Capture the flavors of summer with this mouth-watering Bruschetta al Pomdoro recipe. With just 5 basic ingredients, this remarkably simple recipe will show you how easy it is to make a tomato bruschetta just like the ones you’d find in Italy.
While in Italy last fall, I was excited to see bruschetta al pomodoro on the menu where we were having dinner. I couldn’t wait to dissect all the ingredients included in their tomato topping. Spoiler alert: there were none.
I mean sure, there was the expected fresh basil, olive oil, salt and pepper. But that’s it. No onion, no garlic, no balsamic vinegar, no chili flakes, no cheese and certainly no dried oregano. Just sweet as nectar chopped tomatoes drizzled with fabulous olive oil, all mounded on crunchy grilled bread that had been rubbed with garlic. Let me tell you, it was so divine I could have happily dined on that alone (I didn’t, of course because: pasta).
The instant glorious, juicy tomatoes made an appearance this summer, I started making this delicacy on repeat and I implore you to do the same. With just 5 basic ingredients and so easy to throw together, by the time the bottle of rosé has chilled in your fridge, your bruschetta al pomodoro is done. And everyone, I mean everyone, will love it.
But hurry, you only have about 2 weeks left to make it with sun-kissed summer tomatoes. The only tomatoes, in my humble opinion, you should use to make this truly authentic bruschetta recipe.
What is Bruschetta?
Pronounced ‘broo-SKEH-ta’, bruschetta is an Italian appetizer that features grilled bread rubbed with raw garlic and topped with extra virgin olive oil, chopped tomatoes, fresh basil and salt. Pomodoro, refers to the marinated chopped tomatoes.
The Italian word “bruschetta” itself, refers to the preparation of the grilled slices of bread. Which is why Italians are often confused when some recipes outside of Italy label dishes as “pasta bruschetta”, or “chicken bruschetta”.
Furthermore, many Italians believe that if you top bruschetta with anything other than tomatoes, it should be called crostini.
Labels aside, just know that this Italian bruschetta al pomodoro is much loved all over the world for a good reason. It has a short list of ingredients, it’s easy to prepare, and every bite is a mouthwatering, crunchy delight.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
I know you’ve heard this before, but the fewer ingredients a recipe calls for, the better the quality they should be.
Let’s do a little deep-dive into each of these simple ingredients:
The Tomatoes
Sad, watery, winter tomatoes will have nowhere to hide in a bruschetta topping. For a truly outstanding bruschetta al pomodoro, you will want to use the freshest, ripest tomatoes you can find.
I used a mix of Roma tomatoes and field tomatoes but as long as you’re very picky, use any variety that looks good to you. Heirloom tomatoes would also be delicious. I don’t love cherry tomatoes for bruschetta because they aren’t as meaty. But if you have loads growing in your garden, go ahead and use them up.
I like to dice the tomatoes, but not so small that the tomato mixture will look like pico de gallo. You want pieces of tomatoes you can chew and savour with every bite.
The Bread
I like to use a somewhat rustic, white bread baguette that isn’t too thin in circumference. Any rustic style loaf will also work and if your bread is a day-old, even better.
If possible, try and use a crusty bread that doesn’t have too many holes so you don’t lose your topping.
I like to cut the bread just a hair under 1/2-inch thick slices. Anything thinner will not be strong enough to hold the topping.
The Olive Oil
You will need olive oil to drizzle over each slice of bread, and to drizzle over the prepared bruschetta. Yes, you should use a lovely extra virgin olive oil here. But don’t get too hung up on needing to use the most expensive one. Something really fresh, preferably Italian, will be wonderful.
The Garlic
This bruschetta recipe does not include garlic in the tomato mixture. But you get plenty of garlic flavor from rubbing the warm grilled bread with fresh garlic cloves. Use a large clove of garlic which will be easier to hold.
You will want to rub hard enough to infuse the bread with the garlic juices, but not so hard that bread pieces will tear off. I rub a lot of garlic onto my toasts, but you can rub as little or as much as you like.
