One of my all-time favorite Italian appetizers is a simple, yet classic Caprese. I absolutely love fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes. It is such a simple combination, but pure perfection. I didn’t think it could get better, and then it did. This bruschetta Caprese is even better than the all-time classic.
Adding in the crunchy garlic crostini baked with olive oil adds the perfect texture against the creamy mozzarella. If you’re looking for a classic appetizer to serve, pretty much anytime, you need to try this one.
This is such a simple recipe. I’m so glad I made this during heirloom tomato season. There is something so extra special about the unique colors and designs of the heirlooms. It makes the appetizer even more interesting, too.
As for the bread, you can use any type of bread you prefer. I would suggest an Italian loaf or a French loaf. You can always adjust the size of your tomato and cheese slices to work with whatever size your bread is. If you prefer more of a bite-sized appetizer, you could get a baguette and cut everything much smaller. I opted for a heartier size for sure.
To make this bruschetta Caprese, I sliced the tomatoes and cheese and cut them all in half. Then, I sliced the bread, added olive oil to each side of the bread, and broiled it just until it started to brown. Then, I cut a piece of garlic in half and rubbed it on each side of the bread for an extra garlicky flavor.
You can let the bread reach room temperature, or you can start stacking right away. I alternated cheese, tomatoes, and basil until the bread was covered. Since I used a few different colors of tomatoes, I liked how it looked to use two different colors on each piece of bread. You can decide what pattern you like best.
Once all of the pieces were done, I added salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil over each of the Caprese bruschetta. Some people also like to add a balsamic glaze drizzle. I prefer to serve that on the side as an option for people who like balsalmic.
I really hope you love this Caprese bruschetta. It’s so yummy and such an easy Italian appetizer to make. If you’re looking for other Italian recipes, click here.
Easy Bruschetta Caprese Recipe
Ingredients:
Tomatoes (I used heirloom
Italian Bread
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Balsamic Glaze (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to broil. Slice tomatoes and cheese. Slice bread and rub olive oil on each side. Place bread on a baking sheet and broil until the first side starts to turn golden brown. Flip and broil the other side. If you do not want to broil, you can bake at 300 until golden brown (takes much longer, but less likely to burn!).
Once the bread is out of the oven, rub a garlic clove all over each piece to impart garlic flavor. You can then stack the cheese, tomatoes and basil on each of the pieces, alternating until the bread is covered. Sprinkle salt and pepper over each piece, to your flavor preference, and drizzle with olive oil, and balsamic, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.