Cherry tomato bruschetta is a delicious, eye catching appetizer. Crumbled feta cheese top crispy Italian bread slices covered with cherry tomatoes and finished with a basil chiffonade. A perfect starter for any occasion!
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Not only are these bruschetta bites incredibly simple to put together - they also just take minutes, so you can spend less time in the kitchen prepping and more time mingling with your guests.
Chopped rainbow cherry tomatoes and crumbled feta cheese top crispy Italian bread slices, seasoned with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Salty feta cheese and a basil chiffonade completes this flavorful dish.
The bright colors are sure to bring some extra oomph to any party or get-together.
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Ingredients
If you're ready to wow your family & friends - while sending everyone's taste buds soaring - then keep reading this post. We've got all the details on how to make amazing cherry tomato bruschetta!
- Cherry tomatoes - all red or tricolor, diced up in small pieces.
- Garlic cloves - minced up small, or grated.
- Extra virgin olive oil - the bright green notes in EVOO are brilliant in this recipe.
- Balsamic vinegar - choose your favorite. I like an aged, thicker balsamic vinegar, but ANY, to include clear or white balsamic vinegar are perfect.
- Feta Cheese - crumbled up.
- Basil leaves, fresh - Reserve some for garnishing our serving platter of bruschetta.
- Italian Bread or Baguette - sliced into thin rounds for toasting.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Making Bruschetta with Cherry Tomatoes
Even novice home cooks can make this savory Italian appetizer with minimal effort.
This bruschetta with sweet cherry tomatoes is combined with garlic, basil and salty feta cheese - all piled atop Italian bread, crispy toast points, or baguette slices. In no time at all you'll have a flavorful little bite that's sure to impress!
Tomato Feta Bruschetta Mixture
- Preheat your oven to 375 F and set out a large rimmed cookie sheet for toasting the bread for bruschetta later.
- In a medium bowl, add the diced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well to coat all the diced cherry tomatoes.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate to let marinate for an hour minimum, two hours if possible.
After Marinating the Tomatoes
- Add the crumbled feta cheese and the minced fresh basil after you remove the chopped, seasoned tomatoes from the refrigerator. Fold the feta cheese and basil in to mix evenly with the diced cherry tomatoes.
- Cover and refrigerate again while preparing the bread for bruschetta toasts.
Bread for Bruschetta
- Cut a loaf of Italian bread, long skinny french bread, or baguettes into ¼" slices.
- Lay them out in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Drizzle or brush the tops of the bread rounds with olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes in the 375 F preheated oven.
- Remove the lightly toasted bread from the oven and place on a platter in a single layer.
Alternatively, you can top each of the bread rounds with the bruschetta mixture right on the cookie sheet, then transfer what you need to serving platters.
Mix and Serve as Bruschetta Bites
- Remove the tomato and feta mixture from the refrigerator. Top each toasted slice of bread with a spoonful of the cherry tomato and feta cheese mixture.
- Garnish each cherry tomato bruschetta bite with a sprinkle of minced fresh basil and serve!
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cherry tomato appetizer along side other savory bites at your next gathering. For more ideas, see our Christmas Wreath Appetizer, Italian Charcuterie Board, and Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls. Enjoy!
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Substitutions
You can omit or substitute the feta cheese with any cheese crumbles you like, such as crumbled Gorgonzola or blue cheese.
Variations
This bruschetta recipe is so quick and easy to make, that you'll want to try a few variations, to search in place of the cherry tomato bruschetta, or along side!
- Green Tomato Bruschetta- Replace the rainbow cherry tomatoes with green tomatoes, chopped up coarsely. Add your feta and toss everything in the balsamic vinegar dressing.
- Olive & Feta Bruschetta - Replace the cherry tomatoes with a mixture of black and green chopped olives. Follow the rest of the recipe.
Storage
Store the cherry tomato bruschetta mixture covered in the refrigerator. You can make this bruschetta mixture up to 2 days ahead of time.
Tips for Success
- Look for firm fresh cherry tomatoes, they hold up in the dressing the best.
- Don't refrigerate the bruschetta mixture for more than 2 hours after the basil is mixed in, as the bright green will change to a brown. It won't affect taste, but it does not look as fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, tomatoes do not freeze well.
No, you can use Roma tomatoes. Roma tomatoes will have more 'meat' than regular tomatoes. If you do need to use regular salad tomatoes, remove some of the watery seed core so your bruschetta is not so wet.
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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📖 Recipe
Cherry Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 16 oz Cherry tomatoes diced small
- 4 cloves garlic minced fine, or grated
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 6 oz feta cheese crumbles
- 1 oz basil leaves minced or chiffonade, plus extra for garnish
- 1 lb French Bread long skinny loaf (or Italian bread, or baguettes)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 F and set out a large rimmed cookie sheet for toasting the bread for bruschetta later.
For the Cherry Tomato Mixture
- In a medium bowl, add the diced cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Mix well to coat all the diced cherry tomatoes. Cover the bowl and refrigerate to let marinate for an hour minimum, two hours if possible.16 oz Cherry tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- Add the crumbled feta cheese and the minced fresh basil after you remove the chopped, seasoned tomatoes from the refrigerator. Fold the feta cheese and basil in to mix evenly with the diced cherry tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate again while preparing the bread for bruschetta toasts.6 oz feta cheese, 1 oz basil leaves
For the Bruschetta Toast Rounds
- Cut a loaf of Italian bread, long skinny french bread, or baguettes into ¼" slices. Lay them out in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Drizzle or brush the tops of the bread rounds with olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes in the 375 F preheated oven.1 lb French Bread
- Remove the lightly toasted bread from the oven and place on a platter in a single layer. Alternatively, you can top each of the bread rounds with the bruschetta mixture right on the cookie sheet, then transfer what you need to serving platters.
Making the Bruschettas
- Remove the tomato and feta mixture from the refrigerator. Top each toasted slice of bread with a spoonful of the cherry tomato and feta cheese mixture. Garnish each cherry tomato bruschetta bite with a sprinkle of minced fresh basil and serve!
Notes
- Look for firm fresh cherry tomatoes, they hold up in the dressing the best.
- Don't refrigerate the bruschetta mixture for more than 2 hours after the basil is mixed in, as the bright green will change to a brown. It won't affect taste, but it does not look as fresh.
Nutrition
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