When summer tomatoes are at their peak, nothing beats a juicy, Southern Tomato Sandwich. The beauty of this classic sandwich is centered in its simplicity, made with just a handful of ingredients that let the tomatoes shine. Casual, messy, sweet, salty, and tangy, this is the perfect sandwich to savor on a hot summer day.
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Classic Tomato Sandwiches: A Southern Tradition
One of my most valued experiences of going to college in Virginia was being introduced to Southern cuisine. Born and raised in New Jersey, I fell in love with the region’s cooking traditions during my four years in Richmond.
Near the top of my favorites is the simple joy of the Southern Tomato Sandwich. With just 5 ingredients (juicy tomatoes, white bread, mayo, salt, and pepper), this sandwich celebrates the best of summer and can be ready at a moment’s notice.
Learn more about the history of the Tomato Sandwich: Why do Southerners like mayo and tomato sandwiches? from AL.com.
A caution of sorts–if you’re looking for a sandwich that you can eat delicately, this isn’t it. Biting into a classic Tomato Sandwich is messy in the most delicious way possible. The best sandwiches will send a pink-hued mixture of salty tomato juices and mayonnaise dripping onto your hands, plate, and napkins with each toothsome bite.
As you progress farther into your sandwich, the squishy bread will soak up some of those juices, and it will probably stick to the roof of your mouth at some point. It’s perfection, and a quintessential taste of summer.
Like many culinary traditions, the specifics of making a Southern Tomato Sandwich can be subject to debate, and often vary by area and family. (For instance, some like to slice the tomatoes thickly, others thinly. Some peel the tomatoes, others leave them intact.)
Do you need a written recipe to make something as simple as a Tomato Sandwich? Probably not. That said, I’ve found that there’s a divide between a really good sandwich, and one that’s “just ok.” Here are my tips, based on what I learned in Virginia, and taking notes from friends who grew up in various parts of the South.
What Kind of Tomatoes Make the Best Tomato Sandwiches?
Heavy, juicy, in-season slicing tomatoes make the best Tomato Sandwiches. Local or homegrown heirlooms are especially delicious–it’s worth a trip to the farm stand for great summer tomatoes!
For a sandwich that doesn’t fall apart as easily, I look for tomatoes that are big enough for a thick slice or two to cover the entire surface of the bread (depending on whether the bread slices are square or rectangular).
I like to use Beefsteak variety tomatoes (heirloom or hybrid), such as Big Beef, Mortgage Lifter, Brandywine, and Cherokee Purple from my backyard garden. They’re extra meaty for a tomato sandwich that satisfies.
To add a light smoky flavor to your tomato sandwich, look for Black Krim tomatoes. For a sweet flavor with a pop of color, try Mr. Stripey, a marbled heirloom variety with blush and yellow-orange stripes on the outside.
Planting tomatoes at home? Check out this list of 15 Best Beefsteak Tomatoes to Grow from the Food Gardening Network.
What Kind of Bread Should I Use For a Southern Tomato Sandwich?
Fluffy white bread is classic to the Southern Tomato Sandwich. The bread is usually left soft and un-toasted, so that it can soak up some of the delicious tomato juices.
That said, I do have friends who prefer their tomato sandwiches on white toast. If you’re going this route, I recommend only lightly toasting the bread so that it doesn’t become too dry.
Choose a loaf of white bread with some substance to it, so your sandwich doesn’t fall apart easily. Shopping at the grocery store, I like to use Arnold Country White or Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse White.
A tip from a friend from Georgia: If you live in an area where Captain John Derst’s bread is sold, it also makes excellent Tomato Sandwiches. Based in Savannah, Derst’s loaves of “Good Old Fashioned Bread” have been known for their golden color and buttery flavor for more than 150 years.
Want to make your sandwich from scratch? Try my Homemade White Bread recipe. It’s perfect for Tomato Sandwiches!
