Pan con Tomate is one of my favorite Spanish tapas, and it only takes 10 minutes to prepare by topping crusty garlic bread with grated tomatoes. For me, this is a perfect, beyond-delicious snack to make when my garden is overflowing with fresh tomatoes.
It happens every year: August rolls around, and suddenly, my garden is overloaded with fresh tomatoes. Honestly, I look forward to this late summer tradition because it means I get to make my famous Tomato Focaccia, my easy Italian Tomato Salad, and endless other tomato recipes. The way I see it is the more garden-fresh tomatoes I get to eat, the happier I am.
Spanish Tomato Bread
Spanish tapas don’t get much easier than pan con tomate. It’s a satisfying snack we would always make at the restaurant right before the rush came in. The crusty garlic bread topped with grated tomatoes was exactly what I needed to get me through a long shift.
And before you ask, no, Spanish tomato bread and Italian bruschetta are not quite the same thing. Pan con tomate is a tapa (AKA a small appetizer) that tops toasted, garlic-rubbed bread with a topping made from grated tomatoes, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Italian bruschetta uses chopped tomatoes, herbs, and sometimes cheese for extra flavor. Similar, yes, but enough differences to set them apart.
Nowadays, I make tomato bread as soon as my garden starts giving me those ruby red tomatoes. I’m talking at least once a week when I have more tomatoes than I know what to do with. It’s almost a rite of passage; if you’re a tomato lover, you have to try this one.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is everything I used to make my tomato bread recipe. As for the substitutions, there aren’t any! I wanted to keep my version as true to the Spanish tapa as possible, which meant using minimal and very fresh ingredients.
- Tomatoes – I like to use ripe Roma tomatoes straight from the farmers’ market or my garden. Heirloom tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes will work, too. You could probably use cherry or grape tomatoes as well, but they aren’t as easy to grate by hand.
- Oil – I toast the bread in a skillet with quality olive oil.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for this, since they’re rubbed directly onto the toasted bread. The more cloves you have, the better.
- Seasonings – Just salt and pepper.
- Bread – I typically make this snack with any rustic artisanal bread I baked that week. Sourdough is one of my favorites, but French bread, ciabatta, or a baguette are also great options.
How to Make Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread)
Prep the tomatoes: I start by slicing the tomatoes in half and removing the stem.
Grate: I use a box grater to grate the tomatoes into a strainer set over a bowl. Once I grate the tomatoes down to the skin, I toss the skins and the strained juice. I transfer the grated tomatoes to the empty bowl.
Add flavor: Next, I stir olive oil, salt, and pepper into the tomatoes.
Toast the bread: I heat the remaining olive oil and garlic cloves in a large skillet over low to medium heat. I add the bread and toast the slices until they’re golden brown.
Rub with garlic: I rub both sides of the toasted bread with the garlic cloves.
Top with tomatoes: Finally, I spoon the tomatoes onto the toasted garlic bread and serve it right away.
Chef Tip + Notes
Warming up the garlic cloves in the skillet with the bread is a little secret of mine. The heat slightly softens the cloves, so as you rub them onto the bread, they start to break down. It’s a little messy, yes, but there’s nothing like mashed garlic rubbed right into the golden, crusty bread.
- Grate with a food processor: A food processor with a grating blade makes this step easier—just strain the juice before adding olive oil and seasonings.
- Toast in the oven: This recipe is so good you’ll want to share it! Brush bread with olive oil, toast at 350ºF until lightly golden, and rub with garlic right out of the oven.
- Optional garnish: When I’m feeling fancy, I’ll top the tomato bread with finely minced parsley or basil, or with a drizzle of balsamic reduction.
- Topping ideas: Feel free to top the tomatoes with olives, anchovies, prosciutto, sliced onions, shaved parmesan, or avocado to turn it into a meal.
Serving Suggestions
Just like my days as a line cook, I’ll make pan con tomate whenever I need something quick and satisfying. I make it almost weekly during the summer when fresh tomatoes are in season. I’ll either leave it plain or add a slice or two of prosciutto on top for extra protein.
This is one of my favorite finger foods to serve at parties, too. My friends and family seem to love enjoying its fresh flavors in between bites of crunchy fried shrimp and sauce-covered grilled chicken wings.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Sometimes I’ll grate the tomatoes in advance when I’m low on time. They’ll keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
How to Store: This should be served right away. If the tomatoes sit on the bread too long, your crunchy appetizer will become soggy.
More Appetizer Recipes
- Vegetable Crudité Platter
- Italian Tomato Salad
- Flash Fried Calamari
- Classic Deviled Eggs
- Baked Goat Cheese
Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread Recipe)
Ingredients
- 4 ripe Roma tomatoes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves
- 4 slices of rustic artisanal bread preferred, French, Italian, sourdough, etc.
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes in half and remove the stem. Using a box grater, grate the flesh side down, or the skin side up, into a strainer over a medium-sized bowl. Grate them until you reach the skin. Discard the skin and juice that was strained into the bowl.
- Add the strained tomatoes to the bowl.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Set it aside at room temperature.
- Add the remaining olive oil to a large frying pan along with the garlic cloves and heat to low-medium heat.
- Add in the bread and toast for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and toasted.
- Remove the bread and garlic. Once the garlic is cool to the touch, I like to rub it into the toasted bread. It will break down a little bit since it’s been slightly cooked. The more the better if you ask me.
- Then spoon the tomatoes onto the toasted garlic bread and serve. Feel free to add an optional garnish of finely minced parsley
Pan con Tomate Recipe (Tomato Bread)