Discover how to make the best Bruschetta Pizza at home! This easy Italian Bruschetta Pizza recipe transforms the classic tomato bruschetta into a delicious homemade pizza that's ready in just 15 minutes. Topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and melted cheese, this crispy vegetarian Bruschetta Pizza is perfect as an appetizer, quick lunch, or family-friendly snack everyone will love!
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What is a Bruschetta
Bruschetta is a classic Italian starter/appetizer/snack. The right way to pronounce it is broo·skeh·tuh and is known for its fresh flavors and pops of color. Bruschetta generally refers to toasted bread that's drizzled with olive oil, and topped with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil. Some other toppings used are meat, beans, and vegetables. It's topped with a drizzle of Balsamic glaze which acts like an icing on the cake!
Did you know that Bruschetta was developed as a way of salvaging bread that was going stale? Garlic Breadcrumbs Pasta, Garlic Bread, Shahi Tukda, Pangrattato, and Bread Upma are other ways of using stale bread.
Fusion Pizza recipe
After Paneer Naan Pizza and Dabeli Pita Bread Pizza, I want to bring to you easy Bruschetta Pizza. I enjoy making pizzas for KR since he loves them. I am not a fan of the regular veg pizza but love all these fusion twists. This Bruschetta Pizza recipe is fresh, loaded with flavors, and is a great weeknight dinner option for vegetarians. This pizza has just the right amounts of spicy, salty, and cheesy flavor! Every bite of this pizza is delicious.
I have given the tomato Bruschetta mixture a different flavor by using Indian spices along with the veggies. This tangy tomato Bruschetta topping is used as a pizza topping here. So basically, easy Pizza Bruschetta is everything you love about a Bruschetta but loaded on a cheesy homemade pizza (instead of toasted bread) and topped with a drizzle of Balsamic glaze! It's a recipe the whole family will love! Bring it on!
Why make this
- A vegetarian pizza recipe
- Simple and easy to make
- Fun fusion customizable recipe
- Can be cooked in 15 minutes
- Calls for basic ingredients
- Best for feeding a crowd
🧾 Ingredients Needed
For making the Bruschetta mixture
Tomatoes - They are the main ingredient for making bruschetta. Use fresh ripe plum tomatoes only! Heirloom Cherry, grape, or Roma tomatoes can also be used. Canned tomatoes will not work. But if you have to use it, then drain off all the excess liquid.
Other veggies - onions, and bell peppers add a nice contrasting flavor to the tomatoes. Use green or colored bell peppers. Sweet corn can also be added.
Herbs - fresh cilantro and fresh basil leaves add so much refreshing flavor to the pizza.
Aromatics - fresh garlic, green chillies, and lemon juice give this Pizza Bruschetta recipe the required punch.
Spices - chilly powder, cumin powder, and garam masala are the basic spices you will need in order to give this tomato Bruschetta mixture recipe an Indian touch.
Besides these ingredients, you will also need good-quality extra virgin olive oil to prepare this simple and delicious tomato bruschetta mixture. It should add flavor and moisture to the mixture without overpowering the rest of the ingredients.
For making the Pizza
Pillsbury pizza crust - These are so convenient to use. You can use any frozen or fresh store-bought or homemade pizza dough bread in this recipe though.
Cheese - I love making Bruschetta Pizza with Burrata cheese or Bocconcini (small balls of mild white cheese). Just drain, tear, and use. I also love to add fresh shredded mozzarella cheese (which melts easily) on top of the pizza to get that cheesy crust.
Pizza sauce - use any kind of pizza sauce - store-bought or homemade. You can also use pesto sauce or makhani sauce.
Tomato Bruschetta is incomplete without the thick and syrupy Balsamic glaze. It's a blissful pairing and should not be skipped. Do not confuse it with Balsamic vinegar.
How To Make It 🔪
How to make the Tomato Bruschetta mixture
- Add finely chopped onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers to a bowl.
- Then add chopped basil, cilantro, minced green chillies, and garlic to the bowl.
- Add the spices - chilly powder, salt, cumin powder, and garam masala along with lemon juice and olive oil.
- Mix it all together. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Cover and refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes. Chef tip - The longer you let it marinate in the fridge, the better it will taste. Resting allows the tomatoes enough time to release their juices and soften up a bit. You can also make it a day before and store.
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How to make the Pizza
- Thaw the crust at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then open as instructed on the packet. Unroll the dough on a greased and lightly floured baking tray (can also use parchment paper instead). Then use your fingers to spread it out to the general shape of your tray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prebake the base for 6 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Brush the base with butter or olive oil. Spread pizza sauce over it.
- Place Bocconcini on top.
- Then add a generous layer of the prepared bruschetta filling.
- Top it with shredded mozzarella cheese. Don't leave any bare spots. Bake this Bruschetta Pizza in the oven for another 6-8 minutes or till the cheese melts.
