Dish guides
What is bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a slice of grilled or toasted country bread rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, most often topped with chopped tomato and basil. It's a classic Italian antipasto. In Italian it's pronounced broo-SKET-tah, with a hard "sk" sound.
- At a glance
- Bruschetta
- Grilled bread with garlic and olive oil, usually topped with tomato and basil.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like broo-SKET-tah · IPA /bruˈsketta/
- Also written as
- bruschetta al pomodoro, bruschette, bruschetta classica, bruschetta pomodoro, fettunta
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- country-style bread (wheat)
- garlic
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
Often added
- fresh tomatoes and basil
- oregano
- mozzarella or stracciatella
- cured ham or lardo
- beans or vegetable toppings
- anchovies
- balsamic glaze (mostly outside Italy)
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Typically contains |
| Dairy | Sometimes contains |
| Fish | Sometimes contains |
| Sulphites | Sometimes contains |
| Eggs | Rarely contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Shellfish | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | Usually |
| Vegan | Usually |
| Pescatarian | Usually |
| Halal | Depends — The classic tomato version has no meat or alcohol, but mixed bruschette often include pork such as ham, salami or lardo. |
| Kosher | Depends — The tomato version has no meat, but kosher rules require supervised preparation, which ordinary restaurants don't have. |
| Gluten-free | No |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
Bread first, toppings second
At its simplest, bruschetta is about the bread and the oil. Thick slices of rustic bread are grilled until crisp and lightly charred, rubbed with a cut clove of garlic while hot, salted and soaked with good extra virgin olive oil. In olive-growing areas such as Tuscany and Umbria, this plain version is a way to taste the new season's oil in late autumn. Tuscans call it fettunta.
The version most visitors know, bruschetta al pomodoro, adds diced ripe tomatoes with basil, salt and oil, sometimes oregano. Menus may also offer bruschette miste, an assortment with toppings such as beans, mushrooms, cured ham or lardo, olive paste, mozzarella or anchovies.
Saying it the Italian way
In Italian the letters sch are always pronounced "sk", as in scherzo. So bruschetta is broo-SKET-tah, not broo-SHET-uh, a pronunciation common in English-speaking countries. The double t is held slightly longer. The plural, used when you get more than one slice, is bruschette (broo-SKET-teh). The name is usually traced to the Roman dialect verb bruscare, "to toast over coals".
Typical price
Median price 7 EUR
Typical range 5–10 EUR.
Median of 37 menus, 2025-04 – 2026-05. Basis: Italian-language menus scanned with MenuGuide.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Per cominciare, una bruschetta al pomodoro, per favore. | To start, a tomato bruschetta, please. |
| Cosa c'è sulle bruschette miste? | What's on the mixed bruschette? |
| Avete pane senza glutine? | Do you have gluten-free bread? |
Not to be confused with
- Crostini — Smaller, thinner toasts with spreads such as chicken-liver pâté; often served as a mix.
- Fettunta — The Tuscan name for the plain version: grilled bread, garlic, salt and new olive oil.
- Pa amb tomàquet / pan con tomate — The Catalan cousin: bread rubbed with ripe tomato and oil.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce bruschetta?
Say broo-SKET-tah. In Italian the letters "sch" sound like "sk", so the "shet" sound often heard in English isn't how Italians say it. The stress falls on SKET, and the double t is held slightly: in IPA, [bruˈsketta]. The plural, bruschette, is pronounced broo-SKET-teh.
What is the difference between bruschetta and crostini?
Bruschetta is a large slice of rustic bread, grilled, rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil before any topping goes on. Crostini are smaller, thinner toasts, often from a baguette-style loaf, spread with toppings such as chicken-liver pâté in Tuscany. Both are antipasti, but bruschetta is more about the bread and oil.
Is bruschetta vegan?
The classic tomato bruschetta usually is: bread, garlic, olive oil, tomato, basil and salt. Italian country bread is normally made without milk or eggs, but recipes vary, so ask if you're strict. Mixed bruschette often include cheese, ham, lardo or anchovies, so check the toppings before you order.
Is bruschetta gluten free?
No, it's made with ordinary wheat bread. Some restaurants in Italy keep gluten-free bread (pane senza glutine) and can make a version with it on request. If you have coeliac disease, ask whether it's toasted separately, because the same grill is often used for regular bread.
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