “best” tomato for bruschetta. All that matters is that it’s fresh and ripe! Bonus points for backyard garden tomatoes as those are undeniably the best. Tomatoes make or break this appetizer dish, so you want to use the absolute best tomatoes you can find.

Vinegar

Vinegar is a key flavor of bruschetta. Red wine vinegar is the traditional choice, and it’s a great option as it doesn’t overpower the fresh garden tomato taste. However, balsamic vinegar is also very common. For the sake of simplicity — and reducing food waste — use what ever option you already have.

Basil

If it grows together, it goes together! Right as tomatoes are ripening, basil plants are bursting with tender, aromatic leaves. Fresh basil is essential to a great bruschetta recipe! You can purchase some basil up at the store or farmers market, but growing your own not only saves the earth from all of that packaging, it saves you money, as well.

Bread

You can serve bruschetta on many different varieties of bread, but I like a French baguette. They’re easy to find and can be loaded with lots of topping. Just remember — don’t skip the step of rubbing fresh garlic and olive oil on the bread post-toast. It makes a delicious difference in flavor!