Tender roasted red peppers coupled with flavorful pesto and creamy goat cheese are an incredible flavor trio in this goat cheese bruschetta that’s super impressive, incredibly easy, and perfect for entertaining!
This is the appetizer of summer, y’all. I’m calling it now and also calling dibs on the last slice of goat cheese bruschetta. DIBS!
I know, bruschetta is generally considered as fancier-occasion food, but HEAR ME OUT. These babies legit come together in a whopping 15 minutes and literally taste like you took a bite out of summer.
Therefore, this is the designated snack for the next 3-ish months of summer, guys. Get excited.
Let’s go over the flavor components: a) goat cheese b) basil pesto c) roasted red pepper cherry tomato topping. Throw ’em all together on a slice of crusty french bread and we are in BUSINESS!
Honestly, it’s such simple flavors, but I’m a huge advocate for simple flavors = the best flavors. This goat cheese bruschetta looks, smells, and tastes like all the best parts of summer.
And in case you’re wondering, YES you can make a meal outta it. ??
Let’s get to making roasted red pepper pesto goat cheese bruschetta! >>
First things first, you’re gonna want to get your hands on some good, high-quality french bread. I used to skimp on the bread base for bruschetta and just opt for the cheap option. As a result, my bruschetta was always lacking something.
Go for the high-quality french bread, friends! The secret to a good bruschetta starts with the bread.
Let’s talk bruschetta toppings. First up, we’ve got pesto. You can absolutely use a jarred pesto if you’re running short on time, but if you’ve got a few minutes, give my homemade basil pesto a go! So, so much flavor.
Next, we’ve got goat cheese. Try to find the soft, spreadable kind of goat cheese cause we’re spreading a layer on the bread itself and then crumbling more on top.
Last but not least, roasted red pepper topping! Oh man, I could eat this stuff with a spoon. It’s just jarred roasted red pepper cubes, fresh juicy cherry tomatoes, and a little salt/pepper + balsamic + basil action. SO simple, but the real MVP of flavors here.
If you’re looking to make most of this bruschetta in advance, feel free to make the basil pesto and roasted red pepper topping way ahead of time. Then when it comes to assembly, all you’ll have to do is toast up the bread slices and top them with the goat cheese, pesto, and pepper topping.
The first time I made this bruschetta, Jason and I pretty much made a meal out of it. The original plan was to just taste. ??
Trust me, for how simple this bruschetta is to throw together, you’re absolutely about to win the summer eats prize. Plus ain’t it just the prettiest??
Need inspiration for how to use the rest of that roasted red pepper jar? Try these winners!
- Greek Grilled Chicken Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Tzatziki
- Mascarpone Roasted Red Pepper Spinach Orechiette Pasta
Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Ingredients
Pesto
- 1/2 cup lightly-packed basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts (or almonds or walnuts)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Bruschetta
- 1 cup roasted red peppers, cut into 1-in cubes
- 1/2 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced basil
- 12 slices french bread
- 4 oz goat cheese
Instructions
Pesto
- Place basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan in a food processor. Process mixture while drizzling olive oil through top. Scrape down the sides as necessary and process pesto until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
Bruschetta
- In a small bowl, combine roasted red peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil, balsamic, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside
- Lay french bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Lightly toast both sides under a broiler, flipping slices once until bread is lightly toasted.
- Spread toasted bread with pesto and top with goat cheese and roasted red pepper mixture. Serve bruschetta immediately and enjoy!
Brian Hebert says
DELICIOUS!!! I sliced a baguette and drizzled it with a tiny amount of olive oil before assembling and heating. I wanted to make this treat bite sized. It worked SO WELL! I am also very glad that I roasted a fresh pepper myself. The taste cannot be beat.
Sarah says
The fresh pepper is a game changer!! Glad you enjoyed this bruschetta, Brian. 🙂