Toasted bread slathered with vibrant basil pesto, stuffed with layers of olive oil-drizzled creamy mozzarella and juicy tomatoes, then finished with fresh green herbs. This is the one — the only — pesto caprese sandwich! It’s a true celebration of summer Italian produce and flavours.

Caprese sandwiches with pesto soon became a staple for Mum and me. If we were abroad, we’d have such fun exploring the local markets to shop for ingredients, then assembling the sandwiches while sitting on the riverside, pretending to be locals. At home, not a week went by without us perched at the table, listening to audiobooks or catching up to our favourite TV shows, without biting into a pesto caprese sandwich each.

Italian caprese salad is a classic (and if you love it too, don’t miss my caprese toast) …. but when you sandwich it between crusty bread and a generous swipe of homemade pesto genovese, the union is elevated to new heights.

Undeniably, there’s something magical about the combination of pesto al basilico, juicy tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella. It’s fresh, gourmet, easy, and oh-so-elegant.

In other words: The perfect recipe for summer lunches, lazy dinners, or for capturing the feeling of dining in a sunlit Italian café. You don’t need to turn on the oven or be stuck in the kitchen for hours. The incredible ingredients do all the work.

🫶 Why You’ll Love This Pesto Caprese Sandwich

Highlights fresh, seasonal ingredients: This is what home cooking is all about. The fresh pesto, tender tomatoes, and rich mozzarella marry together to create a true celebration of summer in Italy.
Minimal cooking required: You just need to toast some bread — that’s it. This recipe is easy to throw together at the last minute and only requires the most basic of cooking skills, but tastes anything but.

Labelled ingredients for a pesto caprese sandwich on a white background.

🛒 What is a Pesto Caprese Sandwich Made Of?

Good question! Luckily, you won’t need to source any hard-to-find ingredients for this recipe. Instead, all you need is a handful of classic Mediterranean staples.

Here’s what you’ll need to bring this dreamy Italian sandwich to life:

Bread: Mum and I’s favourite option is Italian ciabatta rolls, but I’ve also used crusty French baguettes, fluffy focaccia, and sourdough rolls, all of which work beautifully. In these pictures, I’ve opted for an artisan seeded multigrain roll. I DON’T recommend using standard white sandwich bread, as it isn’t robust enough to stand up to our gorgeously juicy tomatoes and olive oil.
Fresh mozzarella: I’ve used fior di latte, which is a creamy and fresh mozzarella made from cow’s milk. Buffalo mozzarella is equally as delicious!
Tomatoes: Ripe and juicy, preferably vine tomatoes (or heirloom, if you can get your hands on them).
Pesto: Homemade basil pesto is ideal, but shop-bought works in a pinch. Some shop-bought pesto isn’t vegetarian.
Garlic: For rubbing over our toasted bread to give it a punchy, garlicky hit.
Olive oil: For marinating our slices of mozzarella and tomatoes. Use the best quality extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) with grassy, fruity, complex notes.
Basil: To complete the “caprese” element of the sandwich, fresh basil is a must.

You’ll also need fine salt (not pictured), which will help bring out the flavour of the tomatoes.

Variations & Substitutions

Whether you’re working with what you’ve got or just feeling creative, I’ve got a few ways you can switch up the pesto caprese sandwich — it’s endlessly adaptable!

Swap mozzarella for a more luxurious and creamy burrata. Be prepared for the sandwich to be deliciously messy!
If tomatoes are out of season, consider roasting the tomatoes for a more intense flavour. There’s nothing worse than watery, tasteless tomatoes. This makes the sandwich less fresh, and more hearty.
Add grilled vegetables such as aubergine (eggplant) or courgette (zucchini) for a more robust sandwich that adds to your five-a-day.
Add protein in the form of grilled tofu or other plant-based proteins of your choice.
Spice her up by switching standard extra virgin olive oil for a chilli-infused variety.

You can also make this pesto caprese sandwich vegan! First, use a vegan pesto (this is very easy when making homemade pesto di basilico — just skip the hard cheese), and finish the sandwich with a vegan mozzarella. Again, this can be homemade or bought from most major supermarkets (as well as some fantastic small-batch specialist retailers).

👩‍🍳 How to Make a Pesto Caprese Sandwich (Step-by-Step Photos)

Here’s how to turn those simple ingredients into a real (and very delicious) sandwich. I’ve taken step-by-step photos to make it even easier to follow along:

One: Cut your bread in half, then drizzle over olive oil. Pre-heat your grill.

Sliced mozzarella, tomato, and basil in a white bowl.

Two: In a small bowl, combine slices of mozzarella, tomato, chopped basil, olive oil, and fine sea salt. Leave to “marinate.”

Three: Grill the bread until gorgeously toasty and golden-brown. This step is vital as it prevents the bread from becoming too soggy.

Four: Rub a garlic clove over the bread. This is an optional step, but infuses stunning flavour. Sorry about the blurry photo, my hands were shaking 🫣

Five: Spread your pesto over both sides of the bread. Don’t be afraid to be generous!

Sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil on the bread.

Six: Layer on your marinated tomatoes, then mozzarella slices, then drizzle over the mixture of oil/juices left in the bottom of the bowl. Close up the sandwich!

Remember, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!

🌟 Top Tips from Mum

My Mum always stressed the importance of two things: good fresh bread, and even better tomatoes. Without both of these, your pesto caprese sandwich simply won’t live up to its potential.

She also taught me the importance of salting your tomatoes before adding them to the sandwich. This helps to draw out the moisture and intensify the flavour of our tomatoes. I used to complain about grinding salt by hand and question if it was worth it …. spoiler, it definitely is. Thanks Mum 💪

I’ve combined this step to include marinating the ingredients with olive oil. This allows you to control the amount of moisture you add to the sandwich — you can drain away the excess juices and oil, or drizzle it on top of the mozzarella for liquid flavour.

Pesto caprese sandwich on a wooden board.

🥡 Storage

Similar to most sandwiches, this pesto caprese sandwich is best served fresh.

If you’re making the sandwich ahead of time for a picnic, packed lunch, or event, I recommend using a robust, crusty bread like baguette or ciabatta, that can stand up to absorbing some of the juices from your tomatoes. Toasting the bread helps, too.

Finally, I advise you to wrap your sandwiches in parchment (baking) paper or reusable bees wrap/sandwich wrap, to make sure everything stays in place!

🥗 Serving Suggestions for Pesto Caprese Sandwiches

Most often, I eat these pesto caprese sandwiches for lunch with a simple side of hand-cooked British crisps (potato chips, for my U.S. readers). The contrast of crispy potatoes with juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella is making my mouth water just to think about!

But, if you want to round out the sandwich, serve a hearty tomato basil soup on the side. A lighter, healthier option would be a crisp green salad like spinach and arugula, finished with an unbelievable savoury, tart sundried tomato dressing.

The Italian sandwich is also an outstanding choice for parties, potlucks, or buffet tables. Cut into smaller servings or bite-sized pieces (secure with a sandwich skewer) and pair with pasta salad, French fries, breaded mushrooms, grilled asparagus, olives, to name but a few suggestions.

The vibrant colours of this pesto caprese sandwich also make it ideal for cultural celebrations like Italian Republic Day!

If you’re ready, grab your pesto, slice those tomatoes, and let’s get toasty! The printable recipe (with adjustable servings if you want to make more sandwiches) is just below. Happy sandwiching!

If you tried this pesto caprese sandwich— or any other recipe on my website — please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for being a part of my community!