To me, the perfect summer appetizer recipe is bruschetta. It’s loaded with garden fresh tomatoes and doesn’t require a lick of cooking. And a bruschetta mix can be whipped up quickly for last minute gatherings and pretty much everyone loves it.
The downside? Bruschetta is usually best in the summer because that’s when tomatoes are at their best.
Side note…bruschetta is pronounced, “brew-skeh-ta”.
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Well, my friend, I have cracked the bruschetta mix code to be able make it anytime I want with always the same results.
There’s one crucial condition.
✔️ Don’t add anything else to the recipe other than what is listed in the recipe card.
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Other places bruschetta mix can go
In addition to the perfectly toasted crostini, bruschetta is sooo good tossed with fresh cooked pasta with a big sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
It’s also amazing with a sheet pan of homemade focaccia bread.
Any season bruschetta tomatoes
I discovered that small or micro tomato varieties are the perfect choice to make bruschetta year ’round because their flavor and juiciness is consistent in every season.
For this simple bruschetta recipe, I am using an amazing brand of tomatoes I found in my national grocer called Sparklers. They come in a little package (I was able to find larger pints), are teeny-tiny (smaller than 1″) and multi-colored pops of red, yellow and orange. Even better, they are perfectly ripe, juicy and sweet as candy.
I also use cherry and/or grape tomatoes. I select whichever is on sale and looks the best. Anything from Sun-Gold I find to be super flavorful and reliable.
Minimalist bruschetta dressing
This is the part that might be (or is going to be) hard for most cooks, especially if you love experimenting in the kitchen. But it’s also the part that will help distinguish you as an Italian cook.
Italians allow the ingredients to do the work without over-saucing or seasoning dishes. And this bruschetta dressing? It doesn’t play by the salad dressing rules in that it doesn’t have an acid. No vinegar, no lemon juice, nothing. The dressing is made from using the best tasting olive oil on hand and the resulting juices from the tomatoes mixed with some kosher (or sea) salt and black pepper.
Fini.
Simple bruschetta step-by-step
Bruschetta do’s and don’ts
- After mixing, let the bruschetta mix rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to marry all the flavors and let the juices from the tomatoes mingle with the olive oil to make the dressing.
- Bruschetta is best served at room temperature so once leftovers are refrigerated, bring it out and let is sit to let the flavors mellow out.
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Year Round Bruschetta Mix (Simple Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 1 pint Sparkler tomatoes, mini pop in your mouth tomatoes; or 2 small
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, sliced in ½ or ¼’s
- 5 garlic cloves, minced; one left whole
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, to start
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ loaf of thin French baguette or pre-made crostini, sliced and toasted (directions to follow)
Instructions
For the bruschetta mix
- Cut the tomatoes in half, even the smaller Sparklers so they can't roll off the toast.Mince 4 cloves of garlic. Julienne the basil. You can also do a combo of chopped and julienned basil for a pretty texture.1 pint Sparkler tomatoes, 1 pint grape tomatoes, 5 garlic cloves, ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
- Add all the tomatoes to a medium bowl. Stir in the garlic first and then add in the basil.Pour the oil over the tomato mix and toss until well coated. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.¼ cup olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the garlic toast
- Preheat the oven to 400°.
- Thinly slice the baguette. Rub the remaining peeled clove of garlic over both sides of each slice. Lay on a sheet pan and toast until golden for about 10 minutes until toasted, flipping halfway through. Set aside to cool. The toasts will further crisp up as they cool.½ loaf of thin French baguette or pre-made crostini
- To serve. Place a bowl of bruschetta mix on a platter and surround with the crispy toasts. Or cut 4 larger slices of Italian bread in half and serve alongside a pasta dinner for 8.
