Easy Bruschetta Pizza

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, 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

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 the Tomato Bruschetta mixture

1. Add finely chopped onion, tomatoes, and bell peppers to a bowl.
2. Then add chopped basil, cilantro, minced green chillies, and garlic to the bowl.
3. Add the spices - chilly powder, salt, cumin powder, and garam masala along with lemon juice and olive oil.
4. 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.

How to make the Pizza

1. 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.
2. Brush the base with butter or olive oil. Spread pizza sauce over it.

3. Place Bocconcini on top.
4. Then add a generous layer of the prepared bruschetta filling.

5. 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.
6. Take it out of the oven, and drizzle Balsamic glaze on top.

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!

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.

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