This flavorful bruschetta dinner is going to make your day: Thick-cut toasted bread is topped with a medley of warm, fresh tomatoes, aromatic garlic, tangy balsamic, sharp parmesan cheese, and fragrant basil. Place it under the broiler for a few minutes for a delicious crowd-pleasing appetizer or a super easy dinner full of contrasting texture and flavor!
Bruschetta dinner is one of my favorite answers to busy nights when I still want something that feels special. It comes together quickly with simple ingredients and minimal effort, making it perfect for evenings when cooking needs to stay easy.
Despite how fast it is to make, it always feels like a little celebration of summer. Fresh, bright flavors and a relaxed, build-your-own vibe make this dinner one I happily turn to again and again.
What is bruschetta?
This classic Italian dish stays true to the Italian tradition of sticking to a handful of humble, fresh ingredients, letting them shine through simplicity. It consists of toasted bread topped with a blend of chopped tomatoes, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Bruschetta often includes cheese, too! While it’s traditionally enjoyed as an appetizer, bruschetta for dinner is also really satisfying!
Ingredients notes
True to the style of Italian cooking, this recipe uses just a handful of ingredients. With such a simple recipe, you’ll want the best possible quality. While you could technically make this easy bruschetta with sandwich bread and winter tomatoes, you won’t fall head over heels the way you would with good quality ingredients. This is what you need:
- Bread : Thick-cut bread works best! We like buying an unsliced loaf from our favorite bakery and slicing it nice and thick. You can also get a baguette from the grocery store and slice it on a thick diagonal.
- Tomatoes : These make up the bulk of the recipe, so you want the freshest, juiciest ones you can find. Pick them from the garden or farmers’ market. If it’s winter or you’re in a pinch, get cherry tomatoes – those little red beauties are almost always sweet!
- Other ingredients: Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chopped basil, garlic clove, flaky sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, parmesan cheese.
Which tomatoes to use for bruschetta?
The key to a delicious bruschetta lies in the freshness of the tomato rather than which variety you get—aim for ripe, juicy ones! If you’re fortunate enough to have a garden, pluck them when they’re nice and fresh; otherwise, head to your farmers’ markets. If you get to pick your variety, look for Roma tomatoes or vine-ripened tomatoes. They are flavorful but usually have a lower water content, making them perfect for bruschetta! If you can’t find fresh, ripe tomatoes, go for cherry tomatoes. They retain their sweetness and are bursting with flavor year-round so that you can enjoy warm bruschetta for dinner, even in winter!
Bruschetta dinner recipes
When it comes to bruschetta dinner ideas, you can totally get creative and make variations on this recipe to create something new! Here are a few ideas:
- Bruschetta salad: Skip the toast, broil your tomatoes on a sheet pan, then toss them over a bed of romaine lettuce.
- Bruschetta chicken: Replace the bread with a chicken breast, using the bruschetta as a delicious, tangy topping for your chicken. Keep it simple and cook up skinless Italian seasoning chicken .
- Bruschetta pasta: Replace the bread in favor of a cooked short pasta, tossing the tomatoes, basil, garlic, vinegar, and cheese through for a bruschetta inspired pasta dinner.
- Caprese bruschetta : Add some mozzarella cheese into the mix for a caprese twist.
- Avocado bruschetta: Spread some mashed avocado onto the toast before adding your tomatoes for a creamier variation.
What goes with bruschetta for dinner
You can serve bruschetta as an appetizer, or enjoy bruschetta as the main star of the show by serving it with a few other sides – or just eat it as it is! It’s super versatile and goes with a lot of dishes, from pastas, to grilled meats or seafood, or other Italian dishes. Here are some ideas:
Whip it up to enjoy alongside eggplant involtini , Italian braised chicken , or Italian sausage pasta .
Let your bruschetta take the spotlight, serving it with some boursin arancini to start, or carry the balsamic flavor through with this asparagus salad with balsamic glaze.
Can you use dried basil in the bruschetta recipe?
We love fresh basil as it offers a contrasting freshness to the tangy balsamic and bread, complementing the fresh tomatoes – but in a pinch, you can certainly use dried basil. Adjust quantities to taste.
How do I store leftover bruschetta?
If you think you’ll have leftovers, try to keep the tomato mixture separate to the bread so the bread stays fresh, otherwise the liquid may make it soggy. It’s best to enjoy the bruschetta fresh, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Warm Bruschetta Dinner Recipe
- Pin
Ingredients
- ▢ 4 thick-cut slices of bread
- ▢ 1 ½ lb tomatoes (chopped (see notes))
- ▢ ¼ cup olive oil (use the best you have)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ▢ ¼ cup chopped basil
- ▢ 1 large garlic clove (very finely minced)
- ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt (we like Maldon)
- ▢ ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- ▢ ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to broil. Set 4 thick-cut slices of bread on a baking sheet. 4 thick-cut slices of bread
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, and garlic. 1 ½ lb tomatoes, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup chopped basil, 1 large garlic clove
- Divide the tomatoes evenly between the slices of bread, saving the juices that are in the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle with the sea salt and black pepper and top with the parmesan cheese. 1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt, ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Place in your oven and broil for 7-8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are hot. Remove from the oven and spoon the reserved juices from the tomatoes over top. Serve with a little fresh basil sprinkled over the top.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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More easy Italian dinners
For more inspiration, check out all of our dinner ideas !
Naan Pizza Recipe
Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
Italian Dressing Chicken
Pasta Puttanesca
Warm Bruschetta Dinner Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 thick-cut slices of bread
- 1 ½ lb tomatoes , chopped (see notes)
- ¼ cup olive oil , use the best you have
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped basil
- 1 large garlic clove , very finely minced
- 1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt , we like Maldon
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to broil. Set 4 thick-cut slices of bread on a baking sheet. 4 thick-cut slices of bread
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, and garlic. 1 ½ lb tomatoes, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ¼ cup chopped basil, 1 large garlic clove
- Divide the tomatoes evenly between the slices of bread, saving the juices that are in the bottom of the bowl. Sprinkle with the sea salt and black pepper and top with the parmesan cheese. 1 ½ teaspoons flaky sea salt, ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Place in your oven and broil for 7-8 minutes, or until the tomatoes are hot. Remove from the oven and spoon the reserved juices from the tomatoes over top. Serve with a little fresh basil sprinkled over the top.
