The Slept-On Herb Your Tomato Bruschetta Is Begging For

An Italian finger food classic, a fresh and crunchy bite of bruschetta is the ultimate end-of-summer dish. Between the warm toasted bread and the smattering of tomatoes mixed with basil, it's hard to imagine making any changes to this recipe. However, there are always ways to upgrade even iconic dishes like bruschetta, typically by giving them a flavor boost that enhances what's already there. In this case, the secret ingredient you didn't know you needed is the often-overlooked herb, sorrel.

Sorrel is a leafy green herb that comes packed with a distinct lemony flavor. Using sorrel is a great way to add a sharp edge to bruschetta, as the lemon taste complements the acidity of the tomatoes and the earthiness of the basil, while adding an extra layer of vibrant punchiness to the dish. So, be sure to grab some sorrel for an underrated upgrade to your bruschetta during your next trip to the grocery store.

Sorrel's punchy lemon flavor makes it a vibrant addition to any dish, but it is especially compatible with other bright ingredients like the grape tomatoes, herbs, and balsamic vinegar used to make bruschetta. It can be used either as a chopped-up herb in the bruschetta mix, or as a leafy garnish that provides a sour boost — this makes it great when combined with milder ingredients like bruschetta's bread, because the carbs provide a hearty base for the bright herbs.

Note that there are a handful of types of sorrel, including French and red-veined sorrel, but the best to use for bruschetta is common green sorrel, which has the sharpest flavor and is most readily available. Red-veined and French sorrel have a softer taste that is almost imperceptible as lemon, so they aren't ideal for a vibrant dish like bruschetta.

Bruschetta is easy to put together, and adding sorrel requires little extra work. Slice and toast a baguette while prepping the other ingredients. In this case, prep simply means roughly chopping the tomatoes and ribboning the basil and sorrel to combine the mixture in a large bowl with vinegar and olive oil. The sorrel is prepared the same way as the basil, so it blends seamlessly into the tomato mixture but still adds that tart flavor. Evenly spread the mixture onto the toasted slices of bread, and you've got yourself a bruschetta with a lemon twist that makes the perfect appetizer or side dish.

One easy way to upgrade your bruschetta is by adding a layer of cheese before your tomato and other toppings. Incorporating a signature Italian cheese provides an extra layer of creamy texture to your recipe, and is perfect for making a warm tomato and mozzarella bruschetta. The milder taste of the cheese also provides a great balance for your added sorrel, so this addition doesn't compromise any other adjustments. You can also upgrade your recipe by further playing off the taste of the sorrel with a drizzle of lemon-infused olive oil.

Another twist on this recipe is nixing the bread and swapping it for a hearty protein like chicken. A one-pot bruschetta chicken parmesan includes all the ingredients that make up the bruschetta topping, but grounds the dish more with the thicker base of chicken breasts. You can even incorporate the sorrel further into the dish by using it to season your poultry as well as the bruschetta — or, add a dash of lemon juice or zest as a final zippy garnish. The brightness of the herb makes it compatible with such a hearty dish while still giving your bruschetta an upgraded twist.