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Home / Recipes / Southern Tomato Sandwich

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Southern Tomato Sandwich

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Ripe, juicy tomatoes for lunch.

Here’s how to make an authentic Southern tomato sandwich, a recipe that makes one of summer’s great simple meals.

Southern Tomato Sandwich: Authentic Recipe

The “Other” Tomato Sandwich Recipe

If you google “tomato sandwich,” the most popular result will be an Italian caprese sandwich. Fair enough. It is hard to beat the combination of ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and a drizzle of olive oil on bread.

But I would hold up a Southern tomato sandwich to a caprese any day of the week. Less common than a caprese but just as satisfying, when done right, it’s one of the great pleasures of summer. All you need is good sandwich bread, the very best, ripest tomatoes you can find, good mayo, and an appetite.

ingredients for a summer Southern tomato sandwich mayo tomato bread

How to Make a Southern Tomato Sandwich: Recipe Notes

Tomato sandwiches are a late-summer favorite in the South, and becoming more popular throughout the country for good reason. It’s a nearly effortless sandwich, and takes advantage of seasonal produce in the best way.

Because the only ingredients in a tomato sandwich recipe are 1) sandwich bread, 2) ripe tomatoes, and 3) mayonnaise, it is essential that the ingredients all be top quality.

  • The sandwich bread: You need soft, good-quality sandwich bread, preferably white (though I do cheat and use whole wheat sometimes)
  • The tomatoes: One large, ripe heirloom tomato — picked fresh in late July or August — will be enough for two sandwiches. Make sure the tomatoes have not been refrigerated; it can make them mealy.
  • The mayonnaise: Duke’s is the South’s most popular brand. Hellmann’s mayo is the other good choice. For a good read about mayos, check out this Food52 mayo taste-testing article.
  • A pinch of salt and pepper: You won’t need much, but a little pinch will bring out a little extra tomato flavor.

Southern Tomato Sandwich: Authentic Recipe

Should I Toast the Bread?

Strictly speaking, a traditional Southern tomato sandwich recipe calls for plain sandwich bread, no toast. But toasting the bread has become a somewhat popular option, in the vein of a B.L.T., so if that speaks to you, then I say go for it!

No matter what, enjoy. A good tomato sandwich is the the ultimate late-summer meal.

Southern Tomato Sandwich: Authentic Recipe

More juicy tomato recipes you’ll love:

  • Melted Tomato Bruschetta
  • Fried Green Tomatoes
  • Burrata With Roasted Vine Tomatoes
Southern Tomato Sandwich: Authentic Recipe
Print Recipe

Southern Tomato Sandwich

Summer's ultimate sandwich, a simple Southern combo of ripe tomato, mayo, and good bread.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: dinner, lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keywords:: lunch, southern food, summer, tomato recipe, tomato sandwich, tomato sandwich recipe
Servings: 2 sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1 large, ripe heirloom tomato of the best quality
  • 4 slices fresh white sandwich bread (sometimes I cheat and use whole wheat)
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons good-quality mayonnaise, or to taste
  • Pinch salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Slice the ripe tomato into 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle each slice with a little salt and pepper
    PRO TIP: I always use a serrated knife to cut tomatoes.
  • Slather the bread slices with mayonnaise. Stack tomato slices equally on half the bread. Top each tomato stack with the remaining bread, mayo-side down.
  • Slice each sandwich in half and serve.

Filed Under: Easy, Recipes, Soup, Salad, Snacks, Vegetarian + Vegan Tagged With: heirloom tomato, lunch, southern tomato sandwich, summer, tomato mayonnaise sandwich, tomato sandwich, tomato sandwich recipe

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Linda says

    August 19, 2022 at 8:27 pm

    I love this sandwich and have been making it forever. Born and raised in the north, we love the sandwich also. I do use Dukes mayonnaise however?. I have a beautiful farm fresh tomato in the kitchen right now waiting to be used tomorrow at lunch. Prefer soft white bread but whole wheat is all I have right now so I’m going to give that a try. I know it will be delicious!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      August 21, 2022 at 10:09 pm

      Mmm…I love that you are in the tomato sandwich club! Isn’t it the best? You are right; soft white bread is the ultimate way to go, but I find that soft whole wheat is good, too. I think the key is a soft sandwich bread. Thanks for writing about this!

      Reply
  2. Enid says

    June 18, 2022 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious. Very true to the Southern way of eating tomato sandwiches. You need the soft bread, for sure!

    Reply
  3. Jane says

    June 18, 2022 at 11:16 am

    5 stars
    Delicious and messy! One bite and tomato juice ran down my chin, lol!
    My southern mother and grandmother often made these for us kids in the summer, but this is the first time I tried it with pepper – that really adds a bit of zing to the sandwich.
    I usually eat only dense, whole-grain, seeded homemade breads, but for this sandwich soft, white bread is the way to go. And don’t skimp on the mayo!

    Reply
    • Unpeeled says

      June 18, 2022 at 2:50 pm

      Hi, Jane! So glad you enjoyed it. This is hands-down one of my favorite ways to eat tomato, period. And I am completely with you on the bread. Normally, I eat really crusty, artisan multigrain bread. But this is one sandwich that really does need the soft sandwich bread. Enjoy and happy summer!

      Reply
  4. Anita says

    June 9, 2022 at 10:51 am

    I have been eating this sandwich since I was a child. Every Summer I chomp at the bit waiting for the tomatoes to get ripe enough to have my Tomato Sandwich on untoasted bread.

    Reply

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