Salmon Bruschetta Recipe: How to Make Bruschetta at Home

Salmon bruschetta is an Italian-inspired appetizer featuring salmon on toasted bread. Classic Italian bruschetta consists of sliced and toasted bread rubbed with raw garlic and tomato. Outside of Italy, “bruschetta” often refers to crostini topped with a chunky mixture of chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.

Flake cooked salmon into the tomato mixture for this bruschetta dish, or make smoked salmon bruschetta by topping craggy slices of toast with spreadable cheese or pesto and a piece of smoked salmon. Alternatively, whip up “bruschetta salmon” by baking salmon with a balsamic glaze and then topping the fillets with a classic bruschetta mixture of tomato, garlic, and acidic ingredients like lemon juice and capers. Herbs like fresh basil or oregano can add brightness to a bruschetta salmon recipe.

Classic Italian bruschetta consists of just four ingredients. Here’s how to make the appetizer at home:

1. 1. Cut and toast the bread. Start by slicing a baguette into slices on the bias, then brush each piece with olive oil. Bake the slices on a baking sheet in a single layer until golden brown on both sides.
2. 2. Rub the toast with garlic or tomato (or both). Cut the end off a garlic clove and rub the cut side onto the toasted bread. Alternatively, cut a large tomato in half and rub the cut side onto the bread.
3. 3. Finish with olive oil. Finish the bruschetta with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Strong-flavored ingredients, like garlic and onion, benefit from a period of maceration to mellow their bite. Let the garlic and onion marinate with the tomato, basil, and balsamic vinegar for at least an hour (up to overnight) for the best flavor. Here’s what else to know:

1. 1. Use day-old bread. Bruschetta is a great way to use stale bread since you want the crostini to be crispy and golden brown. Choose a bread with an open crumb, like a French baguette. The holes in the bread will catch on the topping, creating textural variation.
2. 2. Let the bruschetta come to room temperature. If you have time, pull the bruschetta out of the refrigerator about one hour before serving. The sweetness of the tomato is most pronounced at room temperature.
3. 3. Use smoked salmon. You can cook the salmon for this bruschetta dish using your favorite salmon recipe or simply incorporate chopped, smoked salmon or flakes of leftover salmon to save time.