Summer is now in full swing and so are the backyard BBQs. Whether you’re feeding your family or having a couple of friends over for dinner, you want to create a summer feast that is quick, easy and delicious. To complement what you’re preparing for a main course, you’ll need to have a great appetizer to keep the hunger at bay.

Summer appetizers don’t have to be complicated or boring. Denisse from Le Petit Chef took our Sangria Medley Tomatoes and our Poco Bites Cocktail Cucumbers and created this spectacular Sangria & Cucumber Caprese Bruschetta recipe that is the perfect summer appetizer. Denisse is a private chef & caterer with a food blog, her passion for cooking and creating recipes brings her joy and a sense of mindfulness. Most of Denisse’s recipes are wholesome, colorful and creative. Avoiding processed foods and cooking with fresh ingredients, she is a firm believer that the best thing you can pair with tomatoes are crisp, refreshing cucumbers, and we couldn’t agree more!

If you’re not familiar with our Sangria Medley Tomatoes, they are all the colors, tastes and textures of the rainbow.  Sweet, tart, plump and juicy – you name it!  Close your eyes and pick your flavor.  These tomatoes offer a world of possibilities and a new adventure in each refreshing bite.

Our Poco Bites® Cocktail Cucumbers are crisp and packed with energy.  These refreshing morsels will hydrate you and keep you playing all day long.  They work great as a quick on-the-go snack or in any recipe that calls for cucumbers.

Sangria and Cucumber Caprese Bruschetta

If you’ve ever had an Italian Caprese salad, you’re going to love this bruschetta recipe. It’s a nod to classic bruschetta with a Caprese salad twist with the addition of fresh mozzarella and crunchy cucumbers for some added flavor and crunch. It is easy to make and ready to serve in about 20 minutes. The tomatoes & cucumbers in this recipe celebrate the tastes and flavors of summer and the colorful Sangria® Medley Tomatoes are not only visually stunning but offer that sweet, juicy tomato flavor that is necessary for that traditional Caprese taste.

This Cucumber Caprese Bruschetta is beyond foolproof, which means it’s the perfect no-fuss starter for your backyard BBQ. All you need to do to make the topping is cut up the tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and garlic; mix them together with olive oil and salt. For an easier BBQ day execution, Denisse says that the topping mixture can be made up to a day in advance and store in a covered container in the fridge.

To get your crostini just perfect, start by heating the oven to 375º F. Slice a long French-style baguette into 20 pieces and place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil and bake for 7-10 minutes depending on how crunchy you would like them to be. Some people like a light toasting with the center being soft and chewy, while others like a crunchier, toasted texture. It’s all about what you prefer!

Next you put the topping on and it’s ready to serve.  It’s really that easy!

This recipe will pair well with our Meat and Veggie Skewers, Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Juno Bites, Georgia Gold BBQ Chicken or your favorite protein – the possibilities are endless! You could also prepare it as a “snacketizer” and just enjoy it over an evening chat out on the deck. Whatever occasion you make it for, one thing is for sure, this recipe celebrates the flavors of summer and it’s sure to be a hit!

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