Roasted Tomato Bruschetta (Printable Version)

Sweet roasted tomatoes atop garlicky toasted bread, finished with fresh basil and olive oil for an Italian delight.

# What You'll Need:

→ Tomatoes

01 - 1 lb ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
02 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
03 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
04 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano

→ Bread

06 - 1 baguette or rustic Italian bread, cut into 0.6 inch thick slices (8–10 slices)
07 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

→ Toppings

08 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
09 - 10 fresh basil leaves, torn or sliced
10 - 1 tbsp balsamic glaze (optional)
11 - Extra sea salt and black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-Step:

01 - Set oven to 400°F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Arrange halved cherry tomatoes cut side up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with sea salt, black pepper, and dried oregano.
02 - Roast tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes until caramelized, soft, and slightly shriveled. Allow to cool briefly.
03 - Brush both sides of bread slices with remaining olive oil. Grill or broil for approximately 2 minutes per side until golden and crisp.
04 - While bread is warm, gently rub one side of each slice with a peeled garlic clove for subtle flavor infusion.
05 - Top toasted bread with roasted tomatoes, fresh basil, optional balsamic glaze, and a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper. Serve immediately while warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you've been cooking all day, but honestly takes about 40 minutes from start to finish
  • The roasted tomatoes become sweet and concentrated, nothing like raw tomato bruschetta you might have tried before
  • It's the kind of appetizer that makes people think you're way more fancy than you actually are
02 -
  • The roasting time is everything—those 20–25 minutes concentrate the tomato flavor in a way that raw tomatoes simply can't match. I used to skip this and wonder why mine didn't taste like the restaurant version.
  • Don't assemble these ahead of time. The bread loses its crispness if it sits with tomatoes on top. Prep everything, then assemble just before serving.
03 -
  • Pat your tomatoes dry before roasting—any excess moisture steams them instead of caramelizing them, and you want that deep, sweet, concentrated flavor
  • Don't skip the step of rubbing warm bread with garlic. It's subtle but it's the difference between good bruschetta and the kind people remember

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