The perfect southern tomato sandwich – When those beautiful red heirloom tomatoes start showing up in the produce section of your local supermarket, it’s time for the Southern tomato sandwich. This messy sandwich is juicy, tart, sweet, salty, and absolutely irresistible. 🤤
Is it really summer without biting into a Southern tomato sandwich while dripping mayonnaise and tomato juice down your wrist? I don’t think so. When the summer heat hits, it’s nice to nibble on some juicy, fresh fruits and vegetables.
Of course, the true beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity: the fresh ingredients are delicious and tomato-lovers will love it. It’s quick to make, but you’ll want to take your time to savor every last bite.
The Best Tomatoes for a Southern Tomato Sandwich
Choosing the right tomatoes is key to making a great Southern tomato sandwich. rightThat means perfectly ripe tomatoes. The riper the better, and vine-ripened tomatoes are a winner. Your local farm stand has better fresh tomatoes than the big chains.
I like to choose a local heirloom tomato like Red Beefsteak Tomato, but if all you can get are hybrid tomatoes, choose ones that are heavy, juicy, and ripe. The more surface area of bread you can cover with slices, the prettier they’ll be. 😅
Ingredients List
- Optional tomato marinade – If you’re feeling a little extra indulgent, marinate the tomatoes in a dressing made with chopped shallots, garlic, basil, olive oil, salt, and pepper. This will make your sandwich even more delicious!
- tomato – Two or three thickly sliced, delicious sandwich tomatoes are the stars of the show. Red tomatoes are a classic, but Yellow is low in acidityTomato varieties include the purplish-green Cherokee Purple. Choose the right tomatoes and you’ll be happy.
- White bread – Thick sliced white bread is a classic Southern choice for holding tomatoes, but for a healthier option, you can use whole wheat bread or your favorite gluten-free bread. You can also make an open-face tomato sandwich with just one slice of bread.
- Mayonnaise – Add a generous amount of mayonnaise for even more flavor. Southern In this Southern-style tomato sandwich.
- butter – I love toasting white bread lightly in a frying pan with melted butter. 😋
- Flavor enhancers – For best flavor, be sure to salt the tomatoes before assembling your sandwich.
How to Make a Southern Tomato Sandwich
- Optional Marinade – For extra flavor, combine the minced shallots, garlic, basil, olive oil, and a little salt and pepper in a small bowl. (photo1)
- Marinate – Place the sliced tomatoes on a large plate, season with salt and pour the marinade over them. Turn them over and season the other side, covering them completely with the marinade. (Photo 2)
- melt Heat butter (about 1/2 tablespoon per sandwich) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread slices in batches, turning several times to distribute the butter evenly.
- toast Toast the bread for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until crisp and golden brown. Repeat with the remaining bread. (Or toast the bread in a toaster and spread a generous amount of softened butter on the warm toast.) (Photo 3)
- Mayonnaise – To assemble sandwiches, place sandwich bread on work surface and spread a generous, even layer of mayonnaise on each slice. (Photo 4)
- assemble – Arrange the marinated tomatoes on top of the slices and season with salt and pepper.
- serve – Close the sandwich, cut it diagonally down the middle and serve immediately.
Recipe Variations
- Turn it into a BLTAdd lettuce and bacon Finished productand your delicious Southern BLT is ready.
- Try it with sourdoughWhite bread is great, but sourdough is also great, so if you’re a sourdough lover, try substituting it for white bread.
- Make a CapreseLayer fresh mozzarella slices on top of the tomatoes, add a spoonful of pesto to the mayonnaise, or use Italian bread such as focaccia or ciabatta.
- Fried green tomato sandwichFried food Green Tomato Recipe Try using it in place of ripe tomatoes.
- Tomato grilled cheese sandwich. make South African grilled cheese sandwich, Or add marinated tomato slices to a classic grilled cheese for pure Southern comfort.
Tips and Tricks
- You can expand the recipe to make sandwiches if you like.
- A serrated knife allows you to cut tomatoes without squeezing out all of their delicious juice.
- Serve the sandwiches immediately. Don’t leave them out too long, or the juicy tomatoes will make the sandwiches soggy. 🙅🏿♀️
Preliminary steps
I don’t recommend making it ahead of time as it will end up watery, but you can slice and marinate the tomatoes the day before.
How to serve and store
Serve the sandwiches fresh with chips and a pickle, or just as is. Make only as much as you will need, as the sandwiches will not keep well once assembled.
Any leftover tomatoes can be stored in the marinade in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
What goes well with a classic Southern tomato sandwich?
Southern tomato sandwich with fries and Plantain Chips and Cucumber and onion saladThen drink it all up with a fresh pitcher lemonade or Sweet iced tea.
Classic Sandwich Recipes to Try
- Muffaletta Sandwich
- Jibarito Plantain Sandwich
- Chicken salad sandwich
- French Dip Sandwich
- Pulled Pork Sandwich
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