This Strawberry Bruschetta is a strawberry twist on the classic tomato bruschetta we all know and love. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and it's the perfect appetizer for summer dinner parties or BBQs during strawberry season!
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Why This Recipe Works
The perfect summer appetizer - Nothing beats the flavor of strawberries during late spring and early summer! Combine them with some balsamic and creamy goat cheese and you got the perfect spring and summer appetizer!
Light and refreshing - The sweet strawberries go perfectly with the creamy goat cheese and tart balsamic. It's fresh, light, and good for you!
Quick and easy - This is one of those appetizers you can easily whip up last minute. The only cooking you need to do is toasting the baguette! Then just chop up your strawberries and mix them with fresh basil and balsamic vinegar. Top your toasted baguette slices with soft goat cheese or cream cheese, the strawberries, and voila, your appetizer is ready!
Versatile - You can make this bruschetta gluten-free by using gluten-free bread or a baguette or you can make it dairy-free by using vegan cream cheese!
Ingredients
- Baguette - My go-to is a sourdough French baguette (the one with the pointy ends). It toasts nicely and it's perfect for bruschetta or crostini.
- Soft goat cheese - Plain creamy spreadable goat cheese is what you're looking for here. They usually come in small 100-150g logs. You can also use regular cream cheese if you prefer.
- Strawberries - The best strawberries will be those dark red, extra sweet, strawberries you can get while they're in season during spring and summer!
- Fresh basil - Fresh basil is a must in any tomato or strawberry bruschetta. It may sound like a strange combination but just trust me, it's so good!
- Balsamic vinegar - The tart and sweet flavor of balsamic goes really well with strawberries. If you've never had it, I highly recommend you give it a try!
- Balsamic glaze - The finished bruschetta is drizzled with balsamic glaze. Balsamic glaze also called balsamic reduction is cooked-down balsamic vinegar with cane sugar or other sweeteners which turns it into a dark sticky sweet sauce with a deep balsamic flavor and much less tartness. It can be found in most grocery stores.
Variations and Substitutions
- Tomatoes - If you want to make it more interesting, you can mix some finely diced tomatoes into the strawberries to bring back the classic tomato bruschetta flavor into the mix.
- Fresh mint - If you don't have basil, you can also use fresh mint. A small amount goes a long way, you'll need less than basil. Or you can combine both fresh basil and mint.
- Ricotta cheese - This bruschetta would also be delicious with ricotta instead of goat cheese!
- Cream cheese - If you don't like goat cheese, you can use regular plain cream cheese instead. You can use practically any soft cheese for this bruschetta.
- Vegan and gluten-free - Use gluten-free bread or dairy-free cheese to make the bruschetta vegan.
- Serve it on bread - You can serve this as a light lunch or as a side with a salad. Just toast a slice of sourdough bread instead of small slices of a baguette and top it with the creamy cheese and strawberry mixture!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C).
- Slice the baguette into thick slices and lay them out  in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle or spray with cooking oil and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- While the baguette is toasting, prepare the strawberries.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped strawberries, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped fresh basil. I recommend chopping basil by putting all leaves on top of each other, rolling them up, and slicing them into thin strips.
- Spread soft goat cheese on the toasted baguette and top with the strawberry mixture.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and flaky sea salt.
- Garnish with more basil leaves if desired and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the bruschetta immediately after you top the toasted bread with the goat cheese and strawberries. It may lose its crispiness if it sits for too long.
You can serve the appetizer with just the bread, goat cheese, and tomato mixture but I highly recommend drizzling it with balsamic glaze for added flavor and sprinkling with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. For garnish, you can also add small fresh basil leaves on top.
Storing
The finished bruschetta is best enjoyed right away. Once you toast the baguette, it will turn very hard if it sits around too long. Adding the cheese and strawberries would make it soggy if you made the bruschetta ahead.
You can store the strawberries for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. They will release more juice and become more mushy the longer they sit.
FAQs
No, the texture of defrosted strawberries will be way too mushy for this recipe.
No, again the texture would be too mushy once you defrost them.
Dried basil can be used in a pinch but it won't have the same bright flavor as fresh basil. I recommend using fresh whenever possible.
Similar Strawberry Recipes
Below are four recipes with strawberries that have some unexpected flavors. Have you ever had a mojito with strawberries and basil? It's so good! I even made it into a lemonade so the whole family can enjoy it! The salad is the perfect side for a summer BBQ and the matcha latte is always a hit at brunch. If you want to see more appetizer ideas, head over to the Appetizers category.
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
- Strawberry Basil Lemonade
- Strawberry Basil Mojito
- Iced Strawberry Oat Matcha Latte
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Bruschetta
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3-6 (12-14 slices) 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Strawberry Bruschetta is a strawberry twist on the classic tomato bruschetta we all know and love. It's the perfect appetizer for summer dinner parties or BBQs during strawberry season!
Ingredients
- 1 French baguette
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or avocado oil in a spray)
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- A handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
- 200g soft goat cheese (or cream cheese)
- For serving: balsamic glaze, freshly ground black pepper, and flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F (200C).
- Slice the baguette into thick slices and lay them out on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle or spray with cooking oil and toast in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
- While the baguette is toasting, prepare the strawberries.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the chopped strawberries, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and chopped fresh basil. I recommend chopping basil by putting all leaves on top of each other, rolling them up, and slicing them into thin strips.
- Spread soft goat cheese on the toasted baguette and top with the strawberry mixture.
- Drizzle with balsamic glaze and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and flaky sea salt.
- Garnish with more basil leaves if desired and enjoy!
Notes
Storing: The bruschetta is best made to serving. Once you toast the baguette, it will turn very hard if it sits around too long. Adding the cheese and strawberries would make it soggy if you made the bruschetta ahead. You can store the strawberries for 1-2 days in an airtight container in the fridge. They will release more juice and become more mushy the longer they sit.
Nutritional information is only a rough estimate. It will vary based on the baguette you use and how thick your slices are.
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Ashley says
I LOVE this flavor combination! It's such a nice alternative to traditional tomato bruschetta. I've even grilled the bread before to add a little smoky flavor too.
Marta says
I loved the strawberry flavor in this bruschetta recipe. It was a nice change of pace from the traditional tomatoes.
Gloria says
Strawberry season is just around the corner. This is perfect as an appetizer or even dessert. Great to add to the brunch menu as well.
Megane says
This was so simple and really hit the spot. So pretty too! Thanks so much.
Loreto and Nicoletta says
In our house we can't keep strawberries long. They just dissappear. Love this idea of using strawberries on bruschetta. What a great summer appetizer recipe! Love the combination with goat cheese! Yummy 😋
Thanks for sharing!
Bernice says
Such delicious little bites. I could have them for breakfast lunch or snacks! One of my favourite things to make with ripe red strawberries.
Tammy says
I for one love goat cheese and I think it pairs marvelously with the sweetness of strawberries. That sweet and savory combo is my favorite. Lovely little appetizer!
Leslie says
I absolutely adore this Strawberry Bruschetta recipe! The flavors of strawberries and goat cheese are perfection!
Julie Wunder says
We got a bunch of strawberries at the Farmer's Market and made this with part of them. It was such a nice appetizer for the family.
Sean says
Strawberries are perfect for the summer and this bruschetta is such a great way to use them and it was so tasty.