Italian cuisine is loved all over the world for its simple, fresh ingredients and flavourful dishes. While pasta and pizza are surely the flagbearers, they are not all that Italian cuisine is limited to. Roughly the dishes in the cuisine can be divided into main courses and antipasti or appetisers. Dishes which are filling, like pasta, risotto, and meat dishes make up the main courses, while the starters like grilled vegetables, and bruschetta are light and change from season to season and region to region.
The traditional Italian bruschetta recipe makes use of fresh seasonal Roma tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. On a toasted slice of bread, mostly baguette but occasionally ciabatta too, garlic is rubbed, chopped tomatoes are placed, and with a drizzle of olive oil, this Italian starter comes together in less than 10 minutes. The Roma tomatoes are firm and have very less seeds, making them perfect for a bruschetta recipe. You can also go for juicier varieties but there’s always a chance of it making the toast soggy, hence making it preferable to use firm tomato varieties for an Italian bruschetta recipe.
Here are some easy-to-make bruschetta recipes
1. Tomato bruschetta
The good old tomato bruschetta recipe is one of the easiest and one of the most iconic bruschetta recipes. Toast slices of a baguette, rub some garlic on it, place some chopped Roma tomatoes, drizzle olive oil, and you’re good to go. If you want to elevate this classic tomato bruschetta recipe, swap rubbing garlic with garlic confit. This adds a stronger yet mellow garlic flavour to your bruschetta recipe.
2. Avocado bruschetta
While not a traditional recipe, this bruschetta recipe has amassed quite a fan following the world over. The bruschetta ingredients for this recipe are simple. You need toasted baguette slices, sliced or mashed avocados, and chopped tomatoes. To elevate this bruschetta recipe, marry the goodness of avocado with a drizzle of chilli oil or olio di peperoncino. This avocado bruschetta recipe is sure to make its way into your staple breakfast items. It is also a great bruschetta recipe for appetisers at a house party.
3. Mushroom bruschetta
Whether it is the fancy portobellos and shiitake or your regular button mushrooms, this bruschetta recipe is a flavour bomb without much effort. While not an authentic Italian bruschetta recipe, this garlicky-herby mushroom appetiser is all you need on a cold gloomy day. The bruschetta ingredients for this recipe are quite simple. Stir fry your chopped mushrooms till the water dries out, add some chopped garlic, and herbs like oregano and basil for a fresh taste. Sprinkle some cheese on top, and enjoy this easy-to-make bruschetta recipe.
4. Bell pepper and sundried tomato bruschetta
A twist on the Italian bruschetta recipe, this one is sure to blow your mind. The bell pepper and sundried tomato bruschetta recipe is super easy to make and comes along under 10 minutes. The bruschetta ingredients for this recipe are sundried tomatoes, bell peppers (preferably yellow for a pop of colour), and fresh cheese.
The fresh cheese in this bruschetta recipe balances the savoury flavour of the sun-dried tomatoes very well, making it just the bruschetta recipe to try when you’re levelling up from the regular tomato bruschetta recipe.
5. Salami bruschetta
Italian bruschetta recipes are not all vegetarian. For lovers of cured meat, this bruschetta recipe is sure to hit the sweet spot. Coming from the Abruzzo region of the country, the bruschetta ingredients for this recipe include salami, kale pesto, and pecorino romano cheese.
On a toasted slice of baguette, spread some pesto made from kale and almonds. Layer 2-3 salami slices on top, and sprinkle some grated pecorino romano cheese on top for a bruschetta recipe like no other. If you’re however not a fan of kale pesto, you can replace it with cream cheese and replace pecorino romano cheese with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.