Bruschetta al pomodoro
Grilled country bread rubbed with garlic, piled with ripe chopped tomato, basil, salt and new olive oil. No balsamic.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Bruschetta starts with the bread, not the topping. Thick slices of rustic country bread are grilled or toasted until charred at the edges, rubbed while hot with a cut clove of garlic, then piled with ripe tomatoes chopped and dressed with salt, torn basil and plenty of extra virgin olive oil. That is the whole dish: no balsamic glaze, no onion, no cheese. Use the ripest tomatoes you can find, in summer, and dress them just before serving so the bread stays crisp. Let the chopped tomatoes drain for a few minutes first. The garlic should be rubbed, not chopped; the rough toast grates it as you go. Done is crisp, warm bread with a cool, juicy, fragrant tomato topping, eaten at once.
What you'll need
6 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Put the diced tomatoes in a sieve with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes to drain.
10 min
Step 2
Grill or toast the bread until crisp and charred at the edges.
5 min
Step 3
Rub one side of each hot slice with the cut garlic.
1 min
Step 4
Toss the tomatoes with basil and most of the oil, pile onto the bread, finish with the rest of the oil and a little salt, and serve at once.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 258 kcal
- Protein
- 5.5 g
- Carbs
- 28.8 g
- Fat
- 13.8 g
- Saturated fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2.6 g
- Sugar
- 5.1 g
- Sodium
- 542 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Dairy-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Grill → Very hot dry pan or oven grill
Aim for charred edges, not pale toast.
Tips
- Only make this when tomatoes are truly ripe; out of season, make plain garlic and oil bruschetta instead.
- Dress the tomatoes at the last moment so the toast stays crisp.
History & culture
Bruschetta is a central Italian starter, from Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany, where the simplest version, bread, garlic and new oil, is a way to taste the season's first olive oil each autumn. Tomato bruschetta is the summer version, served before almost any meal in trattorie.
The name comes from the Roman dialect 'bruscare', to toast over coals. Grilling bread and soaking it in new oil is an old peasant practice in olive-growing country, and tomatoes, once they arrived from the Americas, became the classic summer topping.
Traditional — Bread, garlic, tomato, basil, salt and olive oil. No balsamic.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Bruschetta al pomodoro take?
20 min all in — 15 min prep, 5 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Very easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-free.
6 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Chef's knife, Cutting board.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at ½ tsp (flaky).
What can I use instead?
Grill → Very hot dry pan or oven grill. Aim for charred edges, not pale toast.
Any tips from this recipe?
Only make this when tomatoes are truly ripe; out of season, make plain garlic and oil bruschetta instead. Dress the tomatoes at the last moment so the toast stays crisp.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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