Tomato Toast

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Vibrant Tomato Toast has sweet, juicy tomatoes, garlic, creamy ricotta, and fresh basil layered on a crusty slice of toasted bread. It’s delicious and savory with hints of sweetness. Serve it for breakfast, brunch, as an appetizer, or light lunch for the perfect way to use up summer produce.

If your garden is bursting with tomatoes like mine, you probably need ideas for using them. This delicious cherry tomato sauce is perfect for pasta; you’ll love the flavor of these grilled tomatoes and don’t miss this roasted tomato salsa!

Side shot of someone drizzling olive oil over tomato toast.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Quick and Easy: Once your bread is toasted, tomato toast is ready in no time! 
  • Minimal Ingredients: You only need five ingredients, and they’re all really simple.
  • Fresh Flavor: The use of fresh ingredients like tomatoes and basil makes this recipe super flavorful! One bite and you’ll be hooked!

Tomato Toast Recipe

This tomato toast recipe delivers summer flavors and is super easy to prepare. It’s great as a snack, for breakfast, or a light lunch. It’s so fresh and delicious!

If you grow tomatoes and/or basil in your garden, this is the perfect recipe for you! But don’t worry if you’re not—it’s easy to enjoy tomato toast all year long. As soon as you taste the incredible blend of crusty bread, creamy ricotta, and juicy tomatoes, you’ll be obsessed!

Ingredients You’ll Need

The great thing about this tomato toast recipe is that it has such a short ingredient list. Fresh tomatoes combined with the creamy ricotta and toasted garlic-infused bread are beyond amazing! Exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Bread: I like to use slices of artisan bread or other crusty bread, like baguette or sourdough.
  • Olive Oil: Toasting your bread with extra virgin olive oil gives it a nice golden crust. 
  • Garlic: For buttery garlic flavor.
  • Ricotta Cheese: Any type works! Use low-fat, nonfat, or full-fat, depending on your preference.
  • Tomatoes: You can use cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, or any large ripe tomatoes.
  • Salt and Black Pepper: To taste!
  • Fresh Basil: Thinly sliced fresh herbs sprinkled over the top add flavor and freshness.
Overhead shot of labeled ingredients.

How to Make Tomato Toast

You’ll have this delicious toast ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes! Here’s how it comes together:

  1. Toast the Bread: Brush the slices of bread generously with olive oil. You can toast them in an air fryer or toaster oven at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 minutes, in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Flip the bread halfway through regardless of the toasting method. Remove to a plate or cooling rack once toasted to your preference. 
  2. Rub the Garlic on the Toast: Remove the skin from 1-2 cloves of garlic and rub the cloves over the surface of each slice of toast while it is still warm. The more you rub the garlic, the stronger and sharper the garlic flavor will be. 
  3. Add Ricotta and Tomatoes: Once the toast has cooled, layer the other ingredients. Spread a generous amount of ricotta on each slice. Top with your tomatoes, a light drizzle of olive oil, a few cracks of flakey or coarse sea salt and pepper, and some of the basil. 
  4. Serve: Cut each piece of toast in half, if desired, and enjoy immediately.
Overhead shot of someone brushing olive oil on slices of bread.
Brush bread with olive oil and toast.
Overhead shot of someone rubbing garlic clove on top of toasted bread.
Rub a garlic clove on the warm toast.
Overhead shot of someone spreading ricotta over toasted bread.
Spread ricotta on the toast.
Overhead shot of toasted bread with ricotta and sliced tomatoes on top.
Top with sliced tomatoes and additional toppings.

Tips and Variations

Tomato toast is one of the easiest things to make, but here are my top tips to ensure it turns out perfect every time!

  • What Bread to Use: Use the bread you love! I love crusty artisan or sourdough bread, but this tomato toast would be delicious on focaccia, ciabatta, or even sandwich bread.
  • Make it Toasty: Toast the toast as much as you like! It doesn’t have to be super toasty and crunchy if you want it to be easier to bite into. Keep a close eye on the bread as it toast so it doesn’t overcook.
  • What Tomatoes to Use: The best tomatoes for this are garden tomatoes, especially heirloom varieties. You can use small tomatoes and slice them in half, or you can use big tomatoes cut into slices. For easier eating, you can dice any variety of tomatoes into small pieces.
  • Extra Ingredients: To add some flare to your tomato toast, add diced avocado, chives, or green onions, fresh mozzarella cheese, a drizzle of balsamic reduction, or some lemon or lime juice over the top.
  • Protein: Need to reach your protein goal? You could add a couple of fried eggs, some deli turkey slices, or replace the ricotta with cottage cheese.
  • Roast the Tomatoes: Roasted tomatoes take this recipe one step further! Toss the sliced tomatoes in a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper before spreading evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered. Let them cool until they are cool enough to handle without burning yourself before topping your toast with them.

Overhead shot of plated tomato toast.

How to Store Leftover Tomato Toast

  • Prepare in Advance: The toast can be prepared in advance, up to gently rubbing the garlic on it. Store the prepared toast in an airtight container for up to 3 days before serving. The toast will soften as it sits since the garlic adds moisture. If you want the toast to stay crisp, skip rubbing the garlic until you are just about to assemble the toast. Gently warm the toast in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or in a skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
  • Eat fresh: Once the tomato toast has been fully assembled, it should be consumed within an hour or two. The longer the ricotta and tomatoes sit on the toast, the softer it will become.

Angle close up of plated tomato toast with a bite taken out of it.

More Ways to Use Tomatoes

Tomatoes are so delicious this time of year, and there’s absolutely nothing better than a garden-fresh tomato! If you have a bounty of garden tomatoes to enjoy, you may be looking for new and unique ways to use them. Here are some of my favorite tomato recipes that you must try!

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  • Brush the slices of bread generously with olive oil. You can toast them in an air fryer at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 minutes, in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes, or in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes. Flip the bread halfway through, regardless of the toasting method. Remove to a plate or cooling rack once toasted to your preference.

  • Remove the skin from 1-2 cloves of garlic and then, while the toast is still warm, rub the cloves over the surface of each slice of toast. The more you rub the garlic, the stronger and sharper the garlic flavor will be.

  • Once the toast has cooled, spread a generous amount of ricotta on each slice. Top with your tomatoes, a light drizzle of olive oil, a few cracks of flakey salt and pepper, and some of the basil.

  • Cut each piece of toast in half, if desired, and enjoy immediately.

Calories: 275kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 9gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 84mgPotassium: 590mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1459IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Published by Staff Reporter