Loaded Bruschetta Recipe (2024)

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VinoBlockParty#CollectiveBias The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older.

Loaded bruschetta is an inspired twist on a classic appetizer. Tomato, bacon, avocado, mozzarella, and basil piled on top of crispy, crunchy bread.

If your neighborhood is anything like mine, you know the end of summer is near when the notice for theannual block party arrives. The neighborhood brings in lights and a sound system, a huge wood burning grill, and ice cold buckets of beer and wine pop up everywhere. It’s being going on every August for over 25 years and I doubt it will stop any time soon.

While it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to attend this year, if I do go,this would be the dish I would bring: Loaded Bruschetta.

The tomato basil base is the star of the show, but it wouldn’t be loaded if I didn’t throw in bacon, avocado, and mozzarella cheese – some of my all-time favorite foods.Pile it all on top of toasted bread with olive oil and try not to drool!

The dish comes together quickly and easily. It’s perfect for sharingwith friends and tastes even better with a glass of crisp, dry sauvignon blanc.

As a wine drinker, having a great go-to summer wine is absolutely key. Sauvignon blanc is my choice for the summer because it’s crisp, refreshing, and served up cold to cool me down. When stocking up for a party, Ilook forsomething from a name I can trust that isn’t going to break the bank. It also has to taste good!

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi fits that bill perfectly. It is perfect for sharing and makes almost any occasion more fun.

The Mondavi winery was establishedhere in Napa 50 years ago. I’ve had the honor of visiting a couple of times and would highly recommend it if you ever plan a visit to the area! In the winery you can taste a wide variety of fine wines, but they just aren’t what I wantfor large gatherings.

However, itshows that the Mondavi brand has a high standard and if they put their name on it, the price will be fair for the quality you get.

TheWoodbridge by Robert Mondavi line was launched 30 years ago to provide a goodquality, easy drinking wine at a great price, and they definitely hit their target. Their sauvignon blanc is a great pairing for this loaded bruschetta, made only better by sharing it with friends.

The base for this bruschetta is a simple toasted bread round made from a bakery fresh baguette. Makethem in advance if you don’t want to turn on your oven during the hottest part of the day. Once prepared, theywill keep at room temperature in an airtight container for about 2 days. You can typicallyfindbaguettes in the bakery section of your local grocery.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguetteinto rounds about half an inch thick and placein an even layer on a baking sheet. Brush on olive oil with a pastry brush then sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt. Bake the breadfor 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden.

If you aren’t making the bread in advance, start making the topping when the bread goes into the oven. Cook the bacon either on the stovetop or makeoven bacon, cooking iton the rack above the bread.

Chop the tomato, then peel and chop the avocado the same size as the tomato. Note: the avocado is easier to peel whencut into halves or quarters. Julienne the basil.Place the tomato, avocado, and basil into a medium sized mixing bowl.

Fresh mozzarella comes in many sizes, from a large, tomato sized ball all the way down to little pearls. Often I can find the pearls and prefer them for this dish (less chopping!) but for this photoshoot I was only able to get the ciliegine mozzarella.

Each piece of ciliegine mozzarellaisabout the size of a cherry tomato and weighs about 1/3 of an ounce each. Twelvepieces providesthe 4 ounces required.Chop into quarters to be the samesize as the other ingredients. If you choosea larger ball of fresh mozzarella, chop it into roughly the same size as the avocado and tomato, then add it to the mixing bowl.

Chop the cooked and cooled baconand add it to the mixing bowl as well. Stir everything together and add salt and pepper to taste. Start with1/4 teaspoon of each, thenadjusted based on your preference.

To serve, you have a couple of options, as the bread will get soggyif topped too far in advance.

If you are serving these immediately, go ahead and top each piece of toasted bread with one to twotablespoons of the topping.

If you are serving these at a larger party, I suggest displaying the bread and the topping separate, allowing people to assemble them as they eat them.

This loaded bruschetta is best enjoyed with friends and a glass ofWoodbridge by Robert Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc. Good food and good wine are the perfect recipe for making great memories all year long. For more information about Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi and celebrating summer check out their Simple Entertaining Social Hubor follow them on Pinterest. While you are there, don’t forget to Pin this recipe for later!

For more great recipes, sign up for the Sunday Spotlight! A bi-weekly email covering the recipes of the week, behind the scene stories, and exclusive bonus tip and tricks. It goes great with your Sunday morning coffee.

Loaded Bruschetta Recipe