Vegan Bruschetta Toppings Done Four Ways
If you’re looking for wonderful homemade vegan bruschetta topping ideas (which in this case have been done four different ways), then you’ve come to the right place!
I could have just made the classic tomato and basil bruschetta recipe, but I wanted to share more with you. So that if you want to mix things up or have multiple options, you can do so.
The recipes that I’ll be sharing in this post are a classic tomato and basil bruschetta, a mushroom and thyme bruschetta, an olive and oregano bruschetta, and lastly smashed peas and mint bruschetta.
How does that lineup sound?
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How to make vegan bruschetta
All of these vegan bruschetta recipes are super quick and easy. You can make them at home and serve them at any gathering as delicious and fresh easy vegan appetizers. They also make a great healthy snack recipe as well as finger food at a party (think girl’s night or cocktail party).
With the holiday season upon us, I thought that this would be the perfect time to share some wonderful recipes that you can try out and enjoy with your guests. The best part is that they are so quick to put together!
Over a decade ago, every time I used to go to an Italian family friends home, she would always make fresh tomato bruschetta. She grows her own produce and in the summertime had an abundance of tomatoes.
I would watch her make it and noticed she would always rub fresh garlic onto the bread when they were toasted to add a beautiful layer of extra flavour. The freshly toasted bread acts like a grater so it’s not overpowering when eating it.
What to serve with your vegan bruschetta?
You might be wondering what goes well with these different bruschetta recipes as they’re a great meal on their own as well. You can pair them with:
- A salad
- Side of a pasta dish
- These rustic eggplant patties in tomato sauce
- This roasted eggplant and capsicum buckwheat salad
- Side of a risotto
What bread to use?
There are a few different types of bread you can use for a vegan bruschetta recipe. The types that I have used and would recommend are a crusty Italian baguette, a sourdough baguette, a classic French baguette, a locally made sourdough, or a ciabatta. I would have to say that I can’t go past a good ciabatta loaf or roll!
When choosing bread for your bruschetta, make sure to use one that isn’t too soft or a typical store-bought white bread. The toppings will make the bread soggy very quickly and won’t be able to hold up your ingredients—making it an ugly and messy situation for you or your guests!
A few tips on making a good vegan bruschetta topping
The best bruschetta will be the one that you used fresh and seasonal ingredients for. I source mine directly from the farmer’s markets on a Saturday morning. When you buy organic produce, you can really taste the difference.
Now, let’s get into it. We’ll kick off with the classic. A tomato and basil bruschetta.
If you’re wondering what are the best tomatoes to use for your bruschetta, it honestly doesn’t matter.
Here’s a tip though, scoop out the seeds and the liquid from the tomatoes before use. Otherwise your bread, no matter what kind, will become a soggy mess—even if you eat it pretty much immediately! I normally scoop out half of them.
You can save that pulp and use it in soups, any other tomato-based dish you make, dry them out to grow your own tomatoes, or pop them in your compost.
Other vegan appetizers to try:
- Spiced Roasted Pumpkin with Farro and Hummus
- Easy Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
- Panzanella Salad (Italian Tomato & Bread Salad)
- Homemade Vegan Falafel
- Spiced Quinoa and Eggplant Rolls (GF)
- Romesco Dip (Gluten-Free)
- Easy Vegan Tomato Tarts with Pesto
If you try these recipes, let me know! We’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below. If you want to go that extra mile, tag us on Instagram or share your photo of the recipe/s on Pinterest.
Classic Tomato and Basil Bruschetta Recipe
This classic delicious tomato bruschetta will win over anyone. Super quick and easy to make and best served fresh.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups tomatoes, chopped and seeds removed*
- Large handful of basil, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 6-8 slices of bread (baguette or ciabatta are best)
- ½ a clove of garlic
Instructions
- In a bowl, add the tomatoes, basil, red onion, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and toss well.
- Brush the sliced bread with rest of the olive oil on both sides and add to a hot skillet or oven grill. Grill on each side for around 2-3 minutes if using a hot skillet or 5-7 in the oven.
- Rub the garlic on the bread before topping generously with tomato mix.
- Serve right away.
Notes
Tomatoes: I only remove half of the seeds so that the bread doesn't get too soggy. In this recipe, I used heirloom and cherry tomatoes.
Mushrooms With Thyme Bruschetta Recipe
The perfect flavour combination of mushrooms, thyme and garlic to satisfy any palette. Quick and easy to whip up and serve.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 13 / 300g / 10.58 ounces button or brown mushrooms, sliced
- 2 sprigs of thyme, chopped finely (extra for decoration, optional)
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (plus ½ a clove of garlic for rubbing on bread)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra for drizzling)
- 6-8 slices of bread (baguette or ciabatta are best)
Instructions
- On a hot skillet, add the oil and mushrooms sauteing for a few minutes until they start to soften and brown.
- Add in the thyme and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes tossing in between to make sure the mushrooms and cooked evenly.
- Season and cook for a further few minutes. Take off heat and set aside.
- Brush the sliced bread with olive oil on both sides and add to a hot skillet or oven grill. Grill on each side for around 2-3 minutes if using a hot skillet or 5-7 in the oven.
- Rub the garlic on the bread before topping generously with the mushroom mix
- Drizzle a little bit of olive oil, and top with fresh thyme (optional) and serve warm.
Olive and Oregano Bruschetta Recipe
A burst of great flavours that are fresh, zesty, and garlicky. This olive and oregano bruschetta will wake up your taste buds and get them dancing!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups good quality pitted olives (I used a mix of kalamata and green)
- 2 sprigs of fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Pepper, to taste
- 6-8 slices of bread (baguette or ciabatta are best)
- ½ clove of garlic
Instructions
- Combine the olives, oregano, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Brush the sliced bread with the leftover olive oil on both sides and add to a hot skillet or oven grill. Grill on each side for around 2-3 minutes if using a hot skillet or 5-7 in the oven.
- Rub the garlic on the bread before topping generously with the olive mix.
Mashed Peas with Mint Bruschetta Recipe
This creamy bruschetta topping is a great combination of the classical peas and fresh mint to get some gorgeous green on your plate.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups / 200g frozen peas
- A handful of mint leaves
- 1 clove of garlic, minced (plus ½ clove of garlic for rubbing on bread)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- 6-8 slices of bread (baguette or ciabatta are best)
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add the peas. Blanch them for 60 seconds in the water. Strain.
- In a food processor or using a stick blender, add the peas, mint, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until you get a consistency that sticks together but is still chunky.
- Brush the sliced bread with the remaining olive oil on both sides and add to a hot skillet or oven grill. Grill on each side for around 2-3 minutes if using a hot skillet or 5-7 in the oven.
- Rub the garlic on the bread before topping generously with the pea mix.
Vegan bruschetta recipes made with fresh or warm vegetables paired with the right herbs, it’s a bit of an eenie meenie miney mo situation for me each time I go to choose!
I made the mashed peas with mint recipe for a group of foodies and it was a huge hit. I did use fresh peas rather than frozen, but other than that, I followed the recipe as published. I think with fresh peas, I would blanch for longer than 60 seconds in the future. Had they been frozen, I believe 60 seconds would have been perfect. This recipe is a keeper for sure! It is bright and delicious.
So glad that it was a hit! Such an easy and tasty starter to share with others 🙂