Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread)

Pan Con Tomate Recipe – This comforting snack is popular in Spain and is the most common type of tapas recipe made with ripe tomatoes and garlic cloves. Spanish tomato bread is an easy must-try recipe for parties and events!

Toasted Bread with Tomatoes

This Pan con Tomate recipe is posted here, compliments of Curate Tapas Bar in Asheville, North Carolina. This was the first place I experienced this recipe, and I fell in love with the simplicity and taste of fresh crushed tomatoes smeared on crusty bread. (Curate also shared their Spanish Garlic Shrimp recipe as well!)

The name of this humble dish is translated as “bread with tomato” and it was originally found in Catalan (Catalonia, Spain). You can find Pan Con Tomate as a tapa in most restaurants and bars in Spain, most often served as an appetizer or snack to go along with wine. 

Traditional Pa Amb Tomàquet (another name for this glorious recipe) is one of the most popular local dishes that you will find in Catalonia. It is used as a breakfast dish, a base dish for stackable tapas, and even as a side dish for almost every meal.

Spanish Tomato Bread

This recipe is very simple and packs a punch. The only way you could produce subpar results is to use subpar ingredients. The beauty of Pan Con Tomate is that it is easy to make with just a few ingredients, but be sure to find the freshest, best-quality tomatoes, bread, and olive oil.

Some people might grate their tomatoes with a box grater to make the tomato pulp, but the original recipe didn’t call for the peel of the tomato, just the “flesh” for the tomato mixture. 

The Italian version of this recipe, bruschetta, is made with some of the same ingredients, but uses whole chopped tomato instead.

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What Ingredients You Will Need

• Vine Ripened Tomatoes
• Loaf Baguette – split open
• Garlic Clove
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt

How To Make This Pan Con Tomate from Catalonia

Cut the tomatoes and garlic clove in half.

Toast the open face baguette pieces in the broiler under low heat until golden brown.

Rub the open clove of garlic on both sides of the bread just to allow the flavor to permeate the bread.

Squeeze the pulp out of the tomato halves, leaving the skins behind. (I like to mash it in a strainer to remove some of the juices.) Then spoon it onto the open face baguette pieces.

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt (or flaky sea salt). 

Side note – I also like to top the Pan Con Tomate with thin slices of Manchego cheese, but it’s more traditional without.

Get the Complete Printable Pan Con Tomate Recipe (Bread with Tomato) Below. Enjoy!

What To Serve With This Tapas Recipe

• Gambas al Ajillo (Spanish Garlic Shrimp Recipe)
• Red Tacos Jaliscos (Quesabirria Tacos) 
• Yucatan Garlic Butter Shrimp Recipe
• Sopa de Ajo (Spanish Garlic Soup Recipe)
• Pan Seared Scallops Recipe
• Spanish Sheet Pan Paella

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I Store Leftovers In The Fridge?

If you have leftovers, then you can store them in the fridge, for 24 hours. If the tomato paste is not on the bread, you can store the tomato mixture in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the fridge. Store the bread in a paper bag or plastic bag at room temperature. Then assemble when ready to enjoy.

MORE SIMPLE SIDE DISHES

• Cheesy Broccoli Cornbread
• Cinnamon Drop Biscuits
• Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
• Baked Turnip Fries
• Best Sauteed Mushrooms Ever
• Instant Pot Baked Beans
• See all our side dishes!

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