I present to you one of the most famous of all the Southern sandwiches: the tomato sandwich.
A summertime staple, this Southern sandwich is a shining example of the magic of letting perfect produce shine.
It's also an example of one of the great Southern Traditions on which nearly everyone has an opinion: mayonnaise.
But before we get into what we disagree on, there is one thing we can all agree on when making a tomato sandwich:
What tomatoes are best for sandwiches?
Ugly tomatoes. Tomatoes that are weird colors. Tomatoes that came from the famers market, your grandmother's garden, or a guy you know down the road.
Tomatoes with weird names like "Johns Island Ugly", "Cherokee Purple", or "Black Brandywine." For the love of all that is holy, do not use a mid-winter Roma or rock-hard Beefsteak tomato. If that's all that's available, don't make tomato sandwiches at all!
Tomato sandwiches are a summer food because that is when the tomatoes are best for them: tender, juicy, flavorful.
One thing to note - if you are picking tomatoes for say, a deli meat sandwich, you might want to pat them dry.
For a this sandwich, though, you want all that delicious moisture to mix with the mayonnaise and create its own tomato-y mayo-y sauce.
Which brings me to a Southern Rivalry older than the SEC:
What kind of mayonnaise should be used for a tomato sandwich?
Duke's or Hellman's, that is the question.
A tool I use for my blog helps me understand how many people search for certain terms on Google each month. Do you know how many search for "Dukes or Hellmanns?". ZERO.
Because Southerners are already sure they know the right answer.
But am I sure? Not so much. I enjoy both Duke's and Hellmann's on a tomato sandwich. Also, there is a third contender that no one ever talks about: homemade mayonnaise.
Homemade mayo is my preference always, but - in the words of the great Ina Garten - if you don't have any, store bought is fine. I'm definitely the outlier here though. I'd love to hear about what your favorite mayo is in the comments ( scroll to the bottom past the recipe to comment! )
What type of bread should be used in a tomato sandwich?
In a classic tomato sandwich, white bread. Because my dear friend Lydia made me my first tomato sandwich with Captain John Durst Bread, that is what I always use. The distinct yellow color gives away the brand, but John Durst is still white bread through and through! If you can find it, use it! If not, any basic, soft white sandwich bread will do.
If this tomato sandwich is your first, use the white bread. If you are ready to branch out and go less traditional, here are some awesome variations:
- Sourdough bread, tomato, mayo, bacon
- Seeded bread, tomato, mayo, avocado
- Toasted bread, tomato, mayo
- Grilled panini style with tomato, mayo, basil
Other Southern Recipes You Might Love:
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Instant Pot Boiled Peanuts
- Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
- Southern Tomato Pie
- Buttermilk Fried Crispy Chicken Burger
How to make a tomato sandwich:
Tomato Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 extra large heirloom tomato 2 medium tomatoes may be used instead
- 8 slices white bread Captain John Durst is my favorite
- 4 Tbsp Mayonnaise homemade, Duke's, or Hellmann's
- 1 Tbsp ground pepper approximate value, you'll want to add pepper to taste
- ½ Tbsp salt optional, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Slice tomatoes between ⅓ and ½" thick. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each piece of bread. Place one slice of tomato on one mayonnaise-d slice of bread. Repeat four times. Liberally pepper each tomato slice ( fresh cracked is best ). Sprinkle with salt if desired. Place the remaining slices of bread mayonnaise side down on top of the tomatoes to make four sandwiches.
I am originally from Md. But I was raised Southern(both of my parents were from North Carolina), so I have southern ways, long before I moved to South Carolina. I was raised on Miracle Whip salad dressing. But, since I moved down here, it is Dukes all the way. I even got my daughters using Dukes, instead of Miracle Whip.
I am 72 y/o, but I moved here about twenty years ago.
The tomato sandwich is true Southern soul and I LOVE ‘em. . It’s really why western North Carolina and northern Virginia just simply don’t understand the tomato sandwich..... well, because that’s not the south! Southern by the Grace of God. Long live the Southern tomato (non GMO). Good job with this. Love it.
Thank you! I never quite understood them until I started making them with REAL, Southern tomatoes! Makes all the difference in the world
I am hoisting my Mint Julep with a toast to you for knowing about 'tomato sandwiches'! Being Southern myself, I never imagined there was a red-blooded American who has never enjoyed a tomato sandwich, to say nothing about not knowing Dukes mayo (well I do understand Northerners don't have the privilege of partaking of this amazing ingredient.) Now that everyone is educated to the HOW to make the sandwich, they need to know the art of eating such --- it is simple, just stand over the sink and let the juicy mayo drip down off you mouth and hands only to drip down to your elbow!
Great post! I’m not southern, so I’d probably have to include bacon and lettuce, but there really isn’t anything much better than garden-ripe tomatoes. With a little salt!
When no one is looking, I've been known to include the same 😉
This sandwich sounds fantastic. I have never had it myself but I definitely heard of it. We don't have Duke's mayo (I also heard of it before) so for me it's homemade or Hellmann's.
This is something so new for me. Thanks for writing this up. My kids love tomatoes, I hope they love its sandwich as well!