A Tomato Sandwich? Really?
You may have read the title of this post and thought, “A tomato sandwich? Really? That sounds so boring.” And I can understand why you’d think that. We live in a world where we can walk into a sandwich shop and ask someone to make us a sammy with 15 different ingredients. So it seems crazy that you’d choose something so simple.
But simple can also be beautiful. We’re bombarded with choices everywhere we go, whether it’s 12 different kinds of mayonnaise at the grocery store or the truly endless supply of movies and shows that we can stream. Sometimes, it feels good just to get back to basics.
And when you have quality ingredients, basic becomes mindblowing. If you’ve only ever eaten the tomatoes you can buy at the grocery store, you’re missing out. In the case that you have a garden, grab your tomatoes from there. If not, head to a farmers market to buy heirloom tomatoes. The difference in taste will astound you.
Now that I’m waxing poetic about produce, I’m hoping that I’ve convinced you of the beauty of the tomato sandwich. Here are a few variations you can try at home.
The Classic Tomato Sandwich
Bread. Mayonnaise. Tomato slices. A little salt and pepper. That’s all you need for this classic sandwich. And it’s the perfect way to really enjoy the flavor of heirloom tomatoes. (1)
I recommend toasting sourdough bread and slathering it with mayonnaise. Cut thick tomato slices and grind pepper and sea salt over them before stacking everything together. Enjoy the simplicity (and minimal cleanup) of this classic sammy!
BLT Sandwich
Another perennial favorite, the BLT adds a few more ingredients to the classic tomato sandwich without subtracting from its simplicity. Toasted bread, crunchy lettuce, crispy bacon, and mayonnaise perfectly complement thick slices of tomato in the BLT. (1)
Tomato and Provolone Sandwich
This recipe keeps the tomato sandwich simple while adding one of my favorite ingredients – cheese! Tarragon-garlic mayo makes the sandwich extra special without overcomplicating things. (2)
Ingredients
- 2 slices of bread
- 1 medium tomato, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
- ¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried (substitute basil if you don’t have tarragon on-hand)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- pinch of sea salt
- 1 slice provolone cheese
Directions
- Toast the bread in a toaster or under the broiler. When the bread is lightly toasted, turn the slices over and place the slice of provolone cheese on one of the slices. Continue to toast the bread for 1 or 2 more minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
- Mash the chopped garlic to form a paste. Combine with mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon juice, pepper, and salt in a small bowl.
- Slather the garlic-tarragon mayonnaise over the slice of bread without cheese. Stack the tomatoes on this slice of bread, and top the sandwich with the cheesy bread.
No matter how you choose to enjoy your tomato sandwich, make sure to eat slowly and savor it. Good food is one of the great joys of life, and you deserve to relish it.