The Basil
You will need about 8 large basil leaves for the bruschetta topping. Fresh basil only, please and thank you. Sadly my garden basil has reached its demise for the summer but almost every grocery store will sell fresh basil. In my grocery stores they sell it in bags by the fresh tomatoes.
Thai basil, though lovely, would not be the right one to use here.
Salt and Pepper
I like to use a nice sea salt here. Tomatoes really like salt so be as generous as you can. Black pepper might not always be added to bruschetta pomodoro, but I find a few pinches go well with the tomatoes.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Make Bruschetta Toasts
Bruschetta toasts should be nice and crispy so they don’t get soggy once you add the tomato topping. To get your bread slices golden-crisp, you have a few options:
- On the grill. This is my favorite method of toasting the bread because the grill marks, and a bit of char, look so appetizing. It’s also quick and you can grill many at once. I like to heat the grill to medium high, place the bread oiled-side down on the grates, then cover and cook until grill marks appear and bread looks crispy, about 1-2 minutes a side. Transfer to a baking sheet. TIP: Don’t walk away from the grill, keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- In the oven: Place under the broiler until golden and crispy, about 1-3 minutes a side.
- Toaster. Using a traditional toaster can be tricky because the bread slices are small. If this is your only option, don’t oil the bread slices before toasting them and pop them out before they burn.
How To Make Bruschetta Al Pomodoro
Once you have your best ripe tomatoes diced into small pieces, the bruschetta will come together fast.
Prepare the tomato mixture. Halve the tomatoes then remove and discard most of the seeds. Chop tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt, a small pinch of black pepper, chopped basil, and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Stir and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, but ideally 1 hour.
Prepare the grill and bread slices. Meanwhile, heat an outdoor grill, or grill pan, to medium high heat. Drizzle bread slices with olive oil and grill 1 to 2-ish minutes on each side until crispy and grill marks appear. Transfer to a sheet pan or platter and while bread is still warm, rub one side of each slice with the cut-side of the garlic clove.
Assemble the bruschetta. Spoon a generous amount of the marinated tomatoes over each slice of bread, and sprinkle with flakey salt, if using. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Tips
- Cut the bread accordingly. Cut a baguette-style bread in a diagonal to get larger surface area for the topping. If using a large loaf of bread, you will want to cut the slices in half to make the pieces more manageable for serving.
- Toast the bread on both sides, but not too much. You want the bread slices crispy on the outside but they should remain a little soft on the inside to make it easier to bite into.
- Serve the bruschetta warm or at room temperature. Your bruschetta pomodoro is best served immediately so don’t let it sit for too long.
- Unless you love garlic, use a light hand. You will be surprised how garlicky the bread tastes just from rubbing it with the garlic clove. If you love garlic you can rub a little more aggressively, otherwise, use a light hand.
- Chop the basil properly. Basil bruises and oxidizes easily if it’s not cut properly. To cut it, roll the basil leaves up and thinly slice crosswise with a very sharp knife. Don’t cut through the chopped basil again. Alternatively, use your hands to chop each leaf into small pieces.
- Allow the tomato mixture to sit. Letting the tomato mixture sit for about 1 hour will allow all the flavors to meld. That said, if you’re in a hurry, 10-15 minutes will also do the trick.
- Oil only one side of the bread. Everyone eats bruschetta with their hands so I find oiling only one side of the bread makes it a little less messy when holding the bread.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can if you want to, but I never do. The tomato juice is delicious and worth sacrificing a bit of crispiness on the bread. If you do opt to drain the juice, make sure to save it for future bread dunking!
Of course! I do hope you try this recipe as written at least once, but please always adjust to your preferences. For best results, I would use a balsamic glaze which is thicker and tastier.
Again, not at all authentic but spreading some ricotta or fresh mozzarella slices on the toasted bread would be delicious.
