Pesto and Tomato Bruschetta Recipe (2024)

This is one of those recipes that’s more of a method, which I love to share. I’m all about you being able to customize recipes to your tastes and based on what you have on hand!

A simple tomato bruschetta recipe is elevated by adding a layer of basil pesto and an option to drizzle everything with a bit of balsamic glaze. And trust me, it’s delicious with or without it, but you should try the glaze at least once!

Perfect for summer parties, or a fun appetizer lunch or dinner, you’ll love how quickly and easily it comes together.

With options to make the pesto and balsamic glaze from scratch or take some help from the grocery store, you’ll find a version that works for you!

How to make basil pesto bruschetta?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Mix tomato topping. Mixing the topping a little bit ahead helps those flavors really meld.
2. Toast bread. Any time you’re broiling, especially with bread, keep a close eye on it. I’ve burnt plenty of bread by being distracted while it was under the broiler!
3. Assemble. Add pesto, tomato topping, and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Variations of this recipe

• Pesto – we love to make this bruschetta with some homemade pesto (seriously, the flavor is insane!), but if you’d like to save some time, you can use your favorite brand of store-bought pesto.
• Tomatoes – if you’re making this recipe in the summer when you can find incredibly sweet tomatoes practically all the time, feel free to use any tomatoes you’d like. But if it’s off-season, we usually prefer cherry or grape tomatoes, since they’ll more closely mimic the sweetness of summer tomatoes.
• More garlic flavor – garlic lover? Me too! After you broil the baguette slices, and they’re crispy and hot, slice off the tip of a clove of garlic. Then rub the garlic clove over the baguette slices. The heat and craggy surface area of the bread will sort of “melt” the garlic into all the nooks and crannies, and you’ll have some amazing flavor!
• Cheese – feel free to quarter some fresh mozzarella pearls or add some freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the tomato mixture.
• Balsamic glaze – to save time, I typically buy a bottle of balsamic glaze from the grocery store, but you can certainly make your own if you’d like. In a skillet, add about a cup of balsamic vinegar and cook it over a medium-low heat. The exact time will vary, but you want the vinegar to reduce down and turn into a syrupy consistency.

Making bruschetta ahead of time

This recipe is one that is definitely made fresh, right before serving. Otherwise, the bread gets too soggy.

However, you can definitely prep ahead for this recipe:

• Bread – the baguette can be sliced, and kept stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Pesto – if you’re making homemade pesto, it can be made and kept refrigerated.
• Balsamic glaze – if you’re making your own glaze, it can be made and cooled, then refrigerated.

Storage

Storing the assembled bruschetta isn’t recommended, since both the pesto and tomato topping would make the bread soggy and unappetizing.

However, the tomato topping can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days. Keep in mind though, that the longer the tomatoes are refrigerated, the wetter the mixture will be, and the tomatoes can get a bit mealy in texture.

My Favorite Bread Knife!

Making great bruschetta is super easy when you have a sharp serrated knife to slice the baguette on the bias. This knife is inexpensive and works really well! I do have this fancier knife from Wusthof, but it’s definitely very pricey.

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