Classic Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze
Loaded with fresh, juicy tomatoes, this classic Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze is the perfect appetiser for hot summer days!
The days of summer are getting hotter already, alright. I spent about 10 minutes outside this week and it was pretty hot! The kind of heat that warrants an endless supply of sangria followed by diving into a cold pool. The thought alone is cooling me down. Oh, don’t worry, I already thought of a snack option when you get out of that pool, and it’s Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze.
I’ve had a bruschetta obsession for quite a while, so much so that I’ve even incorporated it into dinners! There’s an italian restaurant here that for the past few weeks, we’ve been ordering the same meal from. Okay, I’ve been ordering the exact same meal from. Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze and Shrimp Scampi – I’m kind of obsessed. One day I was craving it so much then it hit me, wait, why aren’t we making me this at home?
This appetiser took less than fifteen minutes to come together. Mr. Bakes chopped the tomatoes, I stood over the balsamic glaze and ‘tested it just in case’ and in ten minutes, it was ready to be devoured. We had a vegan focaccia loaf and sliced it on an angle to create the typical bruschetta shape, which actually provided a delicious array of herb-filled flavours. I wanted to be as traditional as possible to the original bruschetta so after brushing the bread with garlic, the next step was diced tomatoes, salt, pepper and olive oil. How could something so simple taste so delicious? The olive oil soaks into the loaf a bit, and I think we all know olive oil soaked bread is actually the best thing in the world.
The balsamic glaze was so simple. I added balsamic vinegar, two tablespoons of brown sugar, and salt and pepper. Seriously, the simplicity of this recipe blows me away. The glaze adds a delicious contrast to the tomatoes, and the sugar helps to tone down the bite of the vinegar. You honestly won’t be needing all of it for one set of bruschetta, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll need this on hand to put on top of basically everything.
In a nutshell these bruschetta babies are juicy, flavourful, loaded with fresh ingredients and vegan! So, after you’ve dived into your pool, and you have your sangria and bruschetta in hand, give me a call and invite me over, will ya?
Classic Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
Bruschetta:
- 3 firm medium tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 vegan focaccia loaf
- 1 clove of garlic, cut in half
Balsamic Glaze:
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- herbs, for garnish
Instructions
Bruschetta
- Dice tomatoes into small cubes, and place in a bowl with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat, and set aside.
- Slice focaccia loaf into slices as a base for bruschetta.Toast the slices for about 3 minutes until toasted. Brush the freshly hot slices with the garlic.
- Top with the tomato mixture, then balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
Balsamic Glaze
- In a pot over medium high heat, heat all the ingredients and stir. Watch carefully - the glaze should begin to thicken after 5 minutes and you want it thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon, but not to thicken into a glob. It becomes very thick very quickly so watch carefully.
- Once glaze has thickened, remove from heat. Pour over the bruschetta. Top with herbs.
- The glaze can be stored in the refrigerator once it has cooled down for at least a month.
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I just came across this recipe! I actually made it yesterday. While it was good, my hubby and I felt that there was too much ground pepper in it when you consider there is a teaspoon in the tomato mixture, and a teaspoon in the glaze. It was a bit overpowering. Next time I will cut the total pepper at LEAST in half. I also added a clove of minced garlic to the tomato mixture and let it sit all day. I used chopped basil as my herb before serving. Very good! Thank you for this easy, delicious recipe!
Hi Deb,
Thank you so much! I agree – this is an old recipe and my pepper amounts are definitely out of whack. I’ve just adjusted it to reflect – thank you!!
Made for football game yesterday and they cleaned them up! Not only did it look fantastic the taste was incredible. Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Lisa,
I’m so happy to hear that!! You’re so welcome and thanks for your feedback!
I love the flavor combination on this bruschetta! Such an easy and delicious appetizer!
Thank you so much Bee. Thanks for your kind words!