The Mayonnaise and Seasonings
Southern Tomato Sandwiches are dressed simply with mayonnaise, salt (I use kosher or fine sea salt), and freshly-ground pepper. When I have a batch in the fridge, homemade mayonnaise makes a fantastic sandwich. Most of the time, however, I use store-bought.
One of my first grocery store “finds” in Richmond was Duke’s Real Mayonnaise. I absolutely love the flavor, and it’s a classic for Southern Tomato Sandwiches. Duke’s distribution has since widened, and I’ve been finding it in my local markets in New Jersey over the past few years.
Hellmann’s and Best Foods mayonnaise (the same product, labeled depending on where you live in the US) are also good choices for Tomato Sandwiches. Some of my friends who live in the South also love Blue Plate Mayonnaise. (Epicurious ranked it their #1 pick in their 2018 mayonnaise tasting.)
Most importantly, I prefer to use mayonnaise over “sandwich spread” or “dressing” (such as Miracle Whip) to make these sandwiches.
How to Make Your Tomato Sandwich
Making this sandwich is about as easy as it gets–just layer, slice, and serve. A few assembly tips will make these sandwiches shine.
1. Spread the Mayo
Start by spreading the mayo onto one side of each slice of bread. With so few ingredients at play here, I use a hearty dollop, about a tablespoon per slice. A generous mayo schmear on each bread slice also creates a barrier to keep sandwich from getting too soggy.
As a friend from Louisiana once told me, you can adjust the quantity to taste, but for a true Southern Tomato Sandwich, you shouldn’t see the bread peeking through the layer of mayo.
2. Slice the Tomatoes, Assemble, and Serve
Since the tomatoes aren’t accompanying deli meat, I like to cut them into hearty slices, about 1/2 inch thick. They’re the star of this sandwich!
I like to use either one large slice per sandwich if the bread is square, and two, slightly overlapped slices, if the bread is rectangular. While some prefer a sandwich stacked with thinly-sliced tomatoes, I find that too many layers are prone to slipping and sliding as you eat.
A few of my friends who grew up in the South also like to peel their tomatoes. I don’t take this extra step, as the tomatoes I use don’t have particularly tough skins. If you prefer a peeled tomato, using a blanching process while they’re whole helps the skins slip right off.
Wondering which knife is best for slicing tomatoes? I like to use my serrated bread knife. It makes clean cuts through the skin, without pushing out the juices. My favorite is the Mercer Culinary Millennia 10-inch.
Once you’re prepped, just season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and place them onto the bread. Top with the second mayo-spread bread slice, cut the sandwich in half, and serve. Don’t forget a generous stack of napkins!
Variations
While a classic Southern Tomato Sandwich contains only what I’ve outlined above, here are a few ways that you can expand on the theme:
- Turn it into a BLT. Toast the bread and layer the sandwich with lettuce (I like romaine) and cooked, thick-cut bacon.
- Add fresh herbs. Chop up a small handful of herbs from your summer garden and stir them into the mayonnaise. Fresh basil is delicious, as is thyme.
- Layer with onions. One of my friends loves to add very thinly sliced onions to his tomato sandwiches. He recommends the sweet Vidalia variety, if available.
- Go Caprese. Stir a spoonful of basil pesto into the mayo, and layer the tomatoes with slices of fresh mozzarella. We like using toasted ciabatta, sourdough, or focaccia for this Italian spin on the Tomato Sandwich.
More of our Favorite Tomato Recipes
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Southern Tomato Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1/2 large beefsteak variety tomato , ripe (heirloom, if desired/available)
- 2 slices white sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise , more or less, to taste*
- salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the tomato into meaty, 1/2-inch thick slices. We like to use a serrated knife. Depending on the size of your bread slices, you'll need 1-2 large slices per sandwich.
- Generously spread one side of each of the bread slices with mayonnaise.
- Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and layer them onto one of the mayo-spread bread slices in a single layer, or slightly overlapped.
- Top with the second slice of bread, mayo side down.
- Slice sandwich in half and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
About our recipes
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.