Cherry Bruschetta

Originating in Italy in the 15th century, bruschetta is grilled bread rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil, and often topped with tomatoes and fresh herbs. Inspired by summer stone fruit, I put together this easy vegan cherry bruschetta recipe with fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic reduction, olive oil and garlic. Savory and slightly sweet, it’s the perfect summer snack or appetizer with fruit.

This recipe makes ~10-12 cherry bruschetta.

A few things…

• ・You’ll need to pit the sweet red cherries. I ran my knife around the pit, twisted the cherry to separate it into two halves, and then, removed the pit. It’s faster than it sounds.

• ・Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil with Italian herbs work best. They bring flavor to this simple stone fruit bruschetta recipe.

• ・Feel free to use store bought or DIY balsamic reduction.

• ・This recipe includes directions for making grilled or toasted bruschetta.

Please enjoy this delicious vegan cherry bruschetta recipe! And check out more UVK recipes, like Vegan Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Gnocchi with Pesto and Grilled Eggplant, Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes, Balsamic Potato Salad with Fresh Basil, Cherry Tomatoes and Wheat Berries, Sun-Dried Tomato Chickpea Burgers, Black Bean Avocado Salsa and more 💚

Cherry Bruschetta

1 cup fresh sweet red cherries, pitted and diced (see notes above)

¼ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil with Italian herbs

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp balsamic reduction (store bought or make your own)

½ tsp salt

Black pepper, to taste

3 Tbsp olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

10-12 baguette slices, ¼” thick and sliced on a bias

1. Preheat the oven or grill to 300º F. If you’re using the oven, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Next, you’ll infuse the olive oil with garlic for the cherry bruschetta. In a small skillet, add the olive oil and garlic over high heat. When it sizzles, stir around the garlic for 30 seconds and then, remove it from heat. Allow it to cool.

3. In a mixing bowl, add the cherries, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic reduction, salt and black pepper. Stir together the stone fruit bruschetta topping and set aside.

4. When the garlic-olive oil is cool, lightly brush both sides of each slice of bread. Then, add the remaining garlic cloves and olive oil to the cherry bruschetta topping in the small mixing bowl. Stir to combine.

TO GRILL: Place the bread directly on the hot grill. Flip over every 5-10 seconds until it looks sufficiently grilled to you on both sides.

TO TOAST IN OVEN: Place the bread on top of the parchment lined cookie sheet in an even layer. Bake at 300º F for 5 minutes. Flip the bread, and then, bake for another 5 minutes.

5. Taste the topping, and adjust the flavors, if needed (more salt? more balsamic reduction?). Then, top the grilled or toasted bread with the cherry bruschetta topping. Serve immediately.