Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer

I've been making this juicy, savory Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer almost weekly while reminiscing about Italy and the wonderful food we had. Since the pandemic isn't allowing us to travel anymore, we are all trying to bring foods from around the world into our kitchen!

In case you didn't already know, the proper way to pronounce bruschetta is “broo·skeh·tuh.” The word “bruschetta” comes from the Italian meaning “to roast over coals,” but obviously, please use a modern-day oven if roasting over coals isn't your specialty. Bruschetta traditionally involves olive oil, fresh garlic, chopped tomatoes, and fresh basil. For any tomato appetizer, make sure to look into using seasonal tomatoes, such as heirloom, for the best flavor profile.

Bruschetta is a versatile appetizer that you can make using seasonal vegetables. Any kind of bruschetta is an easy way to add to your entertainment spread. Bruschetta has always been one of my favorite Italian appetizers and it’s SO easy to make! It works great as a mid-day snack or an appetizer. Get ready to have this as your next appetizer!

Ingredients for Bruschetta Appetizer

• Garlic. Keep in mind that fresh garlic is pungent. I like to finely mince mine, but you can grate, use a garlic press, or slice!
• Basil. I used fresh basil in this. If you don't have access to fresh basil, you can get basil paste in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. I like to freeze this in cube trays when I don't use this all right away.
• Olive Oil. Use a good quality olive oil for your dish; it makes all the difference.
• Balsamic Vinegar. A good aged, balsamic vinegar will really add depth to your Italian dishes.
• Salt and Pepper. Pro tip: you can salt the tomatoes and garlic beforehand to get rid of excess water and make the garlic a little less bold.

How to Make Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer:

• Chop the cherry tomatoes in quarters.
• Add the garlic, basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
• Mix it all up!
• You can prepare the mix ahead of time and serve it on your choice of bread when you're ready to serve!

How to Serve Cherry Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer :

• I love using these mini toasts for serving many of my appetizers (or eating as a snack myself!). These are the same toasts I used for my blueberry balsamic cream cheese appetizer as well!
• I like to make my mix in advance so the flavors soak up really well.
• When I'm not serving as an appetizer, I like to toast a piece of sourdough bread and pile the mixture up!
• I prefer to drain the excess tomato juice after chopping them so the mixture doesn't get too watery.

Tips & Variations

• Additions. This recipe is vegan, but you can add vegan cheese, some pepper jack cheese, or mozzarella cheese pearls to enhance the dish.
• Gluten-Free. To make this gluten-free, you can use your favorite gluten-free crackers.
• Prep Ahead. I like to prep the tomato appetizer ahead of time so all that's left to do is scoop it onto the crackers. This really is one of the easiest appetizers!

More Tomato Appetizer Recipes

• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

More Vegan Appetizers

• Olive Oil Bread Dip
• Vegan Esquites (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
• Vegan Gochujang Cauliflower Wings
• Easy Vegan Zucchini Fritters

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📖 Recipe