Bruschetta is an amazing year-round appetizer or snack. But in the summer, you have the option of grilling your bread, which is a whole other ball game of bruschetta. The live fire (whether gas, coals, or wood) offers a lovely smokiness to the bread, not to mention that anything with grill marks on it immediately looks more appetizing and tastes better than anything WITHOUT grill marks on it.

You can enjoy the grilled bread as is, as a nibble with drinks, or serve it on the side of any meal. Or, top it with any number of things…any bruschetta recipe that you love can be made with grilled bread. Try it as the base for sautéed kale and roasted peppers, Herbed Whipped Ricotta Cheese, and you can never go wrong with bruschetta with a classic tomato and basil topping (I make it about 20 times a summer, no joke – my family can’t stop eating it).

You can also serve the bread with a dip, like Hot Crab Dip or Parmesan Spinach Feta Dip. It’s just a terrific way to kick off any outdoor gathering or grilling party.

Grilled Bruschetta: A bit of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt, and sliced bread becomes a whole other level of bruschetta love on the grill.

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What Is Bruschetta?

Bruschetta is a piece of grilled or toasted country bread brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, and often generously piled with a robust topping. The word bruschetta (pronounced broo-skeh-tah) refers to the toasted or grilled bread itself. A tomato basil topping is most commonly associated with bruschetta, but topping can vary widely. Sometimes, the toasted bread is rubbed with a garlic clove before serving, either topped or plain.

How to Make Grilled Bruschetta

1. Cut the bread: Heat the grill to medium. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch thick slices.

2. Season the bread: Brush the bread with the olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

3. Grill: Grill the bread for about 2 minutes on each side, until it gets nice light brown grill marks.

4. Serve: Rub the grilled bread with the halved garlic cloves, if desired. Serve plain or with your favorite toppings (see below for suggestions).

How to Serve Grilled Bruschetta

You can serve these little toasts as is, and they are delicious. Honestly, before I even get to topping them, family members and friends usually wander into the kitchen and snap up a piece or two of toast, so it’s smart to make extra. If you choose to rub the grilled bread with the garlic cloves, you’ll have even more flavorful little nibbles, and then you can consider toppings.

I find bruschetta a great way to use up leftovers, repurposing them into toppings. The Swiss chard and leek mixture below originated as a side dish, but leftovers were just perfect served atop these olive oil-slicked toasts. One cup of sautéed or grilled vegetables, for instance, may not be enough to serve as a side dish, but it’s the perfect amount for topping a dozen pieces of bruschetta.

Storage

The grilled bruschetta can be kept in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Leftovers can be enjoyed at room temperature or rewarmed briefly on the grill or in a preheated oven.

Bruschetta Recipes

Any bruschetta recipe can be made with grilled bread instead of toasted. Try these toppings on grilled bruschetta.

• Pizza Bruschetta
• Tomato Bruschetta
• Bruschetta with Herbed Whipped Ricotta and Heirloom Tomatoes
• Mushroom Bruschetta with Herbed Mayonnaise
• Salmon and White Bean Bruschetta
• Swiss Chard, Leek. and Feta Bruschetta
• Caramelized Onion and Spinach Crostini
• Avocado and Cannellini Bean Crostini With Gremolata

More Grilled Sides & Appetizers

• Grilled Vegetables
• Grilled Peaches with Burrata
• Grilled Pineapple
• Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Sauce
• Grilled Eggplant