Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta
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This simple and easy strawberry bruschetta recipe combines the tanginess and spice of herbed goat cheese with punchy basil and sweet and tangy balsamic glaze. Use it to top your favorite toasted bread slices or grilled chicken.
This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Bushel and Berry®
Every once in awhile, a recipe I make never really gets to storage, like my peach salsa, strawberry salsa, any time I make guacamole (all the time), and bacon wrapped dates with goat cheese. It’s recipes like these that when I make them, I know I won’t have to worry much about leftovers, and this strawberry goat cheese bruschetta was no different.
As soon as I snapped the last photo, I devoured all of the little toasts I’d prepared, and the remaining strawberry + basil mixture went right on top of some grilled chicken that was destined for lunch anyway.
My friends, when I tell you this bruschetta is going to be your new favorite, I’m hardly joking. With cute toasted French bread slices that have been brushed with olive oil and grilled to perfection as the starting lineup, the spread of creamy goat cheese paired with fresh basil, fresh strawberries, and a balsamic glaze to seal the deal is one that will keep you (and your guests!) coming back for more.
FRESH INGREDIENTS YOU WILL NEED
Six simple ingredients is all you need for this strawberry goat cheese appetizer. Be sure you’re checking the “substitutions & variations” section if you’re wondering about any swaps.
FRESH STRAWBERRIES: you’ll need fresh strawberries for this recipe. While my strawberry frosting and strawberry cookies both utilize freeze-dried strawberries to bring the strawberry flavor, unfortunately there is no substitute for fresh strawberries in this recipe, not even frozen. Thanks to Bushel and Berry®, I had fresh strawberries available to me when I made this recipe. I particularly like this strawberry plant, Scarlet Belle™, because it produces juicy strawberries all season! It works well planted in patio pots, hanging baskets, or garden beds.
FRESH BASIL LEAVES: it will be entirely up to you how much basil you’d like to use in your strawberry bruschetta. I like a lot of basil, but you may feel differently. The ¼ cup is an amount I feel the average consumer may prefer.
FRENCH BREAD SLICES: I prefer to buy mine pre-sliced, but you’re welcome to slice your own. One less step is always preferable for me!
OLIVE OIL: this is simply for brushing the bread slices so they can grill nicely.
GOAT CHEESE: choose any flavor you like, even plain! I like mine with a garlic and herb version, but a sweet version would do well, too.
BALSAMIC GLAZE: this is not the same as balsamic vinegar. It is much thicker and concentrated. It’s what we use on our strawberry caprese pasta salad!
OVERVIEW: HOW TO MAKE BRUSCHETTA WITH GOAT CHEESE
STEP #1: chop the strawberries and the basil, place everything in a medium-size bowl, and stir to combine.
STEP #2: while the strawberry + basil mixture soaks, brush the bread slices with olive oil and toast or broil. I like to use my cast iron grill pan, but you can use the oven or air fryer if you prefer that method.
STEP #3: spread the grilled toasts with the softened goat cheese.
STEP #4: top the bread slices with the strawberry + basil mixture.
STEP #5: drizzle with the balsamic glaze and serve.
CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?
I don’t recommend making this goat cheese and strawberry appetizer ahead of time, as the bread will soak up lots of moisture and lose its crunch. To make things ahead of time, you can prepare your strawberries and basil mixture up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
You can also slice your bread ahead of time, but again, I prefer to grill them right before serving for optimal freshness.
VARIATIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
STRAWBERRIES: as mentioned, this recipe won’t work well with frozen strawberries, but feel free to swap out the strawberries for another berry, or add in additional berries for an even berrier mixture! Blueberries would be a cute addition for 4th of July!
BREAD: you don’t have to use French bread, but it’s the best choice when it comes to bruschetta. You could also use something like bagel chips, but if you want to grill the bread yourself, you’ll need to start with a softer bread that has a crunchy crust.
OLIVE OIL: feel free to use butter instead of olive oil. You can also add some garlic powder and/or herbs to your olive oil if you choose a plain goat cheese.
GOAT CHEESE: I prefer to use a garlic and herbs goat cheese for my bruschetta, but you can use any flavor you like. Something in the maple category would go wonderfully with the strawberry and basil notes! You could also use cream cheese or other spreadable soft cheese.
BALSAMIC GLAZE: this is not the same as plain balsamic vinegar, but if that’s all you have, you can make the balsamic glaze yourself with balsamic vinegar and sugar.
HOW TO MAKE THE BALSAMIC REDUCTION YOURSELF
If you’d like to make your own reduction, whisk together 1 cup (240mL) balsamic vinegar and 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the consistency of syrup (about 10-15 minutes).
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before using.
Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries chopped
- ¼ cup1 fresh basil leaves chopped
- 8 ounces (227g) French bread slices or French baguette sliced into ¾” slices
- olive oil for brushing
- 8 ounces (227g) goat cheese2 softened to room temperature
- balsamic glaze3 as needed
Instructions
- Add the chopped strawberries and chopped basil to a medium size bowl, then stir to combine. Set aside.1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries, ¼ cup1 fresh basil leaves
- Preheat your oven or air fryer to 350ºF (177ºC) or heat your cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Brush baguette slices with olive oil on each side, then grill (without crowding) for approximately 3 minutes per side, or until toasted to preference. Alternatively, you can oven broil the slices in the oven, flipping to grill both sides.8 ounces (227g) French bread slices, olive oil
- Spread each baguette slice with preferred amount of goat cheese then top with a scoop of the strawberry mixture. Drizzle with balsamic glaze, then serve. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, keeping in mind they will soften as they sit. Strawberry + basil mixture can be stored in the refrigerator covered tightly up to 2 days.8 ounces (227g) goat cheese2, balsamic glaze3
Notes
- Basil leaves: the amount you use is entirely up to you and will depend how “basil forward’ you want your bruschetta.
- Goat cheese: I highly recommend using an herbed goat cheese. I used a “garlic & herbs” flavor.
- Make your own glaze: if you’d like to make your own reduction, whisk together 1 cup (240mL) balsamic vinegar and 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the consistency of syrup (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before using.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.