The best Open-Faced Cheese and Tomato Sandwich ever. The combination of tomato and cheese is always a hit however you layer it.
These Scandinavian-style sandwiches known as Smørrebrød are easy to prepare. Totally impressive in appearance and certainly delivers on taste. Less bread and more toppings are a win for me.
I am sure you have enjoyed lots of open sandwiches like:
- Smashed Avocado Toast – perfect for any meal of the day.
- Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Bagel – this classic is so easy to make at home.
- Fresh Tomato Bruschetta – perfect with pasta or as a starter.
- Strawberry Bruschetta – great for an appetizer or dessert.
Let’s not forget all the tuna melts and hot open-faced sandwiches with gravy too.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this open sandwich can be found at the bottom of this post.
Ingredients Needed For This Cold Cheese And Tomato Sandwich
Super easy to find ingredients. Keep reading for some awesome substitutions and recipe tips.
- Thin buns
- Fresh tomatoes
- Goat cheese
- Antipasto spread
- Balsamic glaze
- Fresh basil
One thing I will suggest is that you use the BEST tomatoes possible. Heirloom tomatoes are fantastic.
Making Open-Faced Sandwiches With Tomatoes And Cheese
All you need to do is slice and layer. This is the perfect sandwich for brunch, lunch or dinner.
- Divide your bun in half. One half for each serving.
- Spread the cheese on the bun.
- Layer on the sliced tomatoes.
- Top with the antipasto spread.
- Drizzle with balsamic.
- Garnish with basil leaves.
This tomato and cheese recipe is so simple to make and so delicious to eat. Open-face sandwiches are great for feeding a crowd and for sandwich buffets since they are presentation perfect.
Suggestions/Recipe Tips
Buns – I love thin, dense buns. This sandwich is all about the toppings. You can also use dense slices of bread. Think rye, multigrain, or sourdough, they would all be great options.
Cheese – Goat cheese is perfect. It spreads nicely and tastes delicious. I used a flavoured one, but plain would work. If you are not a goat cheese fan, honestly any cheese will work. You might also like to try this Goat Cheese Log. Cream cheese, ricotta, or any kind of sliced cheese you like. There is no right or wrong kind of cheese.
Tomatoes – The freshest, best-tasting tomatoes work best. If you cannot find heirloom, beefsteak or Kumato are great options. Of course, if you grow your own tomatoes in the garden, those would be perfect.
Antipasto Spread – This comes in mild and hot. Take your pick. You can also leave this out if you prefer, but it does add a nice layer of flavour. All you need is a little, especially if you are using the hot one. As an alternative try a bit of marinated artichokes or eggplant.
Balsamic Glaze – Always a great choice. You could also just use a few drops of regular balsamic. It will be much thinner and the flavour will not be as intense or as sweet.
Garnish – Fresh herbs of any kind will work. I choose basil, but chives, dill, thyme or oregano are great alternatives.
Serving – I like to serve these as soon as they are made. You can store them in the fridge until ready to eat. Just be aware the longer they are stored, the chances of the bread getting soggy increases.
FAQ (Questions And Answers)
Sandwiches that are made with a single slice of bread, half a bun, or half a bagel.
Heirloom tomatoes are grown for their flavour. They are not mass-produced, which makes them more expensive. They are more fragile than regular tomatoes and less disease-resistant.
Be sure to CLICK THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON located in the TOP MENU. You will get a FREE PRINTABLE and recipes! FOLLOW ME on social media too.
Be sure to check out the other delicious sandwiches, wraps and burgers on this site.
For more sandwich ideas, here are a few to try:
- Brie Grilled Cheese
- Curried Tofu
- Smoked Salmon Sandwich
- Egg Salad Wrap
- Harvest Turkey Wrap
- Sliced Corned Beef Sandwich
Open-Faced Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 thin buns
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 10 ounces heirloom tomatoes sliced
- 2 teaspoons antipasto spread
- 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- fresh basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the tomatoes and set aside.10 ounces heirloom tomatoes
- Slice the buns in half. Alternatively you can use 4 slices of dense bread.2 thin buns
- Divide the goat cheese between the slices of bread/buns and spread.4 ounces goat cheese
- Top with the slices of tomatoes.
- Top with ½ teaspoon of antipasto spread per sandwich.2 teaspoons antipasto spread
- Drizzle each serving with balsamic glaze.1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
- Garnish with basil leaves and serve.fresh basil leaves
Helen at the lazy gastronome
This is delicious!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I totally agree, basic and so delicious.
Allyssa
This is really helpful! Thanks a bunch for sharing your fantastic recipe, will have this again for sure!!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
So glad you enjoyed these tomato sandwiches.
Moop Brown
I’ve never thought to put balsamic glaze on a burger but it seems like such a nice and tasty touch to this recipe.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Balsamic is great on so many things, burgers…and these open-faced sandwiches too.
Jamie
This cheese and tomato sandwich was the perfect summer snack for my family! We had some heirloom tomatoes from the farmer’s market that we paired with herbed goat cheese. It tasted amazing!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You can never go wrong with a delicious tomato and cheese sandwich, especially in the summer.
Ann
I made this sandwich for lunch the other day, with a substitution for the goat cheese. Was delicious! Excited to give it another try with the goat cheese!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
There is no wrong kind of cheese to this delicious tomato sandwich.
Marie
This is the perfect summer lunch! Loved the idea of serving this open-faced sandwich on flatbreads. Easy and delicious!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Oh yes, served on flatbread is the best. Less bread more toppings.
Amy Casey
This was the perfect lunch for the warm weather we have been having lately. I used delicious Jersey tomatoes and they were so tasty with the goat cheese.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I have never heard of Jersey tomatoes, but you can never go wrong with fresh tomatoes of any kind.
Amanda
I just picked up some heirloom tomatoes, and this was the perfect way to use them! They were so good with the creamy goat cheese. I’ll definitely have to make this again while heirloom tomatoes are still in season.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I agree the goat cheese really adds a nice level of flavour to this sandwich recipe.
Dani
This open-faced tomato sandwich was the perfect way to use up the abundance of tomatoes coming from our garden. Love it!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I have to agree. Tomato sandwiches are perfect for garden fresh tomatoes.