What is Bruschetta anyway?
In Italian cuisine, bruschetta (singular; plural bruschette) are pieces of bread, sometimes seasoned with garlic and olive oil, that are toasted until browned on one side. Bruschette are often topped with tomato and basil. The bread is sometimes called fette biscottate (roughly translated as “bread slices”).
The term “bruschetta” is not used in Italy outside the context of pizza or other food products sold by Italians abroad. It has entered common usage in English and other languages as a synonym for any grilled bread appetizer or light meal.
I use whole slices of thick-cut sourdough and serve it warm. It melts in your mouth!
You can get really creative here with the bruschetta toppings.
Want to add protein? Throw some shredded chicken on the bread along with the other toppings. I’ve done this and it was perfect!
How about adding in some peppers or a different herb? Sometimes I make it with pesto, arugula, and burrata.
My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
Another option would be shrimp, tarragon, and greens.
If I can find quality ingredients, this becomes a year-round recipe.
Want to know why I chose sourdough?
It is slightly healthier than the other bakery white flour-based bread. It can be more digestible for some people and it is less likely to spike your blood sugar than basic bread.
Plus, it just tastes great!
A quick note - if you are short on time, pleeeeeaasseee don’t hesitate to buy a pre-made bruschetta mix at the store! My local grocery store has an amazing pre-made mixture that I would use any day of the week.
I am all about quick and easy meals!
The recipe: Warm Bruschetta on Sourdough
This recipe makes 4 large bruschetta breads:
Ingredients
4 slices of sourdough bread
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut into chunks. Discard the extra seeds/pulp
3/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
Handful of fresh basil, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup of reserved olive juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional, but delicious add-ons:
• Burrata or mozzarella cheese
• Balsamic vinegar glaze
• Parmesan cheese
Method
Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
Brush the sourdough bread with olive oil on both sides and set on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Cook in the oven for 4–5 minutes on each side, just until it starts to brown and get crispy. These will be going into the oven a second time so you don’t want to get them too crispy yet.
While the bread is toasting, mix together your fresh ingredients: tomatoes, kalamata olives with reserved juice, onion, garlic, and basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spread the mixture onto the sliced bread. Top with burrata, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and finish off with some freshly grated parmesan OR whatever beautiful combination of ingredients you decided on.
Put back into the oven for 7–10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the toppings are warm.
Next, enjoy the heck out of this ‘meal’!
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