Feta Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze is the perfect starter to your family dinner. Super quick, easy and most importantly – crazy delicious!!
Bruschetta really is the ultimate appetizer. It’s just one of those really simple dishes that everybody loves. Fresh, hearty and most importantly, versatile. Versatile enough to chuck in some feta and pour over a bucket of balsamic glaze? Ohhhhh yes.
Bruschetta with Feta
Authentic Bruschetta only calls for a few simple ingredients. For me, the simplicity makes the perfect foundation to mix things up and throw in a few special additions, my favourite one being Feta.
I LOVE feta. And for me there’s nothing better to add it to than a fresh homemade bruschetta. Not just because feta bruschetta is fun to say, but because it tastes freakin’ delicious. The richness and creaminess of the feta brings something so delicious to the party. It creates such a beautiful combination with the tomato, garlic and basil. I usually purposefully make too much just so I’ve got a feta bruschetta dip for later.
What feta to use for feta bruschetta?
All down to preference. In the photos I used a firm Greek feta, which keeps the ingredients fairly separate. Whereas in the video I used Danish, which is much creamier and blends with the tomatoes more.
Bruschetta Bread
What bread to use for bruschetta?
For me it’s always gotta be a loaf of Ciabatta. It’s quite corse and has bumps for the oil/juice to sit in which is perfect for bruschetta. But any Italian bread that leaves a rough texture when sliced will work. This will help break down the garlic when you rub it on (more on that in just a sec).
Let’s get toasty!
The classic texture of bruschetta is that crisp, crunchy base with a soft and juicy topping. As such, whatever bread you choose – it’s gotta be toasted! To do this you’ll want to brush both sides of the bread slices with extra virgin olive oil. From there I like to fry both sides in a scorching hot griddle pan until crisp and lightly charred, but you could just as easily toast both sides under the grill.
The secret garlic tip
One awesome tip to take your bruschetta to new heights is rubbing the bread with a raw garlic clove once it’s fresh out the pan. Don’t go overboard, a little does go a long way with raw garlic, but it adds a gorgeous background flavour.
Process shots: slice bread (photo 1), brush with oil (photo 2), add to griddle pan (photo 3), fry both sides (photo 4).
Bruschetta Topping
Like I said earlier, you only need a few ingredients to make a great bruschetta. For the topping all you need is fresh basil, feta, tomatoes, onion and oil.
What tomatoes to use for bruschetta?
Essentially you can use any tomatoes you like, just make sure they’re ripe and fresh. Go the extra mile to find the best quality tomatoes to make them the hero of the bruschetta! In the photos I’ve used cherry tomatoes, but in filming I’ve used vine-ripened tomatoes.
What oil to use for bruschetta?
Extra virgin olive oil works best, just for its classic flavour. You can use regular olive oil, but it’s got a much more mellow flavour and kind of gets lost in the flavours (IMO). Either way do try and get a good quality brand!
Process shots: add toppings to bowl (photo 1), mix to combine (photo 2), add to ciabatta and drizzle with balsamic glaze (photo 3).
Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze
Another addition to feta bruschetta I love is of course a sweet ‘n’ silky Balsamic Glaze. Like holy crap balls this stuff is good. I drizzle the stuff over literally everything. Usually just over my face with a wooden spoon, but I thought I’d keep it classy this time round. Unlike feta, balsamic vinegar is a traditional appearance with the likes of tomato and basil. It’s pretty common as it is dashed over bruschetta too.
Personally I find plain balsamic vinegar enhances too much acidity in the dish, especially with raw onion being there. Adding balsamic glaze balances things out nicely, adding a touch of sweetness to the dish. Plus let’s be real, everything tastes better with a sweet balsamic glaze.
Store-bought or homemade?
It’s incredibly easy to make your own balsamic glaze, but store-bought works just as well – no judgement here! I actually used store-bought to film the video, so there’s my confession 🤣
Serving Feta Bruschetta
I typically serve this as a starter to a main (usually spaghetti bolognese or lasagne!), sometimes if I feel like treating the household, but usually if we have guests.
Looking for more Bruschetta goodness? Check out my Bruschetta Pasta and Bruschetta Chicken!
For more similar bread appetizers & sides check out these beauties:
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this feta bruschetta shall we?!
How to make Feta Bruschetta with Balsamic Glaze (Full Recipe & Video)
Feta Bruschetta
Equipment
- Griddle or Frying Pan & Tongs
- Medium Sized Mixing Bowl
- Brush
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
Ingredients
- 1 loaf Ciabatta, divided into 12 pieces (see notes)
- 9oz / 250g Tomatoes, finely diced (see notes)
- 2.5oz / 75g Feta, crumbled
- 1/2 small Red Onion, finely diced
- 3 tbsp finely diced Fresh Basil,
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Balsamic Glaze
- 1 clove of Garlic, peeled
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, feta, basil, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and a good pinch of salt & pepper (to taste). Place to one side.
- Brush the ciabatta with the remaining oil. In batches, add to a griddle pan over high heat and fry both sides until crisp and lightly charred.
- Lightly rub garlic across one side of each of the ciabatta slices. Top with the bruschetta mix and drizzle over balsamic glaze.
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
If you loved this Feta Bruschetta recipe then be sure to pin it for later! Already made it or got a burning question? Give me a shout in the comments below!
Delicious recipe. Super simple. The only thing I did was add a little bit (1-2 tablespoons)of the balsamic glaze to the actual tomato mix.
Awesome to hear! Thanks so much for the review! C.x
I Googled “Bruschetta with cheese” and your recipe came up. I Google recipes all the time, most of which are fab, but I’ve never felt the urge to comment.
This recipe is DELISH! And I know it will become a staple.
As a liveaboard cruiser (currently “stuck” in Borneo for over a year) being creative with what’s available locally, and what’s still in the small fridge on board, is crucial for tasty dinners (currently mountains of feta and several punnets of small tomatoes).
Fishing tomorrow, any suggestions for a new way with Spanish mackerel?
You’re a marvel, and I’m so happy I found you.
Liz @followtheboat
That’s so awesome to hear, Liz! Nothing for Spanish mackerel, but you never know, could be a new recipe addition Thanks for popping by and sharing your lovely comment, following you now 🙂
yummm… delicious recipe……
Such a delicious recipe! YUM!
Thanks, Cindy! 🙂
Super easy and super tasty. I used a baguette and toasted the slices for a even quicker job. Used fresh minced garlic mixed with butter instead of rubbing it with garlic. Will add some chopped cucumber next time. Thank you for a great idea.
And it’s 5 stars. (Missed that)
So glad to hear it went down well! Will have to try the garlic butter next time, sounds delish!! 🙂