Pan con tomate in the airfryer is my shortcut to one of Spain’s most beloved classics. Crispy toasted bread is rubbed with garlic, topped with a layer of juicy grated tomato, and finished with olive oil and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. Spaniards eat the tomato bread for breakfast with a cup of coffee, and in the evening it turns up again on the tapas table. In Catalonia the dish is called pa amb tomàquet, and it’s a fixture at a great many meals.
Advertisement: The page displays ads and contains advertising links (affiliate links). See our advertisers here.
The airfryer gives the bread a dry, crispy surface in just a few minutes, without you needing to turn on the oven, and the whole dish is ready in 22 minutes. It’s also vegan, as long as the bread is baked without milk and butter.
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Table of Contents:
Why I love pan con tomate in the airfryer
It’s the simplicity that does it for me. When there’s no sauce to hide behind, every ingredient has to be good: ripe tomatoes, a decent bread with an airy crumb, and a fruity olive oil. In return, the work is minimal, and the dish still feels like a little holiday on an entirely ordinary weekday morning.
And the airfryer is practically made for the job. The crispy, rough bread works like a fine grater for the garlic, while the soft crumb soaks up the tomato juice and the oil. It’s exactly that contrast that makes the dish irresistible.
The difference between airfryer, toaster and oven
A toaster can rarely fit thick slices of rustic bread, and in the oven the bread easily dries out all the way through before the surface gets any colour. In the airfryer, the hot air circulates closely around the slices, so they turn golden and crispy in just a few minutes while the crumb stays slightly soft. The result comes close to the grilled version from Spanish tapas bars.
My kitchen test of pan con tomate
I’ve tested pan con tomate in my Philips XXL at 200°C, and the most important lesson was to leave the oil in the bottle until the bread is toasted. With one flip halfway through, the slices get a golden, crispy surface while keeping a little softness in the crumb. Even in the large basket, I toasted in two batches to keep the slices in a single layer, and with 10 minutes of prep and 12 minutes of cooking, the whole dish is on the table after 22 minutes.
I’ve also made it in my Cosori Dual Blaze with the same result. The biggest difference came from the tomatoes: very ripe tomatoes gave a sweet, juicy pulp, while pale winter tomatoes gave a watery, sharp topping that I had to let drain in a sieve.
Toast the bread completely dry, give each slice two to three strokes with the garlic, and wait to add the tomato and oil until just before serving.
Tips and tricks from the author: Morten Jensen
The common mistakes and how to avoid them
The first mistake is brushing the bread with oil before it goes into the airfryer. The surface turns greasy instead of crispy, and the garlic just slides over it without grating properly. So toast the slices completely dry, and save the oil for last. The second mistake is letting the slices overlap in the basket. The air can’t circulate properly, and you end up with pale patches and soft edges, so toast in two batches instead. The third mistake is adding the tomato too early, so the bread has time to turn soggy before it reaches the table. Choose the ripest tomatoes, let the pulp drain in a sieve for a couple of minutes if it’s very watery, and only assemble the dish once everyone is ready to eat.
How to serve pan con tomate
The tomato bread can easily stand on its own, but it also pairs well with other things. Here are my favourites:
- For breakfast with a cup of coffee or a glass of orange juice
- As a tapa alongside olives, manchego and tortilla
- With a thin slice of serrano ham or a couple of anchovies on top, when you want it more filling
- On a bigger tapas spread with patatas bravas and gambas al ajillo
Storage and reheating
Pan con tomate is best eaten right away, while the bread is still crisp. The dish isn’t suitable for reheating and can’t be frozen, because the tomato juice soaks into the bread and makes it soggy. If you want to save time, you can grate the tomatoes ahead and keep the pulp covered in the fridge, so you only need to toast the bread just before serving.
The simple things often taste the best, and pan con tomate is one of the finest examples. The airfryer takes care of the crispy bread, and the rest is all about ripe tomatoes, good olive oil, and a light hand with the garlic. Serve it for a relaxed weekend breakfast, or as the first tapa when guests arrive.
FAQ
A rustic loaf or a ciabatta with an airy crumb, sliced about 1.5 cm thick, is ideal. The surface turns crispy in the airfryer, while the crumb keeps a little softness and can soak up the tomato juice and the oil.
Recipe
Pan con tomate in the Airfryer
Cooking Guide
Keep the screen on and follow the recipe step by step while you cook.
Step 1:
Avoid the screen turning off while you cook.
Step 2:
Start the guide and follow the recipe one step at a time.
Cost of the dish
Prices may vary depending on where you shop.
Our estimate is based on average food prices for the current year 2026.
Estimated price for the whole dish:
Airfryer size
All our recipes are tested in a Philips Airfryer 2000 Series NA230/00 – 6.2 L
Does the recipe fit my Airfryer?
If you’re unsure, you can always reduce by one serving in the recipe, or click the 0.5x button.
You can also Ask the AI Chef
It’s easy! Just press the Ask the AI Chef button you see at the bottom.
Shopping list
Ingredients
How to make it
Preparation
Cooking in the airfryer
- Preheat the airfryer to 200 °C fan.
- Place 8 slices rustic bread in the basket in a single layer with no oil – with most airfryers, you’ll need to do this in two batches. Toast the slices at 200 °C for 3 minutes.
- Turn the slices over, and toast them for a further 3 minutes at 200 °C, until golden and crisp on both sides but still a little soft inside. Repeat with the remaining bread.
Serving
Our notes for the recipe
Toast the bread with no oil at all. The dry, crisp surface acts like a fine grater when you rub the garlic over it. Choose the ripest tomatoes you can find – they give the sweetest, juiciest pulp. If the pulp is very watery, let it drain in a sieve for a couple of minutes. Add the tomato and oil just before serving, so the bread stays crisp. The dish is vegan when the bread is baked without milk and butter. Variation:
Do as they do in Catalonia, where the dish is called pa amb tomàquet: rub half a tomato directly over the warm bread, so the juice soaks into the crumb. To make the dish more filling, you can add a thin slice of serrano ham or a couple of anchovies on top. Serving:
Serve as a Spanish breakfast with a cup of coffee or a glass of orange juice, or as a tapa alongside olives, manchego and tortilla. Portion size:
If your airfryer is smaller, you can make the dish in two batches.
Your notes for the recipe
Nutrition per serving (Guideline)
Important about shelf life and nutrition
Nutrition per serving (guideline): Calculations are based on data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Shelf life (guideline): Shelf life data is provided, as far as possible, by public institutions, including national food authorities. Our information is therefore only indicative, and it is your responsibility to obtain and calculate accurate information about shelf life and nutrition for all recipes on airfryerkogebogen.dk
Easily share the recipe with others:
Via email or on Facebook
Open the recipe on your phone
Scan the QR code with your phone and get the recipe directly on your mobile while you cook.
Author
Airfryerkogebogen.dk