- Take it out of the oven, and drizzle Balsamic glaze on top.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
You can also add some grated fresh Parmesan, fresh basil, crushed red pepper flakes, crushed black pepper, and sea salt flakes on top. Cut using a pizza wheel and serve the Italian Bruschetta Pizza immediately. It's normally served cold or slightly warm with Garlic Bread, Soup, Pasta Salad, or Cucumber Salad, Fries and ice cream. It of course tastes best with wine or some cocktail. Sometimes, I like to make some homemade ranch dipping sauce to go with it.
This restaurant-quality vegetarian pizza is a great option for weeknights, weekend parties, game nights, brunches, date nights, backyard parties, potlucks, after-school snacks, parties, holidays like Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Holi, or special days like Valentine's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, or New Year's Eve. If serving at a party, pair Pizza Bruschetta with Jalapeno Poppers or Matar Kachori Pinwheels!
💭 Priya's Recipe Tips
You can also use pesto sauce or makhani sauce. Another option is to mix dried herbs with olive oil and use this dipping sauce as pizza sauce. The longer you let the bruschetta filling marinate in the fridge, the better it will taste. You can also make it a day before and store. A good substitute for balsamic glaze is a mix of Red Wine Vinegar and Maple Syrup, or vegan honey. Thin and runny Balsamic vinegar is not a substitute here.
The baking time will depend upon the base used. Please follow the instructions on the packet if using a store-bought pizza dough. Feta cheese, Fontina cheese, or ricotta cheese can also be used instead of Bocconcini. Go easy on the cheese to keep this Italian pizza healthy. Greens like Arugula, spinach, or kale can also be added. If you don't want to give it Indian flavors, skip adding the spices.
FAQs 📖
While the salsa is naturally vegan, the pizza is not. To make it vegan, use dairy-free mozzarella cheese. Also, make sure the base you use is vegan.
The trick is to precook the base first. Cook the crust in the air fryer for 3 minutes. Precooking the crust will give the base a crispy texture without overcooking the toppings! Without removing the precooked base from the Air Fryer tray, load it with the toppings. Cook in the Air Fryer at 375 degrees F for 7 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted.
Indian-flavored salsa can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. It stays good for a day. Leftover cooked Bruschetta Pizza can be stored in the fridge for 2 days. Cling wrap the plate before storing. The crust will soften when reheated but the flavors will remain intact. You can reheat it in the oven, Air Fryer, or Microwave. Freezing is not a good idea because the tomatoes will produce excess liquid and make the pizza soggy. The dough can be frozen though.
You can serve it in the most obvious way - top it on toasted crostini, or wide slices of rustic Italian or sourdough bread. Stuff it in tortillas and make yourself Bruschetta Quesadillas! You can also put it atop a baguette and bake it with mozzarella. This homemade bruschetta would be delicious on top of freshly baked focaccia bread. Instead of a regular base, you can also use pita bread or naan as a base. So many options!
You can use burrata cheese instead of Bocconcini. If using burrata, pat them dry, so their liquids don't seep into the base and make it soggy. The order of layering will be - base, sauce, Bruschetta mixture, and then the Burrata. Tear it and then evenly spread it across. Then add the shredded mozzarella cheese and bake.
Some like to peel the tomato skin, discard the seeds, and then cut them. This prevents the bruschetta mixture from tasting bitter and becoming soggy. If the mixture is watery after it's been well-rested in the fridge, then drain out the excess liquid by placing the mixture in a colander.
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Recipe 📖
Easy Bruschetta Pizza
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
To make the Bruschetta Mixture
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper chopped
- ⅓ cup basil
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 8-10 cloves garlic
- 2-3 green chillies
- salt
- 1 teaspoon chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
To make the Pizza
- 1 Pizza Crust dough
- ⅓ cup pizza sauce optional
- 7 oz Bocconcini or burrata cheese
- ⅓ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic glaze
Instructions
To make the Bruschetta Mixture
- Add finely chopped onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers to a bowl.
- Then add chopped basil, cilantro, minced green chillies, and garlic to the bowl.
- Add the spices - chilly powder, salt, cumin powder, and garam masala along with lemon juice and olive oil.
- Mix it all together. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Cover and refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes. Chef tip - The longer you let it marinate in the fridge, the better it will taste. Resting allows the tomatoes enough time to release their juices and soften up a bit. You can also make it a day before and store.
To make the Pizza
- Thaw the crust at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then open as instructed on the packet. Unroll the dough on a greased and lightly floured baking tray (can also use parchment paper instead). Then use your fingers to spread it out to the general shape of your tray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Prebake the base for 6 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Brush the base with butter or olive oil. Spread pizza sauce over it.
- Place Bocconcini on top.
- Then add a generous layer of the prepared bruschetta filling.
- Top it with shredded mozzarella cheese. Don't leave any bare spots. Bake this Bruschetta Pizza in the oven for another 6-8 minutes or till the cheese melts.
- Take it out of the oven, and drizzle Balsamic glaze on top.
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