Our Not-So-Authentic Pan con Tomate Recipe
What's the fastest way to get to know a new place? For our family, it's through the kitchen.
We love to cook. Well, let's be real... James loves to cook, and he's really good at it. I'm the enthusiastic sous chef and official taste tester. Wherever we travel, one of our favorite things to do is try the local dishes and then go home and attempt them ourselves.
Are we perfect? Not even close. Are we authentic? Definitely not. But isn't that what cooking is about? Swapping stories, learning something new, and sharing a little bit of another culture around the table.
Here in Spain, the first dish we had to learn was pan con tomate. It was also the very first thing we ate here.
Our First Taste of Spain
On our very first day in Estepona, we dragged our luggage upstairs and took a quick look around our new apartment. James, being the responsible one, said we should start unpacking and get settled.
I said absolutely not. Let's go get tapas and a drink!
So we walked right out our front door to the ABC plaza, which is literally across the street. It was so lively. Several cafés, tons of tables outside and people everywhere eating, drinking and chatting.
We sat down with the kids, completely jet lagged and disoriented. When the waiter came over, I just pointed at the first picture on the menu. It turned out to be a version of pan con tomate.
We happily shared it while Sissy and Brother Bear ran around the plaza with the other kids. Sitting there in the sunshine, tired and a little overwhelmed, we knew we were "home."
The suitcases could wait.
What Is Pan con Tomate?
It's toasted bread topped with fresh tomato, good olive oil and a pinch of salt. That's it.
It's a staple all over Spain. In Catalonia it's called pa amb tomàquet, and they usually rub a halved tomato right onto the bread. Here in Andalusia it's more of a breakfast thing. You'll often see grated tomato spooned over toasted bread, sometimes with a slice of jamón on top, plus a café con leche on the side.
It's simple and cheap, and it all comes down to good ingredients.
Why We Love It
Kids can make it. Sissy and Brother Bear both help with grating and drizzling.
Five ingredients. You probably have most of them already.
It works for any meal. Breakfast, a snack, or part of a tapas night at home.
It tastes like summer. Especially with really ripe tomatoes.
It takes us right back to that plaza. Every single time.
Quick Pan con Tomate Recipe Card
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4 (as a snack or light breakfast)
What You'll Need
Crusty rustic bread (a baguette, ciabatta or a soft Spanish mollete)
2–3 very ripe tomatoes
Good extra virgin olive oil (this is the place to use the good stuff)
Flaky sea salt
1 garlic clove (optional)
Jamón serrano or ibérico for topping (optional)
How to Make It
Toast the bread. Slice it and toast it in a pan, under the broiler or on the grill until it's golden and crispy on the outside.
Rub with garlic (optional). Cut the garlic clove in half and lightly rub the cut side over the warm toast. The rough surface works like a grater.
Grate the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and grate the cut side on the large holes of a box grater. Keep going until only the skin is left in your hand, then throw the skin away.
Season the tomato. Add a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil to the grated tomato and stir.
Top and drizzle. Spoon the tomato over the toast, add another drizzle of olive oil and finish with flaky salt.
Add jamón if you like. Lay a thin slice on top and enjoy it right away.
Pro tip: Your tomatoes matter more than anything else here. If grocery store tomatoes taste a little flat, let them ripen on the counter for a few days first.
Bonus: Want to try the Catalan way? Skip the grater. Rub half a tomato straight onto the toast, squeezing gently so the juice soaks in, then add the oil and salt.
How We Like to Serve It
Pan con tomate is great on its own, but it's even better as part of a spread. Here are a few ways we serve it at home:
Spanish-style breakfast. With a café con leche (or hot chocolate for the kids) and some fresh fruit.
Tapas night. Add Manchego cheese, olives, almonds and a tortilla española. Everyone grabs what they want, and it feels like a night out at the plaza.
Easy lunch. Top it with jamón or a fried egg and you've got a meal.
Party appetizer. Toast a whole baguette, set out the tomato and olive oil, and let guests build their own.
Pan con Tomate FAQs
Can I make it ahead of time?
You can grate and season the tomato a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge. Toast the bread and top it right before serving so it doesn't get soggy.
What if I can't find great tomatoes?
Look for the ripest ones you can find. Vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes are usually a safe bet. A little extra salt helps bring out the flavor of tomatoes that aren't at their best.
What's the best bread to use outside of Spain?
A crusty baguette, ciabatta or sourdough all work great. You want something with a crisp outside and an airy inside that soaks up the tomato.
Is it kid-friendly?
Totally. Skip the garlic if your kids are sensitive to strong flavors. Little ones can help with the grating with supervision, just stop before your fingers get close to the grater.
Is pan con tomate vegan?
Yes, as long as you skip the jamón.
What's the difference between pan con tomate and bruschetta?
Bruschetta usually has chopped tomatoes with basil and sometimes vinegar. Pan con tomate uses grated or rubbed tomato, so it soaks right into the bread.
Cooking Our Way Around the World
We're not trying to be experts. We're a family that loves good food and wants to learn about the places we visit. Sometimes a recipe turns out great and sometimes we laugh about it. Either way, we learned something together and had a good meal.
That first night in the plaza reminded us what travel is all about. Slowing down, sitting at the table together and saying yes to whatever's in front of you... even if you have to point at a picture to order it.
Pan con tomate is one of the easiest ways to bring a little bit of Spain to your kitchen. Give this pan con tomate recipe a try and let us know how it goes!
Follow along as we keep cooking (and taste-testing) our way through Spain. Buen provecho!
About the Author
Hi, I'm Kate! I'm a mom of two, a learning scientist, and the planner behind Sunshine Fam Guide. Our family of four (plus Annie, our 80-pound Lab) calls Venice/Sarasota, Florida home, but this fall we're living in Estepona, Spain for three months of worldschooling. James does the real cooking, I taste test, and Sissy and Brother Bear help grate the tomatoes. We're learning about every place we go one dish at a time...and sharing the easy, kid-friendly versions with you. Follow along as we cook our way through the world!
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