How To Make Bruschetta: Recipe and Tips
Bruschetta is a classic summer recipe loved by so many, whether you're plucking your ingredients fresh from the garden or using summer produce from your local farmers' market. With just a few simple ingredients that pair so well together, discover how you can create homemade bruschetta that will have your friends and family going back for seconds.
What are the Origins of Bruschetta?
Some might think it’s obvious that bruschetta with tomato and basil hails from Italy. This simple yet delicious dish originated there during the 15th century – but it can be traced back even further.
In Ancient Rome, farmers and growers would press their ingredients, dress day-old bread and pair the now-famous appetizer with a glass of wine. The tradition took off from there, with various regions throughout the country (and the world) having their own unique ways of making bruschetta.
Easy Bruschetta Recipe
While bruschetta is an appetizer that can be made any time of the year, it’s especially tasty during the summertime produce season. Fresh tomatoes bursting with flavor elevate this bruschetta recipe. Just be sure to wash all of the ingredients before chopping!
A KitchenAid® food processor can help you make the most out of these fresh ingredients and your prep time so you can create a full spread to complement this refreshing appetizer.
Yields
A typical Italian bruschetta recipe can yield from 8-12 servings¹. However, you can use a KitchenAid® food processor to dice up to 13 cups of bruschetta ingredients quickly².
1. Exact yields will vary based on recipe
2. Depending on size of appliance
Ingredients³
Tomato
Garlic
Basil
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar
Parmesan
Baguette or Pre-Sliced Toasts
3. Exact type and ingredient amounts will vary by taste or by recipe
Tools
KitchenAid® food processor
Bowl and spoons for mixing
Plate for serving
Prep Time
15 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
STEP 1: TOAST
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut your bread or baguette into slices and brush each side with oil. Place your bread on a baking sheet and toast until golden – about 5 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway.
STEP 2: DICE
Meanwhile, wash your fresh ingredients for bruschetta. Quarter tomatoes, place them in your food chopper with garlic and basil, and pulse until roughly chopped. Or, chop your ingredients by hand if you do not have the appliance available. If you prefer neatly diced tomatoes, use the KitchenAid® 13 Cup Food Processor with Dicing Kit to first chop garlic and basil in the workbowl, then dice tomatoes to add to the mix.
STEP 3: MIX & SERVE
Transfer your bruschetta toppings into a bowl and mix in olive oil, grated parmesan, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Then, spoon onto the toasted bread slices and serve your bruschetta appetizer immediately. You can garnish with more shaved parmesan or pepper if you prefer.
Just like the endlessly versatile bruschetta, a KitchenAid® food processor can help you effortlessly whip up a variety of dishes, sauces, dips and more.
Tips for Making the Best Bruschetta
To enhance your tomato bruschetta, use crusty bread that can stand up to ingredients like juicy tomatoes, oil and vinegar. Crusty bread will also not absorb the moisture of your ingredients as fast. Heirloom tomatoes offer an artisan flair to tomato bruschetta, while a drizzle of balsamic reduction before serving lets the tomato’s sweetness take center stage.
This dish also allows your creativity to truly shine with a range of bruschetta appetizer ideas that let you make it your own. You can add different cuts of sliced meats, like soppressata, prosciutto and salami, to your toasts to make the dish a bit more hearty. Or keep it vegetarian by experimenting with different earthy mushrooms or bright lemon, peas and avocados.
You can even take this toasted bread appetizer in a sweet direction with dessert bruschettas featuring strawberries and hazelnut spread or apricots and cream cheese. There are countless ways you can create a bruschetta that everyone around your table will enjoy.
What’s the Difference Between Bruschetta and Caprese?
Bruschetta is toasted bread topped with tomato and basil – whereas Caprese is made with thicker slices of tomato and mozzarella and garnished with whole leaves of basil and drizzles of balsamic vinegar. Caprese salad is also traditionally served as a salad before or with your meal. Yet, like bruschetta, Caprese can be seen in less conventional recipes lately, like Caprese paninis, stuffed chicken or skewers, to name a few.
These dishes are also often chosen to kick the meal off as starters in many restaurants around the world. The key differences are how they are served and eaten.
You can always choose to customize a recipe to fit your taste or gathering for which you’re prepping the dish. With the KitchenAid® food processor, switch between the different settings and blades to get creative with your dish.
WHAT IS THE BEST BREAD FOR BRUSCHETTA?
Though day-old, stale bread was traditionally used to make this recipe, any artisan bread pairs well with bruschetta toast. It’s best to choose a bread with a mild flavor so it doesn’t compete with the delicate tomatoes and pungent balsamic vinegar. Some of the best bread for bruschetta include French baguettes, ciabatta or sourdough. Learn how to make your own homemade crusty bread using your KitchenAid® stand mixer.
WHAT TYPES OF TOMATOES ARE BEST FOR BRUSCHETTA?
Juicy tomatoes will bring extra flavor to your dish, but you don’t want them too wet. This could result in soggy toast. Varieties like heirloom, cherry and beefsteak tomatoes will bring the delicious tomato flavor through. Even drier tomatoes, like Roma and paste, are also excellent options.
WHAT TYPE OF BASIL IS BEST FOR BRUSCHETTA?
Fresh basil is always the best option, either from your garden or purchased at your local market. To make classic bruschetta, sweet basil is definitely the one to go with. Other popular choices for this appetizer include Italian large leaf basil, Genovese basil and lemon basil.
Is bruschetta served warm or cold?
You can serve bruschetta either way; just be sure it is served immediately after preparation. Whether it is warm or cold, this is when the ingredients are at their freshest before too much moisture is absorbed into the bread.
Explore KitchenAid® Food Processors and Choppers
Go beyond bruschetta and make a whole meal with a KitchenAid® food processor. With tools as versatile and agile as KitchenAid® food choppers, you can take everyday recipes to the next level.
