Easy-to-Make Breakfast: Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

Many plant-based eaters and non-plant-based eaters alike claim that their favorite breakfast is avocado toast because it's easy-to-make, tastes delicious and is loaded with healthy fats. All of which is true, but if you want to give your taste buds something else to savor, without compromising your health, bruschetta with tomato and fresh herbs is the way to go. If you love tomatoes, this recipe will become your go-to breakfast.

First, before you make your toast, be sure to use quality ingredients because you will notice the difference in taste. Try to buy local tomatoes and basil from your farmer's market and treat yourself to a nice bottle of olive oil, which you can buy at Italian gourmet stores or order online from specialty retailers. Quality ingredients will last you a long time and taste better.

Then, follow the recipe step-by-step and add more or fewer ingredients depending on how you like your bruschetta. Watch the helpful video by the recipe developer below! Enjoy.

Here Are Some Pro Tips From the Recipe Developer: "If you want a decent olive oil from your supermarket look for three things on the label: 1) extra virgin, 2) olives origin from Italy, 3) produced in Italy. In my opinion, Spanish and Greek oils can be too strong for bruschetta."

Don't add oil before toasting the bread:

"Some people add oil before toasting the bread, however, we strongly recommend you not to do that. First, the heat will ruin the flavor of the oil and if you spent money on a good quality cold-pressed olive oil you definitely don't want to ruin it by warming it up. Second, olive oils burn easily and when heated on a grill it will create unhealthy compounds that you don't want to eat."

Rub the garlic
"Rub the garlic on the bread while still hot. The heat will help the garlic aroma infuse into all the little cracks of the bread crumb. It will taste so much better than just adding garlic slices into your toppings."

Eat it asap!
"Eat toasted bread as soon as ready as with every second that passes it will lose fragrance and moisture becoming harder and harder and less enjoyable to eat."

Remove the black burned parts
"It can happen that when you toast the bread some parts will burn and turn black. Golden and brown parts are fine, but if you notice black charcoal-like spots on your bread you should rub them off. Acrylamide, a substance you don't want to eat, is on burnt bread."

Recipe Developer:  The Plant-Based School

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Bruschetta with Tomatoes and Fresh Herbs

Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 8 slices bread (500 grams)
• 5 medium ripe tomatoes (500 grams)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 15 leaves basil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 0.5 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the tomatoes, then with a paring knife remove their stem.
2. With a serrated knife (bread knife) cut the tomatoes in slices
3. Then cut the tomato slices into small dice of similar size.
4. In a bowl, add the diced tomatoes while draining some of their liquid, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, crushed and peeled garlic cloves, sea salt, pepper, and basil leaves that you tear apart with your hands.
5. Mix well with a spoon until all the ingredients are well combined together. Taste and if necessary adjust flavor. Let marinate at room temperature for about 10 - 15 minutes
6. In the meantime, slice the bread into 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) thick slices.
7. Toast the bread in the oven - preferably with grill function - until golden and crunchy. If the edges of the bread get dark and burned, scrap away that part with a knife as it is very unhealthy to eat.
8. Put the toasted bread on a cutting board or serving plate, then with a spoon put some tomato mix on top.
9. If you want to make white bruschetta you just need to rub the toasted bread with some garlic, then add some good quality extra virgin olive oil and sea salt on top. Serve and eat immediately!