diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
index 5d4b3b8b47..3ffec6b826 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
@@ -964,7 +964,7 @@ def _resolve_toolchain(value: ConfigType) -> ConfigType:
     # Runs before _detect_variant so downstream validators can rely on
     # CORE.toolchain instead of re-resolving it from the config dict.
     if CORE.toolchain is None:
-        CORE.toolchain = value.get(CONF_TOOLCHAIN, Toolchain.PLATFORMIO)
+        CORE.toolchain = value.get(CONF_TOOLCHAIN, Toolchain.ESP_IDF)
     return value
 
 
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/esp32/config/flash_mode_idf.yaml b/tests/component_tests/esp32/config/flash_mode_idf.yaml
index 7c7f50a439..d12d4a734b 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/esp32/config/flash_mode_idf.yaml
+++ b/tests/component_tests/esp32/config/flash_mode_idf.yaml
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@ esp32:
   board: esp32dev
   flash_mode: qio
   flash_frequency: 80MHz
+  toolchain: platformio
   framework:
     type: esp-idf
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py b/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py
index a8b5720a80..e3311f6860 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py
+++ b/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py
@@ -64,6 +64,38 @@ def test_esp32_config(
         assert VARIANT_FRIENDLY[variant].lower() in config["board"]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("config_toolchain", "expected"),
+    [
+        # No `toolchain:` set -> the new default for esp32.
+        (None, Toolchain.ESP_IDF),
+        # An explicit `toolchain:` still wins over the default.
+        (Toolchain.PLATFORMIO.value, Toolchain.PLATFORMIO),
+        (Toolchain.ESP_IDF.value, Toolchain.ESP_IDF),
+    ],
+)
+def test_esp32_default_toolchain_is_esp_idf(
+    set_core_config: SetCoreConfigCallable,
+    config_toolchain: str | None,
+    expected: Toolchain,
+) -> None:
+    """With no `toolchain:` set (and nothing pinned via the CLI), esp32 resolves
+    to the ESP-IDF toolchain; an explicit `toolchain:` still wins."""
+    set_core_config(PlatformFramework.ESP32_IDF)
+
+    from esphome.components.esp32 import CONFIG_SCHEMA
+
+    # Fresh run: no --toolchain CLI and no prior config pinned CORE.toolchain.
+    CORE.toolchain = None
+    config: dict[str, Any] = {"variant": VARIANT_ESP32}
+    if config_toolchain is not None:
+        config["toolchain"] = config_toolchain
+
+    CONFIG_SCHEMA(config)
+
+    assert CORE.toolchain == expected
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("config", "error_match"),
     [