Spanish Pan Con Tomate (Tomato Toast)

Traveling around Spain is a good experience – but there is one thing we look forward to more than anything else – the Spanish Tomato Bread (Pan con Tomate) you find everywhere, loaded with bright, fresh tomato flavor! Since our first trip to Spain a few years ago, we have been a tomato toast fanatic – it is our favorite easy, simple summer appetizer that only takes about 10 or 15 minutes to throw together – and they will be inhaled in a fraction of that time!

This is one of the most simple – yet most good – snacks or small bites you'll make!

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

How to make Pan Con Tomate

Over the years, we've perfected the method we watched countless restaurants in Spain making, to ensure perfectly balanced flavor that we had in Barcelona, up the Costa Brava through Catalonia, and then in San Sebastian in Basque country.

We were recently in Bilbao – Spain's Western Basque coast across the country from Catalonia where Pan de Tomate is originally from – and we were so happy to see tomato toasts adorning about every Pintxos (pronounced “peen-tchos”) bar's counters. We popped into so many Pintxos bars for a slice one day as we walked through San Sebastian – it was heaven (the solid way to spend an afternoon, in our humble opinion.)

We love making a big batch of these when we have a lot of fresh tomatoes on hand – our husband, our daughter, and we usually end up standing over the baking sheet, gobbling them down before we have time to even put them on a plate.

Pan Con Tomate Ingredients

To make this recipe, we will use the following ingredients:

• Ripe Tomatoes: Provide a sweet, juicy, and slightly acidic flavor, adding essential moisture to soften the bread.
• Crusty Bread (Baguette or Ciabatta) Offers a sturdy base and a contrasting crispy crust that holds up well under the tomato's moisture.
• Garlic Cloves Infuse a pungent, slightly spicy flavor, enhancing the overall taste profile and aroma of the dish.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds a rich, fruity, and slightly peppery flavor, contributing a silky, luxurious texture.
• Salt: Elevates all other flavors, balancing the acidity of the tomatoes for a harmonious taste profile.
• (Optional) Pinch of Smoked Paprika: Introduces a subtle smoky flavor and a hint of spice, adding depth and visual appeal.

Once you've gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:

Prep

Cut bread in half, and then into slices (or cut into slices if your loaf of bread isn't tall.) Wash tomatoes well.

Bake Toasts

Generously spread olive oil over bread and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.

Grate Tomatoes

Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and grate (with a cheese grater) the tomatoes until you're left with the tops and some of the peel.

Season

Salt and season the tomato pulp while in the strainer, lightly stirring to make sure it is fully absorbed.

Spread

When toasts are lightly browned, remove from oven and spread tomato mixture on top.

Garnish & Serve

Sprinkle a bit of finely diced basil and celtic sea salt over the top of the toasts, and a drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve with gildasor tuna tomato salad.

Spanish Pan Con Tomate Recipe Tips

Use Quality Ingredients: Choose fresh, ripe tomatoes, as they're the star of the dish. Heirloom or vine-ripened varieties work best. Use crusty, rustic bread like a baguette or ciabatta for the ideal texture. Opt for good-quality extra virgin olive oil and flaky sea salt for authentic flavor.

Toast the Bread: Grill or toast the bread until it's golden and crispy, which adds depth and helps prevent sogginess when you add the tomato.

Rub with Garlic: Rub a clove of raw garlic over the toasted bread for a subtle, aromatic kick before adding the tomato.

Prepare the Tomato Properly: Cut the tomato in half and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater, discarding the skin. This creates a fresh, juicy topping.

Assembly Tips: Spoon the grated tomato onto the bread before serving to keep it crisp. Drizzle generously with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt to enhance the flavors.

Optional Additions: Add thin slices of Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, or anchovies for extra savoriness. Sprinkle fresh herbs like basil or parsley for a modern twist.

Serve Immediately: Pan con Tomate is best enjoyed fresh and warm, so serve it as soon as it's assembled for maximum flavor and texture.

Solid Grated Tomato Spread

1. For the best texture, grate tomatoes over a mesh strainer, to let the water fall into a bowl below. You can keep the tomato water and use it later!
2. The more water you get out of the tomatoes, the more intense the flavor will be – but you'll also need more tomatoes to grate for spreading.

This recipe works with any tomato you can grate, but since we're only using a few ingredients, you need to pick a tomato whose flavor you love! We spring for Romas because they tend to be inexpensive and have less water – but we also love using heirloom tomatoes on tomato toasts as well.

This recipe is intended to make the most out of what you have on hand, so any tomato you have and love is the right pick!

Bread for Tomato Toasts

With so few ingredients, this recipe relies on ingredients you really, love – and a good crusty bread should be right up there.

You want to select a bread that toasts well and is a good balance of crusty and fluffy – we usually grab a loaf of french bread and cut it up into bites, but ciabatta, Tuscan bread, baguettes all work well.

You want to get a good toast on the bread since the tomato will soften it as it sits, even though we reduced the water content, to prevent it from becoming too mushy.

Serve it with

Spanish tomato toasts are fabulous with about anything – as an appetizer, side dish, and even for breakfast!

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Ingredients

• 2-4 Tomatoes (if roma, use 4. If Large beefsteak, 2 will work)
• 4 tbsp Good quality olive oil
• 2 tsp celtic sea salt, If you don't have celtic or kosher (rough) salt, reduce salt to 1 tsp.
• 1 tsp fresh basil, ripped or finely chopped
• 1 tsp Spanish paprika, optional
• 1 loaf french bread

Method

1. Cut bread in half, and then into slices (or cut into slices if your loaf of bread isn't tall.)
2. Wash tomatoes well.
3. Generously spread olive oil over bread and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.
4. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and grate (with a cheese grater) the tomatoes until you're left with the tops and some of the peel.
5. Salt and season the tomato pulp while in the strainer, lightly stirring to make sure it is fully absorbed.
6. When toasts are lightly browned, remove from oven and spread tomato mixture on top.
7. Enjoy!