Bruschetta in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it
Quick answer
Bruschetta is grilled bread rubbed with garlic and dressed with olive oil, in its plainest form, or topped with chopped tomato and basil in the version most people know. The word is from bruscare, to roast over coals, and it is pronounced broo-SKET-ta, not broo-SHET-ta. It is a starter and an antipasto, and a good one depends entirely on the bread, the oil and the tomatoes being good.
Calories and nutrition
- Calories
- 260
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Salt
- 1.0 g
200–340 kcal
Portion: Two slices, about 160 g.
Toppings change the count; a bean or cured-meat version is higher.
Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.
What bruschetta is
At its most basic, bruschetta is a thick slice of country bread grilled or toasted, rubbed while hot with a raw garlic clove, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt. That is the original Tuscan and Roman version, a way of showing off new-season oil. The familiar topped version, bruschetta al pomodoro, adds ripe tomatoes chopped with basil, garlic and oil, spooned on just before serving so the bread stays crisp. Other toppings include white beans, mushrooms, or cured meats. The bread must be sturdy and well grilled; soggy bruschetta is a failure.
How to judge it
The bread should be crisp and charred at the edges, the topping fresh and added at the last moment. If it arrives soft and soaked through, the tomato was put on too early or the bread was poor. Good oil is the whole point of the plain version. Ripe, flavourful tomatoes make or break the topped one; out of season it is often disappointing, which is worth knowing before you order it in January.
Bruschetta versus crostini
Crostini are smaller, made from thin slices of a baguette-like loaf, usually with a spread topping (chicken liver is the Tuscan classic). Bruschetta is larger, from a rustic loaf, grilled and rubbed with garlic. Both are antipasti; a mixed plate of them is a good way to start a meal for a table.
Where it is done well in the UK
Any Italian restaurant should do a decent bruschetta; the tomatoes are the variable. Our directory lists areas with the most Italian restaurants.
How to order it
Order the tomato version in summer when tomatoes are good, the plain garlic-and-oil version any time. The bread should be crisp; eat it soon after it arrives. It is a starter to share. Say it broo-SKET-ta.
Where it's done well
UK councils with the most bruschetta specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.
Restaurants near you
Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve bruschetta near you.
Make it at home
Serves 4 · 15 min
Ingredients
- 4 thick slices of rustic sourdough or country bread
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 ripe tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
- a handful of basil, torn
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Method
- Grill or toast the bread until crisp and charred at the edges.
- Rub each hot slice with the cut side of the garlic clove.
- Mix the tomatoes, basil, a good glug of olive oil and salt.
- Spoon the tomato over the bread just before serving, or serve the topping alongside so the bread stays crisp. Finish with more oil.
Add the tomato at the last minute or the bread goes soggy. Good olive oil and ripe tomatoes are the whole dish; there is nowhere to hide.