Sarra Ina Garten’s bruschetta is toasted baguette slices topped with sweet sautéed red and yellow peppers, capers, fresh basil, and dots of creamy Gorgonzola, warmed in the oven until the cheese just starts to melt. The recipe makes 32 to 36 appetizer bites and takes about 35 minutes from start to finish.
This recipe comes from Ina’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics cookbook (2008). In the headnote, she writes that bruschetta is “a great way to use up all kinds of leftover vegetables, meats, and cheeses” and that these bites feature “some of my favorite flavors from the Mediterranean: fruity olive oil, peppers, capers, and basil, not to mention a little melted Gorgonzola.” Her version skips the classic tomato topping entirely in favor of something richer and more substantial.
The technique that makes these work is sautéing the peppers for a full 12 to 15 minutes over medium-high heat, then adding a teaspoon of sugar and cooking for a few minutes more. That slow cook caramelizes the natural sugars and pushes the peppers into sweet territory, which is what balances the salty, funky Gorgonzola on top. Undercooked peppers stay sharp and vegetal and fight the cheese instead of complementing it.
Ina Garten Bruschetta Recipe
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy32
servings10
minutes25
minutes80
kcalIngredients
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1/4 cup (60ml) good olive oil, plus extra for brushing bread
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2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips
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2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and cut into thin strips
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1 teaspoon sugar
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2 tablespoons drained capers
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1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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32 to 36 baguette slices, cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick
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4 to 5 ounces (115 to 140g) creamy Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature
Directions
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Sauté the peppers: Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large 12-inch skillet. Add all the red and yellow pepper strips and sauté for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown.
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Sweeten and season: Sprinkle the peppers with the sugar and sauté for 2 to 3 more minutes until lightly caramelized. Stir in the capers and basil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
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Toast the bread: Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Arrange the baguette slices in rows on sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Brush each slice lightly with olive oil and toast for 7 to 10 minutes until lightly browned.
- Assemble and serve: Top each toast with a spoonful of the pepper mixture and dot with a small piece of Gorgonzola. Return to the oven for 1 to 2 minutes just to warm the cheese. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and serve warm.
Notes
- ulienne the basil by stacking the leaves, rolling them like a cigar, and slicing thinly across. This gives you clean ribbons that do not bruise or turn black.
The pepper mixture can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before assembling so cold peppers do not cool the toast before the cheese warms.
Use creamy Gorgonzola dolce, not the aged piccante variety. Dolce melts into a smooth layer in the oven, while piccante stays crumbly and can overpower the peppers.
FAQs
Why does Ina add sugar to the peppers?
The teaspoon of sugar is not enough to make the peppers taste sweet on their own. What it does is accelerate the caramelization that happens naturally during a long cook, pulling out a deeper roasted sweetness in 15 minutes instead of 30.
That sweetness is essential for balance. The Gorgonzola is salty and pungent, the capers are briny, and without that sugar-boosted sweetness in the peppers the whole bite tastes one-note. The sugar disappears into the peppers completely, but the balance it creates is what makes people reach for a second piece.
Can you make the pepper topping ahead of time?
The pepper mixture can be sautéed up to a day ahead and stored in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before assembling, because cold peppers will cool the toast before the Gorgonzola has a chance to warm through.
Toast the bread, top with peppers and cheese, and warm in the oven right before serving. The toasts go soggy if assembled more than 20 minutes ahead. For a party spread, pair these warm bites with a cold appetizer like Ina’s Tuna Tartare so the table has variety without everything needing last-minute oven time.
Does Ina have a classic tomato bruschetta?
Not exactly, but her Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta from Foolproof (2012) comes close. That recipe tops toasted bread with a whipped feta and cream cheese base, then piles on marinated tomatoes with shallots, garlic, vinegar, and fresh basil. It is closer to the Italian version people picture when they hear “bruschetta.”
This pepper and Gorgonzola version is the one Ina formally calls “bruschetta” in her books, and it works better as a passed appetizer because the toppings stay put on the bread. Raw diced tomatoes tend to slide off and drip, which is fine for a plated first course but tricky for cocktail party bites.
What kind of Gorgonzola works best?
Ina calls for creamy Gorgonzola, which is the dolce (sweet) variety. It is softer and milder than Gorgonzola piccante, the aged version with a sharper bite and crumblier texture.
Dolce works here because it melts into a smooth, spreadable layer after a minute or two in the oven. Piccante stays in firm chunks and can overpower the peppers with its intensity. If you cannot find Gorgonzola dolce, a creamy Cambozola or Saint Agur will give you a similar melt and mild blue cheese flavor.
What other toppings does Ina use for bruschetta?
Ina has published bruschetta across several cookbooks with completely different toppings. Her Bruschettas with Sautéed Chard from Cooking for Jeffrey (2016) piles garlicky Swiss chard on grilled toast with Parmesan and lemon zest. Her Herbed Ricotta Bruschettas from How Easy Is That? (2010) spread homemade ricotta with dill and chives on grilled sourdough.
For a simpler approach, spread the toast with Ina’s White Bean Dip instead of Gorgonzola for a lighter, creamier Italian version that works well when you want bruschetta without the strong blue cheese flavor
