3-Ingredient Bruschetta Toast Is Warm, Fancy, And Easy To Make

Bruschetta is a beloved — and delicious — Italian appetizer. As we lay out in our recipe for Italian bruschetta, it typically consists of toasted bread (usually a baguette), chopped tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, cheese, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. It's the perfect small dish to snack on as an appetizer before, say, your favorite pasta dish or chicken Parmesan. But if you don't have all of the ingredients on hand yet still have a craving for bruschetta, you can make a simpler version of the dish, and all it takes is just three ingredients: bread, cheese, and tomatoes.

If you want to stay as authentic as possible, we recommend a baguette, ricotta cheese, and cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes are more commonly used for bruschetta, but if you prefer the savory flavor of grape tomatoes (no, they're not the same as cherry tomatoes), you can opt for those instead.

When you're only using three ingredients, the process of making it couldn't be simpler. It also makes it much more fun because you don't have to worry about dealing with too many ingredients or messing up the portions. Instead, all you have to do is toast your bread, then add your desired amount of ricotta and tomatoes. It will be warm, creamy from the ricotta, a bit juicy from the tomatoes, and overall fancy — even though it hardly took any effort or ingredients.

This three-ingredient bruschetta toast is delicious just as it is. Despite being simple, it will still feel fancy and fun enough to serve at a dinner party that you're hosting. But if you want to take it to the next level, there are easy ways to do it. As mentioned above, a traditional bruschetta contains more ingredients, so if you want to elevate the simpler version, then you can add just one or two of the ingredients from the traditional recipe.

For example, maybe all your simple bruschetta toast needs is a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and/or olive oil to elevate it and make it feel a bit more traditional without adding in any extra preparation or work. It's also easy to add basil, if you have that on hand, just chop it up and add the desired amount. Or, ditch the basil for a three-herb combination of tarragon, cilantro, and dill. You can also add a kick of heat to the bruschetta by sprinkling red pepper flakes over the top. If you want it extra cheesy, sprinkle on a bit of Parmesan. You can also top it with something like bacon bits or prosciutto — two meat options that you may already have in your fridge — for an easy upgrade that makes the appetizer a bit more unique.