Fried Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomato Bruchetta may just be your new favorite appetizer. Mozzarella cheese is breaded and quick fried until melty. It's placed onto sliced bread and topped with a marinated tomato mixture for a creamy and flavorful bruschetta crostini tomato appetizer.
I am all about appetizers especially when I am entertaining. There is nothing better than having a meal with a few assorted appetizers for a light dinner too. As you know, I love tomatoes so Fried Mozzarella and Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta is what I came up with as my latest creation.
What is Bruschetta?
Bruschetta is a delicious mixture that usually includes chopped tomatoes and herbs. It typically gets piled on slices of toasted bread. This classic Italian appetizer is perfect to serve before dinner and many restaurants will have it on their menu. This mozzarella bruschetta is creamy and full of flavor.
Crostini is made with toppings and very similar to bruschetta. Brucshetta is usually thicker sliced of large Italian bread and topped with a tomato mixture while crostini is usually make on thin round slices of crusty bread with assorted toppings. Whichever bread you choose, you will love this bruschetta crostini appetizer.
This is an easy recipe to make but one that will wow all your guests. I love making this over the summer with ripe, juicy tomatoes. When NJ tomatoes are not available, I use mini heirloom tomatoes that I find in the supermarket. They are sweet, colorful and available year-round. They are much better than the other tomatoes you find at the markets this time of year. I love serving this appetizer poolside or on the patio.
Ingredients needed for Fried Mozzarella Bruschetta
- Olive Oil – Use a good quality olive oil as the flavor will be prominant in this dish.
- Baguette – Slice about a half a loaf into thin, ½-inch slices.
- Heirloom Tomatoes – Get the freshest tomatoes you can buy. You can use whole tomatoes chopped or halve cherry tomatoes.
- Basil – Use fresh basil and chop just before adding it to the salad.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – Look for this in the salad dressing aisle.
- Panko Bread Crumbs – I love the crunch of panko but you can use regular bread crumbs in a pinch.
- Italian Seasoning - This is usually a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, sage, and/or coriander.
- Salt – Don't skimp on the salt. Salt is going to really bring out the flavor of the tomatoes.
- Fresh Mozzarella – Look for the fresh mozzerella logs near the deli section of the grocery. These come as whole logs or already sliced.
- Eggs – Eggs will help the bread crumbs bind to the fried mozzarella.
Tips for Making This Mozzarella Bruschetta Recipe:
- Slice your bread thin. The cheese and tomatoes are the star of the show so you don't want the bread to be too thick.
- Toast the bread lightly. If it's too crunchy, these appetizers will be harder to eat.
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find. Heirloom tomatoes are pretty but regular tomatoes work well too.
- If you'd like to cut a step and save some time, use frozen mozzarella sticks and just heat them in your air fryer or oven. Cut the sticks to fit the bread.
- Drizzle some of the leftover dressing over the finished bruschetta crostini appetizer.
More Tomato Appetizers
- Tomato, Bacon and Avocado Crostini Recipe
- Tomato Pesto Caprese Skewers
- Ricotta Tomato Puff Pastry Tart
- Goat Cheese and Tomato Tartlets from Donuts 2 Crumpets
Bruschetta with mozzeralla is such a versatile crowd pleaser. Your guests are going to love this tasty tomato appetizer.
If you like this bruschetta with mozzarella tomato appetizer, please leave a 5-star rating.
Fried Mozzarella & Balsamic Heirloom Tomato Crostini
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil divided
- 12 ½ inch baguette slices (about half a loaf)
- 2 cups chopped Heirloom tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
- 1 ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt plus extra if needed
- 16 ounce fresh mozzarella log cut into 12 thick pieces to fit the size of the bread
- 2 large eggs beaten
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush both sides of the bread with 1 tablespoons oil. Reserve remaining oil. Bake until slightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- In a small bowl, mix together tomatoes, basil and dressing. Set aside.
- Mix together bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and ½ teaspoon salt on a deep plate. Dip the cheese pieces in the egg and then dredge the cheese with the bread crumb mixture until all is coated.
- Heat half of the olive oil on medium heat in a non- stick frying pan. Place half the cheese in the pan and fry for 30 to 45 seconds on each side or until golden. Remove from pan and let rest on paper towels. Cook the remaining batch.
- To assemble crostini, place a piece of fried cheese on each piece of toasted bread. Top with the tomato mixture. Season with salt to taste.
Nutrition
First Published May 2014 ; Updated July 2021
Subscribe to Jersey Girl Cooks if you would like more recipes like this one. You can also order my Super Easy Cookbook for Beginners and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
I very much like the sounds of this recipe. Looks amazing!
Amazing recipe Lisa! I could eat the whole plate. Good luck!
Yum. That looks so good. Good luck!
I love their sauces! Also love this idea--fried mozz with tomato salad. Yum.