The tomato mixture will not freeze well to use as future bruschetta topping. But you can certainly freeze it to use for other applications. It will be great stirred into tomato sauces, as a base for a pasta dish, or with curry dishes. Any unused bread slices will freeze well. The bread slices can be reheated from frozen in a toaster, grill or oven until thawed and warmed through.
How To Make Ahead
Once assembled, it best to serve the bruschetta al pomodoro within the hour. But if you are looking to get ahead on the preparation, you can prepare the components a little more ahead of time. Here’s what to do:
- Toast the bread. The bread can be toasted up to 1 day ahead. Let cool completely then store in an airtight container. When ready to use, reheat the toasted bread in oven, grill, or toaster until warmed through.
- Prepare the tomato mixture. I don’t like to store tomatoes in the fridge but the tomato mixture can sit at room temperature, covered for up to 3 to 4 hours.
What To Serve With Bruschetta
Brushetta al pomodoro is typically served as an appetizer or as part of an antipasto spread with some chilled glasses of rosé or white wine.
As part of a meal, the bruschetta al pomodoro would be fabulous alongside grilled fish or chicken, or with a vegetarian simple pasta dish.
Storage Tips
Unquestionably, bruschetta al pomodoro is best served immediately. Tomatoes do not benefit from any time in the fridge and the bread will get pretty soggy. That said, when I photographed this recipe I had a lot of leftovers and both my husband and I devoured them the next day.
Here’s what to do if you find yourself with some prepared leftover bruschetta:
Place the bruschetta on a large plate or platter, in a single layer, and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Allow to come to room temperature before using, or reheat under the broiler (or a toaster oven) for 1-2 minutes.
More Appetizers To Try
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Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes medium-sized diced in medium chunks (about 4 cups- see notes)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
- 8-10 large fresh basil leaves cut into chiffonade (see notes), plus more for garnish
- 1 baguette cut into ½ inch slices
- 1-2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced in half crosswise
- flakey salt, optional to finish
Instructions
- Halve the tomatoes then remove and discard most of the seeds. Chop tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt, a small pinch of black pepper, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and chopped basil. Gently stir to combine, then let sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and up to 2 hours.
- Meanwhile, heat an outdoor grill, or grill pan, to medium high heat. Drizzle bread slices with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil (one side only). Grill each until crispy and grill marks appear, about 2 minutes each side.
- Transfer to a sheet pan or platter and while bread is still warm, rub one side of each slice with the cut-side of the garlic clove. I do about 8-10 strokes, pressing firmly with the garlic, on each slice.
- Spoon a generous amount of the marinated tomatoes over each slice of bread, and sprinkle with flakey salt, if using. Finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil all over the bruschetta and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cut the bread accordingly. Cut a baguette-style bread in a diagonal to get larger surface area for the topping. If using a large loaf of bread, you will want to cut the slices in half to make the pieces more manageable for serving.
- Toast the bread on both sides, but not too much. You want the bread slices crispy on the outside but they should remain a little soft on the inside to make it easier to bite into.
- Serve the bruschetta warm or at room temperature. Your bruschetta pomodoro is best served immediately so don’t let it sit for too long.
- Unless you love garlic, use a light hand. You will be surprised how garlicky the bread tastes just from rubbing it with the garlic clove. If you love garlic you can rub a little more aggressively, otherwise, use a light hand.
- Chop the basil properly. Basil bruises and oxidizes easily if it’s not cut properly. To cut it, roll the basil leaves up and thinly slice crosswise with a very sharp knife. Don’t cut through the chopped basil again. Alternatively, use your hands to chop each leaf into small pieces.
- Allow the tomato mixture to sit. Letting the tomato mixture sit for about 15 to 30 minutes will allow all the flavors to meld. That said, if you’re in a hurry, even 5-10 minutes will do the trick.
- Leftovers. Bruschetta al pomodoro is best eaten right away. However, if you have leftovers don’t let them go to waste. Place the leftover bruschetta on a large plate or platter, in a single layer, and cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Allow to come to room temperature before using, or reheat under the broiler (or a toaster oven) for 1-2 minutes.
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