Ruffled Apron Blog

Summer Strawberry Bruschetta

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Strawberries have been my favorite fruit from a young age. Perfectly sweet, juicy bright red color and they pair perfectly with so many foods! We have always been big berry fans in my house. So I’m mixing up my spring/summer snacks this year with this incredible strawberry bruschetta.

Growing up in North Carolina, strawberry season signaled the end of the school year, “almost summer” as I liked to call it, and the beginning of freedom for those 3 hot summer months. Not a spring went by that my mom didn’t drag us out of the house to the local strawberry farm to pick buckets full to bring home.

Despite all my grumbling when I was lovingly forced to go strawberry picking, I always looked forward to all the sweet fruit we would bring home. Just like summer vacation, it always seemed like those strawberries would be gone in a flash.

Now, even though it’s already June, we still have a few weeks to go until we get fresh strawberries locally in Michigan. Don’t worry, that hasn’t stopped me! I am on my 7th pound of strawberries this season in my house and I am counting down until I can go strawberry picking. Even though Andrew won’t eat them, I pick enough to feed a large family and freeze them to enjoy the rest of the year. I also always make my a batch or two of my strawberry freezer jam to enjoy year round.

This strawberry bruschetta is so simple and flavorful. It’s the perfect snack to serve your family and friends at your next outdoor party. The sweet strawberries pair perfectly with the savory whipped ricotta and the hint of black pepper ties it all together. It’s cold and refreshing for a hot, almost summer day and it’s filling enough to be satisfying. Pro Tip: If you want to make this completely outdoor friendly you could also totally grill the baguette slices and avoid turning on your oven altogether.

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Ingredients

For the Whipped Ricotta

  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the Strawberry Topping

  • 1 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 6 leaves fresh basil, torn into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the Baguette Toasts

  • 10 ounce baguette, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
  • 2 cloves garlic, halved
  • olive oil for drizzling

Instructions

  1. Add ricotta, lemon zest, honey, salt and black pepper to a medium sized bowl and whip using a hand mixer or stand mixer until fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Chill until ready to assemble.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, black pepper.  Toss vinaigrette with strawberries and basil and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 

  3. Assemble baguette rounds on a large baking sheet and rub each bread slice with the cut side of the garlic pieces.  Drizzle the bread with olive oil and broil until golden brown and crispy, about 4 minutes.  Flip and repeat the same process on the other side.  Watch these carefully so they don't burn.  

  4. Remove from oven and allow rounds to cool on baking sheet.  To assemble the bruschetta, spread 1/2 tablespoon of whipped ricotta on each round and top with strawberry basil mixture.

  5. Optional: if you want really to impress your crowd, assemble on your serving tray and garnish right before serving.   Suggested garnishes: high quality olive oil, flaky sea salt, freshly cracked black peppercorns and more torn basil leaves.   

Recipe Notes

If you have any leftover whipped ricotta, save it! It is awesome with just plain berries, as a topping on pancakes or as a spread for toast.