How to Grill Bread

Sacré bleu! Who knew a plain baguette could be transformed into such a tasty treat. Whether you’re wondering how to grill bread, are on the lookout for a flavorful appetizer for your next lunch get-together with friends or simply want to find something new to do with your leftover bread, this delicious recipe is sure to satisfy. The combination of crispy bread and the chunky tomato-basil mixture makes for a tasty bruschetta that you and your guests won’t be able to keep your hands off of.

One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to prepare. There’s no long prep time or ingredients list. It’s straightforward and simple to prepare with ingredients that are commonly found in the kitchen or many summer gardens. If you find you have some bread, tomatoes and fresh basil leaves on hand and aren’t sure what to snack on, be sure to give this recipe a try.

Chop the tomatoes and basil leaves. Combine with olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Cut the baguette into thick slices.

For Gas Grill: Heat grill to medium. Turn off half of the burners to create an indirect and direct heat zone to control the cooking.

For Charcoal: Heat the coals of the grill. Place them on one side of the barbecue, to have a zone of direct heat and another of indirect for control of cooking.

Brush the bread slices with olive oil on both sides.

Place the bread slices on the grill and grill until crunchy and golden. (3 to 4 minutes per side) If the grill is getting too hot, you can move them to the indirect heat side of the BBQ to avoid burning.

Reserve on a serving dish or in a basket.

Serve the bread with a bit of tomato mixture on top and enjoy.

Of course, the tomato and basil spread used here is just one of many delicious options of what you can put on your freshly grilled bread. Pair it with a roasted red pepper hummus or some garden-fresh pesto instead for some variety in flavor.

This goes for the bread as well. Try grilling ciabatta, focaccia, rye or any of your favorite artisan breads. You might just have to adjust the cooking time according to the thickness of the bread. The possibilities are endless.

If you happen to have leftovers, you can store the cooled bread slices in a ziploc bag with all the air squeezed out in the refrigerator. Just make sure to let them cool completely before putting them away, otherwise, the bread will steam in the bag and get soggy.

Have you ever tried grilling your bread? If you take a shot at this tutorial, let us know in the comments how it turned out!