Broiled Tomato Sandwich

This Broiled Tomato Sandwich combines fresh garden tomatoes on Italian bread brushed with olive oil and herbs, then layered with shredded mozzarella, and Parmesan broiled to perfection and drizzled with a balsamic reduction. The end result is a true tomato lover’s taste sensation bursting with fresh garden tomatoes, the perfect blend of dried and fresh herbs, stretchy mozzarella cheese, and a sweet, tangy balsamic vinegar glaze.

If your family is anything like mine, then fresh garden tomatoes are a real hot commodity. This recipe, Tomato Tart, Tomato Salad, and  Tomato Bisque are just a few of our favorites.

How to make an open-faced broiled tomato sandwich

Start by combining the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a low boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes or until it is reduced by half. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried marjoram, and ground thyme. Lay the Italian Bread over a large baking sheet and brush the top side with the olive oil mixture. Then toast under the broiler until lightly browned.

Now sprinkle a little of the shredded mozzarella on the toast. Then add the tomato slices and brush them with any leftover olive oil mixture. Now top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Place under the broiler for several minutes, checking every minute and rotating the baking sheet for even cooking. Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and top with the fresh basil and parsley, for best results, serve promptly.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• Broilers are very unpredictable, especially on older ovens. Stay close by and continually monitor the cooking process.
• If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the balsamic reduction can be made up to a month in advance.
• Garden fresh tomatoes are the star of this recipe. In the summer months, heirloom tomatoes of all kinds are my go-to tomato for this recipe. In the winter months, I use Roma Tomatoes.
• A sprinkle of cheese on the bread before adding the tomatoes creates a little moisture barrier between the bread and the tomatoes. If you know there could be some interruptions between cooking and eating, add a little more cheese for more of a barrier.
• With moisture from the tomatoes and the balsamic glaze, this recipe is best enjoyed as soon as it is prepared. However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Best tomatoes for sandwiches

Of course, you can put any kind of tomato on a sandwich, but most people would agree that slicing tomatoes are probably the best because they are large enough for a single slice to cover a sandwich or a burger. They tend to be large, meaty, and juicy.

• Beefsteaks – are red meaty, juicy tomatoes that have been around since the late 1800s. This good old standby is a late-season tomato making it possible for flavorful tomato sandwiches into the fall.
• Brandywine – are heirloom beefsteak tomatoes with incredible flavor. They are rosy pink fruits that have been prized for decades.
• Mortgage Lifter – are huge beefsteak tomatoes with a prize-winning taste.
• Big Boys – are a popular hybrid with bright red fruit and a winning flavor.
• Cherokee Purple – are old Cherokee Indian heirloom tomatoes with a dusky purple-pink color. This very large tomato has a fabulous sweet flavor.

More sandwiches you will love!

Broiled Tomato Sandwich

An easy delicious open-faced broiled tomato sandwich topped with melted mozzarella and parmesan, all drizzled with a lightly sweetened balsamic reduction.

5 from 10 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer, lunch

Cuisine: Southern

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ½ teaspoon ground thyme
• 6 slices Italian bread
• 1 ¼ cups shredded mozzarella
• 3-4 medium heirloom tomatoes sliced 1/2 inch thick
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan
• fresh basil
• fresh Italian Parsley

Instructions

• Combine the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Bring to a low boil and then simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it is reduced by half.  The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried marjoram, and ground thyme.  Lay the bread slices over a large baking sheet and brush the top with the olive oil mixture.  Toast under the broiler until lightly browned. Stay close by and monitor as broilers work very quickly.
• Sprinkle about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella evenly over the six slices.  Add the tomatoes and brush the tomatoes with any remaining olive oil mixture.  Top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.  Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, checking every minute and rotating the baking sheet for even cooking.  Broil until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
• Drizzle with the balsamic reduction.  Top with fresh basil and parsley.  For best results, serve promptly.

Notes

• Broilers are very unpredictable, especially on older ovens.  Stay close by and continually monitor the cooking process.
• If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the balsamic reduction can be made up to a month in advance.
• Garden fresh tomatoes are the star of this recipe.  In the summer months, heirloom tomatoes of all kinds are my go-to tomato for this recipe.  In the winter months, I use Roma Tomatoes.
• A sprinkle of cheese on the bread before adding the tomatoes creates a little moisture barrier between the bread and the tomatoes. If you know there could be some interruptions between cooking and eating, add a little more cheese for more of a barrier.
• With moisture from the tomatoes and the balsamic glaze, this recipe is best enjoyed as soon as it is prepared.  However, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 108mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg

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