10 Mistakes To Avoid While Making A Tomato Sandwich

A good old-fashioned tomato sandwich is one of the purest joys of summer. It's not a fancy food — it's not even a complicated one. Rather, it depends on the quality level of a few key ingredients, with the actual tomatoes themselves being of the utmost importance. Since there's only a few different elements to consider when making a tomato sandwich, you might assume that it's pretty straightforward to whip one up quickly in your kitchen. However, there are a surprising number of tomato sandwich pitfalls you'll want to avoid if you really want your sandwich to shine.

We've collected a list of some of the most common mistakes people make when it comes to their tomato sandwiches. By reading up on these mistakes, you can avoid making them yourself and ensure that any tomato sandwich that comes out of your kitchen is as delicious as can be. Tomato sandwiches are really only at their best for a small slice of the summer, so avoiding these mistakes means that you can take advantage of a few more days of that juicy summertime joy.

If you're used to cooking on a regular basis, the idea of making a plain tomato sandwich with untoasted bread might make you feel like you're being a little lazy. After all, you should have to put some effort into a meal, even one as simple as a sandwich, right? But when it comes to tomato sandwiches, sometimes less really is more. We're here to tell you that you actually don't have to toast the bread for your sandwich at all. In fact, that soft white bread that gets sort of squished down when you take a bite is actually part of what we love about this kind of sandwich.

Of course, some people want some more texture in their sandwich, so you may decide to toast the bread for your sandwich anyway. Whatever you do, though, at least try to avoid over-toasting your bread. Bread that's too crunchy will lead to a sensory nightmare and detract from the focus of the sandwich, which is ideally the juicy tomatoes. Your best bet is to toast your bread in a pan instead of a traditional toaster, where it can quickly become too toasted and ruin your tomato sandwich.

It should come as no surprise that tomatoes are, in fact, the most important part of a tomato sandwich. Therefore, you really need to have an eye for quality when it comes to your tomatoes. Your best bet is going to be your own garden. Garden-fresh tomatoes picked right off the vine, still warm from the sun, make the absolute best tomato sandwiches. The only problem? A lot of us don't have the time or the space to grow our own tomatoes. If you fall into that camp, then your next course of action should be to visit your local farmer's market. There, you're likely to find good-quality tomatoes that will make for an excellent sandwich.

But depending on where you live, you may not even be able to get to a farmer's market. In that case, you can always get some tomatoes at the grocery store. This isn't always ideal, but if you're shopping for tomatoes when they're in season, you might get lucky. Look for tomatoes that are bright red, plump, and have a ripe, fragrant smell to them — those are likely to taste the best.

If you look up the most basic, classic tomato sandwich recipes out there, you'll notice that many of them call for two spices and two spices alone: salt and pepper. When you're working with seriously delicious tomatoes, those two seasonings are really all you need. Forgetting to include one of them, though, is going to lead to a much less flavorful sandwich, since you don't have any contrasting flavors to really make the flavors of the tomatoes pop.

However, you don't have to stop with the salt and pepper if you want to add even more interest to your sandwich. Some powdered garlic or onion could be nice for a savory twist, or you could add some homemade furikake for an unexpected flavor combo. Chili flakes or powder are a solid option if you're the kind of person who likes some spice in your sandwich, or you could sprinkle on some white pepper for that bold flavor note you can't get from any other type of seasoning. Experiment with what you have in your pantry, but make sure you don't leave your sandwich completely bare.

Now, do you really need to marinate your fresh tomatoes to get that delicious, classic flavor you know and love in a tomato sandwich? No. But if the tomatoes you're using aren't super delicious, you may want to consider marinating them. Not only does this cover up their imperfections, but it infuses them with a ton of other flavors that can really upgrade your sandwich in a serious way. Just think about it: Don't marinated chicken thighs taste better than ones you throw in the oven without doing any prep work? Well, tomatoes work the same way.

Luckily, marinating tomatoes can be a super-easy process as long as you have some flavorful ingredients on hand. We like to start with a combo of oil and some kind of acid — you can use olive oil along with lemon juice or vinegar for a classic flavor combo. Then, start to throw in any other flavorful ingredients you have on hand. Grated or powdered garlic is a great option, as are a variety of spices. Use fresh herbs and even onions if you want to give your tomatoes an extra dose of sharpness. Then, let the tomatoes sit for an hour up to overnight in the refrigerator, and you'll have the makings for the most delicious, elevated tomato sandwich you'll ever eat.

