Open Face Tomato Sandwich Recipe – Quick, Easy & Ready to Eat In Just 10 Minutes!

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to get lunch, dinner or a snack on the table, it doesn’t get much easier than this Open Face Tomato Sandwich recipe.

Tomato slices that have been coated in a balsamic and oil mixture are placed on top of a lightly toasted piece of bread that has been coated in a flavorful spread. Then Parmesan cheese is sprinkled on top of the tomatoes before they are placed under a broiler.

In just a few minutes the cheese will be melted and bubbly. Pull it out of the oven and you are ready to sink your teeth into something so delicious that you will forget how easy it was to make!

Although the recipe as written is super simple and easy to make, you can adjust the ingredients to make it exactly how you prefer.

Customize The Ingredients

For instance, when I was growing up my parents would make an open face tomato sandwich with just 3 ingredients. Standard white bread would be topped with slices of just picked garden tomatoes and American cheese.

They would fill the entire broiler pan and slide it in the oven until the cheese was hot and bubbly. When they pulled it out of the oven we each got to pick which one that we wanted.

My dad would always choose the one that got the most brown under the broiler. Me, on the other hand, would choose one that had absolutely no dark or charred spots on it.

However, now that my taste buds have expanded, not only do I like the added flavor of a browned cheese, I enjoy making these sandwiches with a variety of ingredients.

Besides my favorite combination of ingredients are listed below, here are some other ways to make open face tomato sandwiches:

1. Bread, tomato, American cheese
2. Bread, sour cream and chive cream cheese, tomato, Provolone cheese
3. Bread, Sriracha Mayo spread, tomato, Pepper Jack cheese
4. Bread, Homemade Pesto, tomato, fresh Mozzarella, topped with basil
5. Bread, Mozzarella, tomato drizzled with olive oil, Gruyere cheese

As you can see, you can customize the ingredients to whatever you would like. Just be sure top the tomatoes with a cheese that will melt quickly for best results.

Open Door or Close Door Broiling?

Now comes the big debate. The question always arrives about whether or not to keep the oven door open when broiling.

As mentioned above, my parents used to make these open face tomato sandwiches when I was growing up. And always, and I mean always the oven door would be cracked open while the broiler was being used.

However, just like my recipe for these sandwiches has evolved over the years, so have the recommendations for broiling.

Although you should always follow your specific manufacturer’s recommendation for broiling, here is a general rule that you can consider.

If you have a gas oven it is recommended that broiling should be done with the door closed. However, if you have an electric range, the choice is up to you.

With short broiling times to melt cheese, I recommend keeping the door cracked open. It takes just a few minutes for the cheese to melt and it could burn if not watched carefully.

So there you have it, if you have a gas range, keep the door shut when broiling. And if you have an electric range, keep the door slightly ajar for this recipe.

Open Face Tomato Sandwich Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4 slices white, wheat or no yeast homemade bread

INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in this open face tomato sandwich recipe is to preheat the oven to broil. While the oven is heating up, lightly toast the bread slices using your preferred method and set aside.

It is best to toast the bread just enough so that it is firm. This will help prevent the bread from becoming soggy when the ingredients are piled on top.

While the bread is toasting, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a shallow bowl. Then slice the tomatoes and add them to the mixture.

Do this by coating one side and flipping each slice to coat the other side. Leave the tomatoes in the oil and vinegar while you prepare the spread.

In a small bowl, add the mayonnaise, oregano, 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until well incorporated.

Then spread the mayo cheese mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Place the marinated tomato slices on top of the mayo mixture and sprinkle with tops with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Cook Time

Place each slice on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Place in the oven, on an upper oven rack, and broil for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese turns golden brown.

The amount of time that the open face tomato sandwiches need to be in the oven will vary on the type of oven that you have and how close the sandwiches are to the top burner.

Be sure to frequently check the sandwiches. The cheese can go from soft to burnt in seconds. As soon as you see the cheese melting and bubbly, remove the pan from the oven.

It is best to serve the open face sandwiches immediately. You can eat them with a fork or as a hand held meal.

And if you want to skip the open face concept, place two slices together to make a traditional sandwich. The choice is up to you!

Enjoy! Mary

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