Yum, those look delish! I would love to win the sauces, they all sound amazing!!
Will definitely try this recipe! Thanx!
Lisa, This looks delicious!!
I wish you the best of luck in the contest, and know you will do well. Your recipe looks great and I'd like to snack on one of them right now. I too love balsamic vinegar and especially love it with tomatoes.
Looks tasty! Love the idea of the fried mozzarella. Kind of like a different take on bruschetta. Can't wait to try it!
the one with black pepper,sounds delicious
So cool that you are in this competition! Good luck, I totally hope you win! This recipe looks amazing!! I totally want to try the Jamaican Wing Sauce, it sounds delicious!
Congratulations on being chosen by the Saucy Mamas company! Awesome!
And you are so correct. This is an over the top double Wow recipe for an appetizer that truly is not that difficult to make. I have never tried to fry cheese, but it looks like something that I could easily handle. Delish!
I can imagine making something with the Four Leaf Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade and wing sauces. Sounds like an italian dinner night.
I seriously wish I had the ingredients on hand so I could make this for lunch! It looks delicious.
This looks so yummy!! Good luck in November!
Everything looks so good. I am starving now
Had to rate this recipe a 5 and shared on pinterest. I'd like to try the All Natural Pacific Rim Ginger Dressing.
This sounds soo yummy..will have to try it!
I'd never even thought of fried mozzarella but this is definitely on my list of summer recipes to try.
This sounds so yummy! I and looks amazing!
Sounds delicious.
this sounds like something I would like to try to make
All these sauces and this recipe sound so good and I would love to give them all a try.
I would love to try these sauces! They look so good.
this looks soooo yummy - I love anything with olive oil, basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes, and MORE than welcome any new twist on it (especially when it involves bread....).
i would love to try all of these sauces! but i'm especially eyeing the Jamacian Jerk Wing Sauce. thanks for the giveaway and i hope i win!
That looks amazing! I'm from Jersey, too, and that remind me of the awesome appetizers you can get in fine dining Italian restaurants.
They look delicious!
These products would be so much fun to cook with!
I've had the Parmesan marinade & it's fantastic.
Yes I pinned this also.
thank you
anything with great tomatoes rocks
These would make food so flavorful
Your recipe looks delicious! A box of these sauces would be a big help to me!
I would love to try the Orange Habanero Wing Sauce but all of them look great! Thanks for the chance.
I'd love to try the *ALL NATURAL* SESAME GINGER DRESSING.
Those look amazing! Great summer cookout recipe!
omg. That Fried Mozzarella & Balsamic Heirloom Tomato Crostini looks amazing. I'm printing out the recipe right now. I need to try it.
I would love to win this! This recipe looks outstanding. I have made a similar dish several times and it is so delicious and looks so elegant.
I browsed through the recipes on their site and fell in love with the Cracked Pepper Shrimp.. I would love to try this out myself! Nothing beats real quality marinades, sauces, and dressings. You get used to buying the same brands who just cannot capture the freshness and quality that a smaller name would have. I love to buy food items from lesser-knowns, they have never disappointed.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Yes! I'd love to try these! I think the Balsamic Basil Vinaigrette Dressing sounds amazing!
Looks and sounds wonderful and easy to prepare too.
That looks so good yummy!!
This looks so good! I can't wait to try this recipe!
The Fried Mozzarella and Balsamic Heirloom Tomato Crostini looks so good - I want to try it right now! All of the Saucy Mama sauces sound good, especially the Four Leaf Balsamic Vinaigrette and Marinade.
I would love to win, and your recipe looks amazing
Would love to win,these sauces look so good! Thanks so much!
These look delicious! The Honey Barbeque flavor looks great!
The fried mozz with tomato salad sounds delicious. I would love to try the sauces they sound delicious.
tasty sauces
The sauces look great. Thankyou for the chance.
I would like to try their marinades, especially the Miso Orange Sesame Dressing & Marinade.
I would really love to try these sauces. Hoping to win and get the chance ๐
Our family loves wings. It would be great to try out the different flavors of wing sauce.
Oh Wow, These look so delicious!!!
yes i would love to try these.
You know this has my name written all over it! YUM!
I would love to try these sauces. I love trying new food products and these are so different than anything I have ever tried before!
this looks so good- I must try it
This looks so good!
I am always on the lookout for new hot wing sauce -- can't wait to try this one!
I would love to try these sauces, and come up with new recipes for them.
I love balsamic marinades!!
This recipe isn't my normal kind of cooking, but looks like it's at least worth a try!
Look awesome - would love to try these!!!~
this looks wonderful and making me hungry ๐ would love to try
This post makes me wish I bought some heirloom tomato plants to grow! I two "regular" kinds, although I forget what specific variety they were.
This recipe looks amazing. I love heirloom tomatoes! I bet the balsamic really adds a nice flavor!