Mediterranean Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer

For years, I have been making this fresh and vibrant appetizer for our guests, but I have never created an official recipe for it. I always get asked how I make it, so I am finally sharing the recipe for my Mediterranean Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer for all of you who have been asking for it.

I have always preferred stronger flavors and this Bruschetta does not disappoint in that area! This is one of those recipes, though, that you can easily moderate the flavors by using smaller amounts of the ingredients.

Most of my cooking is typically “off the hip”, so to speak. Typically, I do not do a lot of measuring and always adapt any recipes I am using to my own tastes. So, for this recipe, I took the time to make a couple of batches so I could record the measurements for you.

My Mediterranean Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer

Let’s start with the Bruschetta first. It is probable that most folks consider Bruschetta to be a tomato dish. However, Bruschetta is actually the French way the bread is prepared. What you top the bread with is totally up to you. You could use combinations of tomatoes, mushrooms, olives…to name a few.

The French preparation calls for drizzling olive oil over the sliced bread, toast it, and then rub fresh garlic over it. I prefer not to touch garlic with my fingers, so I handle this step in a different way. I simply soak fresh minced garlic in the olive oil and then brush the mixture (with my basting brush) on each slice of bread after it is toasted.

In my opinion, french bread (in baguette form) is the best option. However, I prefer to eat gluten-free, so I just substitute my favorite gluten-free bread and prepare it the same way, and voila!

A good, firm Roma tomato makes this dish, but you could certainly substitute other tomato varieties. For the onions, I use red onions for both the color and the subtle flavor. However, I have used both white and yellow onions throughout the years and it also works. Just use what you prefer.

In a pinch, I have used dried basil, but fresh is best! If you need to use dried basil, I would let the topping sit for a little while longer for the flavors to have a little more time to build.

For most of my savory recipes like this one, I always use my House Seasoning (a perfect combination of salt, pepper, and garlic granules. You can find my recipe HERE.

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One of my other favorite appetizers that I like to serve with this Bruschetta is my Roasted Rosemary Marcona Almonds. The nutty rosemary flavor compliments the tartness of the tomatoes perfectly (it is also made with my House Seasoning!)!

Hopefully, you will enjoy this Mediterranean Tomato Bruschetta Appetizer as much as my friends and family do! It is so fresh and beautiful and full of complementary flavors. Let me know what you think!