When it comes to a recipe as basic as that of the classic tomato sandwich, every little element counts, which is why you don't want to write off the salt as an unimportant addition. Salt is an incredible flavor enhancer, and it may just be the most important ingredient in ensuring that your tomatoes are going to taste their best. Honestly, you can just use whatever kind of salt you have on hand, but if you really want to take your tomato sandwich to the next level, you should try to get your hands on some nice flaky salt.

Not only does this kind of salt make the tomatoes taste that much bolder and more intense, but it also creates a subtle, slightly crunchy texture that makes for an even more appealing sandwich. Don't want to go out and buy expensive flaky salt? We don't blame you. Luckily, you can learn how to make your own flaky salt at home with just two ingredients.

Of course, we love fancy, extravagant loaves of bread, especially when it comes to making a sandwich. Something about a freshly baked loaf — particularly of a kind of bread that it's difficult or time-consuming to make at home — just feels so luxurious. But one mistake that home cooks often make when it comes to tomato sandwiches is assuming that they have to use fancy bread to yield the most perfect tomato sandwich possible. That's absolutely not the case, though. Most recipes for a classic tomato sandwich call for none other than white bread. Yes, that soft, processed, rectangular loaf is the preferred type of bread to use, largely because its soft texture melds well with the juiciness of the tomato slices.

Now, we're not saying that you absolutely have to use white bread. However, try not to get too funky with your bread options. Another classic type of white bread, like ciabatta, for instance, can be used for this kind of sandwich, but the second you try to pull out the herby focaccia, we're out. A good tomato sandwich is all about simplicity — don't try to overcomplicate things on the bread front.

Every sandwich needs some type of spread, and a tomato sandwich is no exception. With this kind of sandwich, though, there's really only one spread you really need, and that's mayonnaise. Why does this combo work so well? Well, tomatoes are a light, juicy food, and you need something nice and creamy that's going to create some textural contrast there. Not only that, but mayo provides some much-needed fat in the recipe, along with offering a subtle touch of acidity.

But if you care about making the best tomato sandwich possible, then it's important that you think about the quality of the mayo you're using. Out of all the mayo brands out there to choose from, Duke's may just be the most beloved when it comes to a classic tomato sandwich presentation. That being said, we also think that Kewpie works particularly well for this application since it's so much richer and creamier than other types of mayo. No matter which brand you choose, though, just make sure that you're getting a quality condiment.

If you're like a lot of us, then you probably throw most of your produce in the refrigerator as soon as you get home. After all, it stays fresh for longer that way, right? That may be true, but the refrigerator can also affect the flavor of your tomatoes. This is because the cool temperatures in the fridge break down the cell walls of the tomatoes, which blocks the efficacy of the enzymes that are meant to determine the taste of the tomato in question. Refrigerated tomatoes often won't develop the bright acidity they need to taste their best, so you'll be left with a bland, somewhat tasteless fruit. And since this effect is permanent — meaning that you can't just bring them back to room temperature to restore their flavor — not placing your tomatoes in the fridge in the first place is usually your best bet.

Wondering where you should be storing your tomatoes, then? Just put them on your counter at room temperature for the best flavor. And unless they're about to go bad and you're trying to prevent food waste, don't put them in the fridge.

The hallmark of a good tomato sandwich is its juiciness. You want that tomato juice to seep into the bread, maybe even roll down the outside of your arm while you eat the sandwich. That's why you're going to want to go for a thicker cut when it comes to the tomatoes for your tomato sandwich. Sure, there are lots of other sandwiches in which thinly sliced ingredients are almost essential to the construction of the sandwich. (Most sandwiches that contain deli meat fall into this category.) But forget what you thought you knew about slicing, and make sure you're cutting thick, juicy chunks of tomato for the ideal sandwich.

Ideally, you'll really only need a layer or two of tomatoes in your sandwich. Ideally, you'll want a reasonable tomato-to-bread ratio, and since tomatoes are kind of slippery, having too many layers of them can cause some of them to fall out while you're eating.

You have some tomatoes, bread, and mayonnaise on hand, so you have everything you need to make a good tomato sandwich — right? Well, it really depends on what kind of tomatoes you happen to have. Big, beefsteak tomatoes are the preferred option, since many of them can span across the entire slice of bread. However, smaller tomatoes can also work in a pinch. What absolutely won't work, though, are grape or cherry tomatoes, so you don't want to make the mistake of including them in your tomato sandwich.

This is really all about logistics. First of all, you need a wet surface area for the salt and pepper to attach to, which means you'll have to cut your grape tomatoes in half. Because those pieces are so small, they're liable to fall out of your sandwich as you're eating it, making a big mess. For the best results, opt for larger tomatoes, and leave the grape and cherry varieties for some other summertime recipe.