Roasted tomatoes and garlic make this the best bruschetta in the world. It’s so easy to make – no chopping tomatoes involved.
Sunday night dinners in our house usually end up to be some sort of Italian feast – I mean, who doesn’t love a good meatball moment? J and I both have an undying love for gnocchi, pasta, more pasta, and pasta eaten straight out of the colander. On any given week, you can find us whipping up some Meatballs Subs, a hearty Venison Ragu, or Bolognese. We love making a Venison Lasagna or Pasta Bake to share with friends. Lately we have been obsessed with this Marry Me Venison Meatball dish. Italian food is simple, and I grew up spending Sunday nights with my dad babying our latest sauce creation. Bruschetta is always the perfect appetizer.
Oh a whim, I decided to roast the tomatoes first (I have a tendency to go crazy with the classics). I popped those little tomatoes in the oven with a healthy sprinkling of sliced garlic and a glug of olive oil.
After the tomatoes and garlic were roasted, I gave them a rough slice, added some basil and drizzled a bit of balsamic reduction. OMG – the taste is incredible!
THIS BRUSCHETTA RECIPE IS BOMB…and it’s so dang simple. I just had to make it again and give you the recipe. You absolutely MUST make it. I honestly think this one makes my top 10 OTB. Seriously.
INGREDIENTS AND KITCHEN TOOLS
- Grape or cherry tomatoes
- Garlic (sliced, fresh, raw garlic is key here)
- Olive oil
- Fresh basil
- Balsamic reduction
- Salt
- Pepper
- Crostini of your choice (I use my homemade sourdough toasted with olive oil, but you could use baguette, ciabatta or crackers too)
STEP BY STEP
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
Step 2: Lay the tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet. Slice the garlic and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss everything to combine.
Step 3: Pop into the oven for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the tomatoes are slightly browned and the garlic is soft. Allow this to cool a bit before transferring it to a cutting board to give the tomatoes a rough chop.
Step 4: Place the tomato mixture in a medium bowl or on a platter. Chop some basil and sprinkle it on the bruschetta. Finally, drizzle it with balsamic reduction. Serve with the crostini!
Cooking Tip
Trust the process on this one – Roasting the tomatoes and garlic enhances the flavor and takes a traditional bruschetta to the next level. Oh and I highly recommend toasted or grilled bread with this one, the texture is supreme.
HOW TO SERVE ROASTED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA
This is the easy part. With traditional bruschetta, you have to chop a bunch of tomatoes, onion, and garlic. With this recipe, you just dump pints of cherry tomatoes on a sheet pan, sprinkle on some sliced garlic, and after you glug on some olive oil, it roasts in the oven until all of the tomatoes burst and reduce.
You can give everything a rough chop if you’d like, or just sprinkle on some chiffonaded basil and call it a day. Oh, and don’t forget the balsamic glaze drizzle. I just snag some balsamic reduction at the grocery store, you can find it right next to the balsamic vinegar. Or, if you want to get crazy, make your own!
OTHER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Love easy appetizers? You have to try my:
Roasted Tomato & Garlic Bruschetta Dip
Roasted tomatoes and garlic make this the best bruschetta in the world. It’s so easy to make – no chopping tomatoes involved.
Ingredients
- 4 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
- 5 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt, more if desired
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1–2 Tbsp. chopped basil
- 1–2 Tbsp. balsamic reduction
- 1 tsp. salt, more if desired
- Crostini of your choice (I use my homemade sourdough toasted with olive oil, or premade)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet. Slice the garlic and sprinkle over the tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss everything to combine.
- Pop into the oven for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the tomatoes are slightly browned and the garlic is soft. Allow this to cool a bit before transferring it to a cutting board to give the tomatoes a rough chop.
- Place the tomatoes & garlic in a bowl or on a platter. Chop some basil and sprinkle it on the bruschetta. Finally, drizzle it with balsamic reduction. Serve with the crostini!
This post was originally published in December 2017 and was updated in December 2019.
