Tomato Sandwich
The perfect summer sandwich is made with fresh tomatoes, mayonnaise, and soft white sandwich bread.
Serves1
Makes1 sandwich
Prep5 minutes
Nothing compares to a ripe summer tomato, whether it’s picked from your home garden, added to your basket at the farmers market, or even purchased from the supermarket. Plump, juicy tomatoes can be tossed into a variety of fresh recipes so you’ll never get bored, from a brunch-worthy tomato galette to grilled stuffed tomatoes.
There’s one thing I often make on summer afternoons: A tomato sandwich. It’s an impossibly simple sandwich that needs just three ingredients and less than five minutes to make. It’s a quintessential summer food, but if you scoff at the idea that a dish this simple needs an actual recipe, please consider this my love letter to the perfect summer sandwich.
Why You’ll Love It
- Tomatoes are the star. Summer tomatoes play an important but supporting role in seasonal classics like BLT sandwiches and caprese salad, but this tomato sandwich is all about the tomato.
- All you need are 3 ingredients. The perfect tomato sandwich needs thick slices of juicy, ripe tomatoes, a schmear of mayonnaise, and white sandwich bread. A pinch of kosher salt and black pepper are welcome here as well.
Key Ingredients in a Tomato Sandwich
- Tomato: Choose the very best tomatoes you can find. They should have consistent coloring, feel heavy for their size, and have a sweet aroma.
- Mayonnaise: Mayo mixes with the juices from the fresh tomatoes and gives this sandwich the most delicious flavor. Like the good Southerner I am, Duke’s is my mayonnaise of choice and I recommend you use the same.
- White sandwich bread: This is no place for hearty, whole-grain bread, nor is chewy artisanal bread appropriate. The perfect bread is soft, white sandwich bread. I prefer to serve tomato sandwiches on untoasted bread, but a light toast adds some texture to the sandwich if you want to go that route.
How to Make a Tomato Sandwich
Spread mayonnaise on two slices of soft white sandwich bread. Arrange two thick slices of fresh tomato on one slice of bread and season with some salt and pepper. Sandwich the pieces of bread together and cut in half.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Tomato sandwiches are best enjoyed as soon as they are made. Because summer tomatoes are so juicy, making them too far in advance will lead to soggy bread.
What to Serve with a Tomato Sandwich
Tomato Sandwich Recipe
The perfect summer sandwich is made with fresh tomatoes, mayonnaise, and soft white sandwich bread.
Prep time 5 minutes
Makes 1 sandwich
Serves 1
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 slices
white sandwich bread
- 2 tablespoons
mayonnaise
- 1
large ripe tomato
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Place 2 slices white sandwich bread on a cutting board. Spread 2 tablespoons mayonnaise evenly over the bread. Use a serrated knife to cut 2 (1/2-inch-thick) slices from 1 large tomato. Sprinkle the slices lightly with kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper. Stack the tomato slices on one slice of the bread. Close the sandwich with the other slice of bread and use a serrated knife to cut in half. This sandwich is best eaten immediately.