Crostini vs Bruschetta: What Is the Difference?

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Every summer, once fresh produce such as tomatoes becomes available in the garden and at the farmer’s market, my family starts making Italian-based recipes such as crostini and bruschetta regularly. After all, nothing tastes better than fresh ingredients on deliciously crunchy bread. But, to be honest, I never knew the difference between the two. After all, based on my understanding, both are Italian antipasto dishes that look and taste similar to one another. Recently, as a result of publishing my whipped feta and tomato crostini recipe, I decided to dive in and learn the difference between the two. So, crostini vs bruschetta: what exactly is the difference?

What Is a Crostini?

Crostini, which means ‘little toasts’ in Italian, is an appetizer made from thin toasted or grilled slices of bread that are typically brushed with olive oil. Usually, these small slices come from baguette-like styles of bread.

Often, you then top the toasted or grilled bread with different types of fresh and preserved ingredients. Such ingredients can include cheeses, meats, seafood, and vegetables. In Italy, they may use ingredients such as anchovies, smoked seafood, and pâté as well. Finally, a crostini can also refer to toasted toppings for soups and salads similar to a crouton.

If you would like to try one of our crostini recipes, try making our whipped feta and sautéd tomato crostini recipe! It tastes refreshingly tangy! Top with fresh basil to make the perfect summer appetizer!

Crostini vs bruschetta: a side shot of whipped feta and tomato crostini — Photo Credit: Carving A Journey
Our Delicious Whipped Feta and Sautéd Tomato Crostini. Top Your Bread With This Tangy Spread.

Now that we have defined the crostini, what is bruschetta?

What Is Bruschetta?

The word bruschetta comes from the Italian word ‘brucare’ which means ‘to roast over coals.’

To make the most traditional version of this Italian antipasto (starter dish), grill the sourdough style bread over a fire to achieve a crunchy and charcoaled exterior. Then, you rub the slices of toasted bread with garlic cloves before drizzling it with extra virgin olive oil. This traditional garlicky bruschetta is called Fett’unta!

An overhead shot of different types of bruschetta. — Photo Credit: Victoria Shes
Look at All These Delicious Toppings!!

Like crostini, you can top bruschetta with meats, cheeses, and fresh vegetables. In the United States, the most famous style of bruschetta includes olive oil, basil, and tomatoes!

So, crostini vs bruschetta, what exactly is the difference?

Crostini vs Bruschetta: What Is the Difference?

So, in summary, the difference between the two Italian antipasti are:

The Type and Styles of Bread: While the crostini uses baguette styles of bread, bruschetta typically uses a larger sourdough style of bread loaf.
The Treatment of the Bread: On the one hand, to make a crostini, you slice the bread thinly before toasting or grilling it. On the other hand, to make bruschetta, you slice the sourdough style bread more thickly before toasting it and rubbing it with garlic.

To those who do not know the difference, the small nuance differences between the two may not matter. But, to those who were culturally raised with these two dishes, the difference matters a great deal!

Which Do You Prefer: Crostini for Bruschetta?

We hope you enjoyed learning the difference between these two dishes. If so, let us know your favorite recipes in the comment section below! Also, which style of dish do you prefer more?

If you would like to read more articles like this, you can find further comparisons on our blog. We listed some of our cooking tips and tricks below as well as our favorite Korean Carving A Journey recipes! For reference, many recipes are influenced by our blended Korean and Southern heritage.

Comparison Articles:

Carving A Journey Food and Drink Recipes:

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