I absolutely LOVE bruschetta. Probably because I love to make charcuterie boards (see my post on how to make one), wine, and otherwise any kind of tapas plates.

I love to throw a cocktail party too (see my post about cocktail parties in a small home), and a variety of bruschettas are a real crowd pleaser.

I love them because they are not only delicious, but SO easy to make. Just grab a French or Italian baguette (the fresher the better…Farmers Market is coming soon!), and slice into small rounds. Top with a bit of olive oil, and then they’re ready for your toppings.

Feel free to add toppings after toasting the bread, but I like to bake mine with everything on top, so the cheese melts slightly and the flavors mesh together. Regardless, you want to bake these at 350 degrees for about ten minutes.

Traditional Style

Most people are familiar with the most popular bruschetta with tomato, garlic mozzarella and basil. I had a version of this in Italy with the lightest, whipped ricotta- OMG.

To make this style just cut grape tomatoes into small pieces and add diced red onion, a couple minced garlic cloves, some red pepper flakes or jalapeños, and some olive oil. Spread this mixture onto your bread pieces, and cut a few pieces of fresh mozzerella to lay on top with a bit of parmesan. After baking, add a few sprigs of fresh basil (see an upcoming blog on growing fresh herbs!). This always comes out perfectly, and the marriage of sweet tomatoes and salty cheese is just sublime.

There are many more varieties of this wonderful treat to try! The secret is to use some sort of tart or sweet fruit or vegetable with a cheese and maybe a meat that marries well with the flavor. Additions of things like nuts, jams, or honey make your bruschetta complete.

Five of My All-Time Favorite Bruschetta

These are my favorites that I make regularly; with the super-simple recipes.

Strawberry Ricotta with Balsamic. Strawberry season is starting in my neck of the woods, it’s so exciting! This is a wonderful recipe for using these super fresh berries.

A delicious topping for fruit in general, is a balsamic vinegar reduction, and it works really well here. Bring a pot with some balsamic vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar to a simmer on the stove top. Keep an eye on it, and when it starts to turn thicker, turn off the heat and cover the pot.

Cut fresh strawberries into small pieces. Put a generous dollop of ricotta cheese onto your prepared bread slice and top with a spoonful of strawberries. When baked, drizzle some balsamic reduction, and finish with a sprig of fresh basil.

Pear with Bleu Cheese and Honey. Cut up some ripe Barlett pears into small slices. Add some small chunks of bleu cheese to the prepared bread slices, then layer the pear slices until covering the bread.

You can also use a bleu cheese salad dressing if you’d like. I like to use this because they come in fat free varieties, and also are milder in flavor than a full piece of bleu cheese. The taste of this cheese can be a bit polarizing, and I prefer it milder. When the bruschetta is baked, drizzle a yummy honey and add some walnuts before serving!

Carmelized Onion. We absolutely love onions- raw in salads, caramelized, pickled (see our homemade versus buying post), roasted…really any way.

For this recipe, heat up a pan with some olive oil on the stovetop, and add some sliced red onions. Stir frequently, cooking until translucent. Slice some fresh mozzarella and arrange slices on the prepared bread rounds. Top with a generous helping of the onion mixture. When baked, top with fresh diced tomato and parmesan.

Pineapple with Jalapeno. One of the most delicious drinks I ever had was a spicy pineapple ginger beer in Seattle (Rachels Ginger Beer). I absolutely adore this flavor combination! And it works great on a bruschetta too.

Line your prepared bread with slices of a very mild cheese with a little bite. I go for something like colby jack, gruyere or gouda. Slice the pineapple thinly and add that to the cheese. Add a few pieces of very thinly sliced fresh jalapeños and bake. Drizzle with fresh honey before serving.

Mango with Prosciutto. Just like sweet fruit marries well with salty cheese, it also goes great with salty meat, hence why you often find Italian meats on a charcuterie board.

Place some fresh mozzarella on your bread rounds. Add slices of ripe mango (for how to cut a mango, see this video here) to cover the cheese. Layer a few pieces of prosciutto on top and bake.

I always top all my bruschetta with a little finishing salt too, fyi. This brings out the flavor of these wonderful toasts, so don’t forget it!

Try your hand at making your own bruschetta combinations! Use inspiration from fruits and vegetables that are in season throughout the year (like peaches in July and August), and pick some up at your local Farmers Market (see my post on what is worth buying at the market).

Some other topping ideas to try: cooked shrimp, olive tempanade, feta, pepperoni, poblano or cherry peppers, cherries, blueberries, sun dried tomatoes, peaches, mushrooms, cilantro or mint, fruit or vegetable jams, different nuts…the list goes on!

Enjoy a plate of bruschetta with a nice glass of wine outside on the patio, and welcome summer!