Ciabatta Caprese Sandwich
This is the sandwich I make when I want something that feels really special without actually trying that hard. Homemade sourdough ciabatta slathered in fresh basil pesto, layered with prosciutto, creamy burrata, arugula, and thick slices of heirloom tomato finished with a drizzle of balsamic glaze and good olive oil.
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 1/8 cup pine nuts (toasted)
- 3 tbsp olive oil (adjust to consistency preference)
- salt (to taste)
- sourdough ciabatta (recipe here)
- burrata cheese
- prosciutto slices
- fresh heirloom tomatoes (sliced)
- arugula
- balsamic glaze
- olive oil
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- Make the pesto: Add basil, garlic, parmesan, toasted pine nuts, and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse a few times to roughly combine. With the processor running slowly drizzle in olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency — add more oil for a smoother texture, less for something thicker and more intense. Taste and adjust salt.
- Prep the tomatoes: Slice the heirloom tomatoes thickly and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for a few minutes to draw out the juices.
- Spread the pesto: Spread a generous layer of pesto on both cut sides of the ciabatta — don't be shy here, this is the flavor base of the whole sandwich.
- Layer the fillings: On the bottom half layer the prosciutto slices. Add a handful of arugula. Break open the burrata and spread it over the arugula so it covers the bread evenly — let the creamy center spill out. Layer on the heirloom tomato slices.
- Finish: Drizzle generously with olive oil and balsamic glaze. Season with a little more salt and pepper.
- Close and serve: Place the top half of the ciabatta on and press gently. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The bread matters — sourdough ciabatta has a crackly crust and an open airy crumb that holds up to all the fillings without getting soggy.
Ciabatta Caprese Sandwich: Summer on a Plate
This sandwich started as a variation on my Burrata Caprese Prosciutto Sandwich — that one uses roasted tomatoes which are incredible and deeply savory. This version goes the opposite direction with fresh heirloom tomatoes at peak summer sweetness and it’s a completely different sandwich. The star here is the bread — once I started making my own sourdough ciabatta for this I couldn’t go back to store-bought. The open crumb soaks up the olive oil, pesto, and tomato juices in the best way without turning to mush.
Pesto
½ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, adjust to taste
3 tbsp olive oil, adjust for desired consistency
Sandwich
Fresh heirloom tomatoes, thickly sliced
The Pesto
Homemade pesto takes about 5 minutes and the difference from store-bought is immediately obvious — brighter, fresher, more vibrant. Toast your pine nuts first in a dry pan until they’re just golden — it adds a nuttiness that raw pine nuts don’t have. Add the olive oil slowly while the food processor is running so it emulsifies properly rather than just pooling on top. Adjust the oil amount to your preference — more oil gives you something silkier and more spreadable, less and it stays thicker and more intensely flavored.
The Bread
This sandwich is built on sourdough ciabatta and the bread is genuinely not optional here — the open crumb and crackly crust are what make this sandwich what it is. The pores in the ciabatta soak up the pesto, olive oil, and tomato juices while the crust stays sturdy enough to hold everything together. You can use store-bought ciabatta in a pinch but if you’ve made the sourdough version there’s really no going back.
The Tomatoes
Use the best heirloom tomatoes you can find — this is a sandwich where the produce does most of the work so it’s worth spending a little extra. Slice them thick so they hold their shape and season them directly with salt and pepper before they go on the sandwich. That extra salt draws out the juices slightly and makes them taste even more like themselves.
How To Make a Ciabatta Caprese Sandwich
Storage
This sandwich tastes best eaten immediately. The components can all be made ahead and stored separately:
Pesto: refrigerate in a jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tomatoes: slice fresh just before assembling.
Burrata: keep refrigerated until ready to use and bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
