Food and Recipes Dish Sandwich Southern Tomato Sandwich 4.9 (27) 23 Reviews When garden tomatoes are at their juiciest, this classic eat-it-over-the-sink tomato sandwich—with its mayo-gilded drips—is a must. By Ann Taylor Pittman Ann Taylor Pittman For 20 years, Ann Taylor Pittman built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where she most recently served as Executive Editor. She is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award and a cookbook award. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development, writing, and video. Follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on July 12, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 1 It's probably safe to say that most Southerners with tomatoes in their garden (or with generous friends who grow tomatoes) mark the official beginning of summer with their first tomato sandwich. It's a delicious kickoff to a season of produce goodness, a ritual enjoyed often and with great enthusiasm while tomatoes are at their peak. Of course, there are embellishments you can add if you want (more about that later), but the basic formula of soft white bread, mayonnaise, tomatoes, salt, and pepper produces a Southern ideal. The bread soaks up the yummy tomato juices, which mingle with the creamy mayo, but it doesn't get soggy because you eat this yumminess right away, and quickly. The tomato sandwich is so irresistible, you might just gobble down two in a row. It's shockingly easy to do. Learn how to make a tomato sandwich. It's one of the simplest sandwiches you can make, and to enjoy a true taste of summer in the South, you really do need to keep it simple. There's Only One Way To Eat A Tomato Sandwich–This Is It What Kind of Tomato Is Best for a Tomato Sandwich? The most important thing for a good tomato sandwich is that you start with a fresh beefsteak tomato from the garden or the farmers' market. You're not going to get the same sort of intense joy from a grocery store tomato, which typically lacks the same level of juiciness, sweetness, and flavor complexity. Beefsteak tomatoes are the big guys, the ones you might sometimes call slicer tomatoes; a slice of this kind of tomato should cover a piece of sandwich bread or a hamburger bun. You can go with heirloom or conventional tomatoes; either type will be delicious. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox What Kind of Bread Is Best for a Tomato Sandwich? Soft white bread is what you want here. Baguettes and artisanal boules are beautiful loaves, and whole-grain bread is downright delicious, but they're not right for this tomato sandwich. Squishy white bread from the bread aisle, not the bakery section, is the right choice. The softness marries perfectly with the juicy-meaty texture of the tomatoes, so preferably leave the bread untoasted. Note that some white sandwich bread is very sweet (from lots of added sugar), so for the best flavor—bread that truly complements the tomatoes—look for brands such as Sara Lee, which contain just two grams of added sugar per serving. What Is the Best Mayonnaise for a Tomato Sandwich? If you really want to go for the most luxe, top-notch experience, try making your own homemade mayo. (It's easier than you think, and it tastes fantastic.) Short of that, Duke's gets the gold star for its supreme creaminess and balanced flavor with a hint of tang and loads of savory richness. Our Top Tip for the Best Southern Tomato Sandwich With something this simple, quality ingredients are of course key. We've already discussed those crucial garden tomatoes, the best bread, and the right mayo. To make all of those elements come together in perfect harmony, you need to season the tomatoes to enhance their flavor and juiciness. We recommend placing the slices on a paper towel, sprinkling with generous amounts of kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper, and letting them hang out for 3 to 5 minutes. Some of the juices will soak into the paper towel, but don't worry—there will still be plenty to run down to your elbow as you take a bite. That brief hang time allows the seasonings to permeate the tomato (making it taste like tomato to the 10th degree) and really gets the juices going. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Possible Embellishments for a Tomato Sandwich Trust us: The simple tomato sandwich recipe below is a thing of beauty, the sandwich you'll crave all your life. If you want a little more oomph, however, you can try adding some very thinly sliced Vidalia onion for crunch and additional savory notes. You can even soak that shaved onion in cider vinegar for a minute for a puckery pickled onion effect. Or chop some basil and stir it into your mayo for an herbal punch. In place of kosher salt, you could try smoked salt, seasoned salt, or garlic salt, and you could replace the black pepper with crushed red pepper flakes. You could even dust the mayo-coated bread with a little grated Parmesan. Before you try any of these adornments, though, try the classic, simplest version; you're going to be hooked. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Ingredients 2 (1/2-inch-thick) slices beefsteak tomato 1/4 tsp. kosher salt or 1/8 tsp. table salt 1/4 tsp. freshly, coarsely ground black pepper 2 slices white sandwich bread 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise Directions Prepare tomato slices: Arrange tomato slices on a paper towel; sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Let stand until tops of slices are beaded up with juices, 3 to 5 minutes. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Make sandwiches: Spread one side of each bread slice with 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Arrange tomato slices on mayo side of one bread slice; top with other bread slice, mayo slice down. Enjoy immediately. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Frequently Asked Questions Is a tomato sandwich good? In a word: Yes. Absolutely. Truly. Always and forever. Which spread is used for tomato sandwiches? No need to make a fussy sauce. For classic tomato sandwiches, mayonnaise is all that's needed. Rate It Print