Balsamic Peach Bruschetta
Originally published August 18, 2020. Updated on 6/24/2021
Peach season is in full swing here in Hamilton, so it's time to share my Balsamic Peach Bruschetta Recipe!
The other day, I was perusing a Facebook group for members of Food Bloggers of Canada, when a post inspired some recipe development!
They were announcing a sale on peaches in BC, and suggested that people take advantage for peach posts. At that moment, I realized... I don’t have a ton of peach recipes on my blog, despite now living in Canada’s fruit belt.
... and despite seeing gorgeous local peaches at Ottawa St Farmer’s Market literally days earlier.
IN my defense, I HAVE gone through a ton of peaches this season... but for wine recipes. That means they’re in production, but won’t be ready to share until next season.
Either way, I should probably do better by my local community, I’m literally cycling distance away from peach orchards right now!
Balsamic Peach Bruschetta
So, I made a big list of the recipes I wanted to develop this season, and got ON it. Expect a few of them in the next couple weeks.
We’re probably going to make ourselves sick of peaches, so may as well share that, right? It’ll be like “The Ring”, but... well, you know... tastier!
Anyway.
Something I’ve been meaning to shoot and post for a while now, is to do a peach version of my Sweet Corn Bruschetta. I’d developed that recipe almost 10 years ago, for a corn cookbook contract.
(I eventually got the rights to that book reverted to me, so I could revamp it and re-release it - Maize Craze: Spectacular Sweet Corn Recipes!)
Balsamic Vinegar
Through experimentation on that recipe, I found that a Peach White Balsamic Vinegar not only worked beautifully with the corn... but is basically one of the best things to have in the kitchen, period. I LOVE Peach White Balsamic Vinegar!
If you live in the Hamilton/Burlington area, we pick it up at The Olive Oil Dispensary. If you live in the Minneapolis area, we used to get it at Annona Gourmet when we still lived there.
If you don’t live in either area, I highly recommend looking up olive oil companies in your area - they’re the kind of businesses that usually sell flavoured balsamic vinegars. I haven’t seen this stuff on any grocery store shelf, which is a shame - it’s really fabulous. Amazon sells it though - here - if you really can’t get it locally.
We originally started getting the little bottles, not much bigger than a sample. Maybe 100 ml? Now we buy the big bottles.
9 times out of 10, I’m using it for a balsamic vinaigrette - it’s especially great on roasted beet salads. When I’m not making vinaigrette with it, I’m making an alternative bruschetta recipe with it - either the corn or this peach one.
Wow, I really can go on forever about the stuff. Seriously, it’s delicious. I’m kind of shocked we haven’t just had at it with a spoon yet.
ANYWAY.
White Peach Balsamic Vinegar
Yes, the peach white balsamic vinegar works *fabulously* on this Balsamic Peach Bruschetta Recipe ... but so do other fruity white balsamics, as well as traditional balsamic vinegar.
One time, I ran out of my beloved peach balsamic vinegar (I may have shrieked as that last drop left the bottle, far short of what I needed!), and used my Alphonso Mango White Balsamic Vinegar (Have purchased it in the same locations mentioned above). It was *fantastic*!
So, this Balsamic Peach Bruschetta Recipe is pretty customizable, in that sense.
The flavour of a batch with peach balsamic is wildly different from a batch made with a traditional balsamic. The white peach batch tastes bright and fruity, while the traditional batch tastes richer and fancier.
To put it another way, the white peach balsamic batch tastes like summer picnic food, the traditional balsamic batch tastes like wine tasting food.
Both ways are fantastic, though - as are the many variations in between. Apple balsamic is also great, FWIW.
Uh, I may have a balsamic vinegar addiction. Sorry. It’s a great one to partake in, though - a good excuse to eat more salad! There’s a great justification, eh?
The Bread
I like a really crusty baguette for bruschetta, but some prefer the less crusty types. It’s all good - it toasts up in the process anyway!
I like to slice it relatively thin and on a diagonal, both for ease in eating (not too thick!), and to maximize the amount of topping it’ll hold.
The bread pictured in this entry is actually a gluten-free baguette! YES!
No, I didn’t make it - Aside from my gluten-free bagels and pretzels (in “Beyond Flour 2"), I really haven’t come up with bread products I love.
Luckily, we’re within easy driving distance of Turtledoves Bakery, a FABULOUS little gluten-free bakery in Burlington.
Not only do they have all manner of treats that I can buy one-of (rather than messing with making an entire batch when I just want *a* Nanaimo Bar), everything is so good, my husband will eat it also.
While that’s been the case for my own gluten free cooking and baking, that’s never been the case for anything retail, so ... yeah, they’re pretty amazing.
Also, their bread doesn’t need toasting to be edible, so obviously they’ve made some sort of deal with the devil. Seriously.
So yes, this was a gluten-free bruschetta, even though it looks completely “normal”, and even though my husband hoovered this batch just as fast as I did. We were not elegant about it. LOL.
(FYI: I don’t have any kind of relationship with any of the olive oil places or the bakery to report, other than “raving fangirl”. )
The Cheese
I like to use goat cheese for this, as it’s perfectly balanced with the other ingredients. Feta is too harsh, and ricotta or mascarpone don’t have enough bite to counteract the sweetness of the topping.
That's IMHO, anyway - if you'd like it to be more of a dessert than an appetizer, feel free play around with the cheeses!
Looking for More Peach Recipes?
I’ve got you covered! Here are few favourites, or type “peach” into the search field on my site to find even more!
Blackberry Peach Popsicles
Boozy Raspberry-Peach Bread Pudding
Fresh Peach Daiquiri Recipe
Fresh Peach Salsa
Fuzzy Peach Candy Cocktail
Grilled Halloumi Salad
Grilled Peaches with Lime Honey
Homemade Peach Wine Recipe
One Pan Balsamic Chicken with Peaches
Peach Cobbler Muffins
Peachy Southern Comfort Cheesecake
Rosemary Peach Balsamic Scones
Small Batch Peach Jam
Small Batch Mango Peach Jam
Southern Comfort Peach Pie
Spicy Southern Comfort Glazed Chicken with Grilled Peaches
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Balsamic Peach Bruschetta
Ingredients
- 3 Fresh Peaches husks removed
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 3 tablespoon Peach White Balsamic Vinegar Or Balsamic vinegar of Choice
- ¼ cup Fresh Basil Cut into thin strips
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 Baguette
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- 8 oz Goat Cheese
Instructions
- Using a sharp knife, carefully chop peaches into small pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine peaches, honey, and balsamic vinegar, tossing to coat.
- Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cut baguette into ¼-1/2″ thick slices – I like to cut them at a bit of an angle. Brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil, arrange on a broiling pan.
- Broil bread slices for 3 minutes, flip them all over, and broil for another 2 minutes.
- Remove from oven, spread each slice with some goat cheese, top with peach mixture.
- Serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
Katie
I’m planning to make this for our Italian themed party. How far in advance can the peach part of the recipe be made??
Marie Porter
I wouldn't do it more than a day ahead.