This authentic Italian Bruschetta Al Pomodoro came straight from Italy, along with all our tips and tricks!
Check out the other recipes I was generously given while traveling through Italy — this Gelato, Apple Fennel Salad, and Beef Ragu.
Bruschetta Pronunciation
broo·skeh·tuh (this is a helpful way to practice)
Bruschetta Recipe
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen some of our trip to Italy. We were able to visit Venice, Rome, Naples, the Almalfi Coast, Pisa, Siena, Pompeii, and ended in Florence.
While we were in Italy we took a few local cooking classes and learned to make so many different Italian dishes and desserts. One of the cooking classes (my favorite one!) took place in the countryside near Siena in Le Pietre Vive farmhouse. It was surrounded by a large farm, livestock, and tons of olive trees. Most of the ingredients we used were grown and produced right on the farm. Our teacher, Nonna Ciana, couldn’t be a cuter grandma! She spoke little English, but was accompanied by a very entertaining translator.
Nonna Ciana taught us how to make a few authentic Italian dishes. It was in her kitchen that I sat down to enjoy the best meal I had while in Italy! For the appetizer, we made three types of easy bruschetta.
What Is Italian Bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a classic Italian appetizer (antipasto). It’s made with grilled bread, and is topped with ripe tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and olive oil.
The three kinds of Bruschetta we made were fett’unta (bruschetta with olive oil), bruschetta with pecorino cheese and chili honey, and bruschetta al pomodoro (with tomatoes). All three were absolutely delicious, but my favorite was the bruschetta al pomodoro!
Variations
Bruschetta starts with slices of bread that are grilled or broiled, then rubbed with a clove of garlic. Beyond that, there are a few ways you can top it.
- For bruschetta with olive oil: Top with extra virgin olive oil, and finish with a sprinkle of salt. Add some fresh thyme too if you like.
- For bruschetta with cheese and chili honey: Top with a slice of pecorino cheese, and add a drizzle of honey. Use saffron honey, chili honey, or truffle honey for a fun twist.
I love this appetizer so much that I created two main dishes inspired by it: Bruschetta Chicken and Bruschetta Pasta!
Also try this bruschetta recipe with mozzarella and a balsamic glaze. Either homemade or purchased glaze works, just add mozzarella pearls to the tomato mixture and top with the balsamic glaze.
Bruschetta Ingredients
You can make great dishes with just a few really good quality ingredients. You don’t need a long ingredient list or complex steps to make delicious food!
This idea was emphasized in each cooking class I took, especially Nonna Ciana’s. Each dish we prepared used very few ingredients, but they were always the best available.
And this is the case with Bruschetta. For the best flavor use:
- Garden fresh and perfectly ripe tomatoes
- Good quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Real garlic cloves, garden grown basil, etc.
- For the bread, we love ciabatta or a good French baguette best!
Here are all the top tips from our Italian cooking class:
How To Make Bruschetta
- Prepare the tomato mixture at least an hour in advance. This helps the flavors develop and lets the juice drain to the bottom of the bowl.
- Tear the basil into small pieces with your hand instead of cutting with a knife. This will keep the basil fresher and more vibrant for much longer. The tears don’t need to be perfect, just quickly tear off small pieces of basil and add to a bowl.
- Cut the tomatoes into very small and even pieces.
- Toss the chopped tomatoes and ripped basil into a bowl. Then create a dome in the bowl with the tomatoes and basil. Drizzle the olive oil and salt over it all and don’t stir. Let that sit at room temp until you’re ready to top the bread.
- Toast or grill the bread until it’s crisp but not browned. As soon as you remove it from the oven, rub the cut edge of a garlic clove on BOTH sides of the bread.
- Drain the tomato mixture juices. Then spoon the chopped tomatoes on top of the warm bread right before serving.
FAQs
What do you serve with Bruschetta?
- Serve with soup and salad (this Italian Salad or Garden Salad)
- Include it on an antipasto platter or cheese board. Add a bowl of homemade pesto on the side!
- Pair with a big pasta salad (like this Mediterranean Pasta Salad).
- Serve as a starter before a simple pasta dish.
What type of bread is best for Bruschetta?
Any kind of rustic bread is great! Look for a bread that has neutral flavor and good crust. It also needs to hold up when grilled or broiled and topped with tomato mixture.
Do you eat Bruschetta hot or cold?
I like to serve Bruschetta hot or cold. I prefer the bread to be warm from the grill (or oven) with room temp tomatoes.
More Tomato Dishes
Soups And Stews
Easy Tomato Soup
Dinner
Italian Hoagies
Dressings
Pico De Gallo
Salads
Caprese Quinoa Salad
Bruschetta
Equipment
- Grill or oven
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups diced tomatoes 3 tomatoes, see note 1
- 5 tablespoons olive oil divided
- Rustic Italian loaf any kind, sliced into thick coins, see note 2
- 1 clove garlic sliced in half
- 8 large fresh basil leaves ripped into small pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Balsamic reduction optional, for topping
- Flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
- Dice tomatoes into small, even pieces and place them in a medium bowl. Tear basil leaves into small pieces by hand. Gently stir tomatoes and basil together, then form a dome with the mixture.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the dome and sprinkle with salt to taste (I start with 1/2 teaspoon salt). Do not stir. Let it marinate uncovered at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour.
- Slice bread 1-inch thick and brush one side with 2–3 tablespoons oil.To Grill: Place oiled side down on a cleaned, hot charcoal grill. Grill until golden brown with grill lines (about 30 seconds at 450°F).To Broil: Set the oven rack 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the broiler to high. Place the bread oiled side up on a baking sheet and broil 1–2 minutes, watching carefully. Remove from oven.
- Slice a raw garlic clove in half. With the cut end of the garlic, rub grilled bread slices on both sides.
- Taste marinated tomatoes and add more salt if needed. Use a slotted spoon to top each slice of bread with the tomatoes (see note 3). If desired, drizzle with extra oil or balsamic glaze. Enjoy immediately while bread is still warm.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hey! I made this last night and it was fantastic! I spent a semester in Italy and wanted something authentic. Every recipe I found had balsamic vinegar in it (WHY?!) until I came across your recipe. I knew it was authentic when I saw the instructions, especially to tear the basil. Rubbing garlic on the bread gave it the perfect garlicky touch. Thank you so much!
Yay!! So thrilled you enjoyed this; thanks Kendra 🙂
Soooo good, 10/10 would love to make and eat again!
Thanks so much Emilie! 🙂
Ooh, making this now. Just to confirm, we grill only one side of bread, but apply garlic to both sides? Your pictures look amazing!
My kids fell in love with bruschetta during a trip to Tuscany. I was looking for a recipe to make it at home and this one is the most authentic tasting. The whole family loved it.
YAYY!! I’m soo happy to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
These look absolutely delicious! I love your photos. They make me hungry!
When I moved to Spain I soon realized that Spaniards love to eat toasted bread with olive oil and pureed/grated tomatoes! It is pretty much the same as Italian bruschetta minus basil and that beautiful presentation 🙂
hey girl- I would love to visit Italy! and This bruschetta looks so yummy!
I foresee making this often this summer using garden fresh tomatoes! I found it interesting there are different types of bruschetta…I thought it always had tomatoes!