This bruschetta pasta is an absolute joy to make and more importantly, a joy to eat. In contrast to most pasta recipes I’ve got on this blog, this is nice and light. Which in fact is quite dangerous because before you know it you’ve scoffed down the entire skillet 😋
Bruschetta Topping
The star of the show in this pasta is the bruschetta topping/filling. Traditional bruschetta really only involves toasted bread topped with tomatoes and basil. Alongside the obvious tomato and basil, here I also add red onion and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. The red onion not only adds a nice pop of colour, but also adds a nice bit of texture and a good punch of flavour too. The extra virgin olive oil adds a nice silky touch.
What tomatoes to use?
Here I use a combination of mixed cherry tomatoes (yellow, red, orange etc) and baby plum tomatoes. You can however use any tomatoes you fancy, just make sure they’re good quality and as fresh as possible. They are the star of the show after all.
Can I use dried basil?
Fresh basil is essential here! Dried basil won’t have enough time to infuse it’s flavours and actually has quite a different taste to fresh basil. Don’t skip or sub this.
Can I make this part in advance?
You can, I just recommend holding off on the salt otherwise it’ll turn soupy. Tightly cover in the fridge overnight then add salt just before needed.
Bruschetta Pasta
Okay, bruschetta topping done, let’s talk bruschetta ‘base’. In regular bruschetta this is usually toasted bread which has been rubbed with fresh garlic. In this pasta version we simply infuse extra virgin olive oil with garlic and toss through the pasta.
Starchy Pasta Water
Once you toss the pasta through the oil, as you’d expected it will indeed turn oily. In order to turn it into a very light/glossy sauce you’ll want to add in some starchy pasta water. This will help emulsify the oil and stop it from going greasy.
Serving Bruschetta Pasta
From there I like to keep the pasta in the pan and top with the bruschetta mix. Finish with a heavy helping of shaved parmesan and a good drizzle of balsamic glaze. Oh, and a train of garlic bread for good measure! Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this bruschetta pasta shall we?!
How to make Bruschetta Pasta (Full Recipe & Video)
If you’re looking for another delicious bruschetta recipe be sure to check out my Bruschetta Chicken and Feta Bruschetta! For more similar recipes check out these beauties too:
Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta Spaghetti Carbonara Spaghetti Bolognese Pizza Pasta Salad Caramelised Onion Pasta
