Name: Spanish Tomato Bread with Garlic and Olive Oil
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 Loaf Good Bread baguette (French Bread, Basque loaf, Rustique); 1 Pound Tomatoes (Beef Steak, Roma, Early Girl, Cocktail); 2 Cloves Garlic; 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil; Flaky Salt or Coarse Kosher Salt

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Fresh, simple, and full of flavor, Spanish Tomato Bread, or Pan con Tomate, is one of Spain's most beloved breakfasts and tapas. Crisp toasted bread is brushed with good olive oil, rubbed with fresh garlic, topped with juicy grated tomatoes, and topped with a pinch flaky sea salt. With only a handful of ingredients, every bite depends on quality produce and good bread.

Making this dish requires just a few fresh, high quality ingredients and is ready in 15 minutes. Whether you serve it alongside eggs for breakfast, with charcuterie for an appetizer, or as a light lunch, this classic Spanish recipe proves that the simplest foods are often the most satisfying.

Spanish tomato bread makes the perfect addition to any appetizer table. Serve it alongside other flavor packed bites like Grilled Lamb Chops, Whipped Feta Dip, Air Fried Shishito Peppers, Zucchini Scarpaccia .

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Ingredients
How to Make Spanish Tomato Bread
Diana's Tips for Success
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Ingredients

Bread - Choose a sturdy loaf with a crisp crust and chewy interior. French bread, baguette, Basque bread, or a rustic country loaf all work beautifully because they hold up to the juicy tomatoes without becoming soggy.
Tomatoes - The tomatoes are the star of the recipe. Beefsteak, Roma, Early Girl, cocktail, or any ripe garden tomato will all work. The riper the tomato, the sweeter and more flavorful your toast will be.
Garlic - Rather than mincing or chopping the garlic, rubbing a peeled clove over the warm toast infuses the bread with a subtle garlic aroma that complements the tomatoes without overpowering them.
Olive Oil - Use a good extra virgin olive oil since its flavor shines through in every bite.
Flaky Sea Salt - A sprinkle of flaky sea salt finishes the toast with a little crunch and enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Spanish Tomato Bread

half a tomato grated onto a wood cutting board

Step 1: Peel the garlic cloves, trim off the root end, and leave them whole. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Gently squeeze each half to remove some of the seeds and excess juice. Grate or squeeze the tomato halves over a bowl until only the skins remain, collecting the fresh tomato pulp.

French bread slices with olive oil on sheet pan

Step 2:Slice the loaf in half lengthwise and and again into two inch wide pieces. Then, place it cut-side up on a sheet pan. Brush generously with olive oil. Place under a broiler set to Low using the middle oven rack to prevent burning. Broil for 1 to 3 minutes, rotating the pan if needed, until the bread is lightly golden and crisp.

Step 3: While the bread is still warm, rub each piece with the whole garlic cloves to lightly flavor the toast. The heat and rough texture of the bread will soak up the oils in the garlic clove and leave a light garlic flavor.

Step 4: Either rub a tomato over the bread, or spread the grated tomato over the toasted bread in your desired amount. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired and finish with a pinch of sea salt.

Hint: In Spain, Pan con Tomate is often served very simply with a light layer of grated tomato rather than piled high. In many cafés, the toasted bread is served alongside fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and salt so everyone can prepare their own toast exactly how they like it. This rustic presentation highlights the quality of the ingredients and is part of what makes this humble recipe so memorable.