Give Your Tomato Sandwich A Protein Boost With An Ingredient Already In Your Fridge

Tomato sandwiches are a benchmark of the South, but they've quickly become a national sensation. While the Southern tomato sandwich is a simple art form that marries tomatoes with Duke's classic mayonnaise, salt, and pepper, there is one easy addition that packs a serious protein boost. Cottage cheese is the secret weapon your tomato sandwich needs to take it from a snack to a bonafide meal. A half cup of cottage cheese has 11 grams of protein, not to mention a creamy, cheesy, tangy, and rich flavor profile that'll pair beautifully with a sweet and savory tomato.

You can go about adding cottage cheese to your tomato sandwich in a couple of ways. The easiest way would be to use cottage cheese directly out of the carton, slathering it over a slice of bread before adding the tomato. You can also spread the cottage cheese over the tomato slices and heat the whole sandwich under a broiler. This will bring out the umami richness of the tomato and melt the cheese into a creamier layer. At the same time, the toasted bread will bring a nice textural contrast to the soft sandwich fillings. 

Lastly, if the lumpy texture of cottage cheese is off-putting, you can blend cottage cheese with seasonings into a smooth, ricotta-like texture before spreading it into your tomato sandwich. Blending the cottage cheese gives you the opportunity to build a more complex flavor profile with spices, aromatics, and other condiments or sauces. However, you can always sprinkle seasonings directly over plain cottage cheese while you assemble your sandwich.

Whether you're blending cottage cheese into a smooth spread or adding a layer right out of the carton, there are many additional ingredients that you can stack or drizzle into a tomato and cottage cheese sandwich to make it more complex and diverse. Tangy cottage cheese could use an earthy, savory condiment or sauce. A drizzle of jarred store-bought pesto is an easy upgrade that will also work well with the tart, umami-rich tomato. This fresh chimichurri sauce is another herbaceous pop of green that your tomato sandwich will thank you for. 

If you want a bit more texture, thinly sliced cucumbers, red onions, sprouts, and shaved carrots would all work well. Celebrity chef José Andrés uses avocados, sprouts, and pickled onions in his prime beefsteak tomato sandwich, slathering a herbed mayo over brioche buns for more decadence. You can always swap the mayonnaise for half a cup of cottage cheese to blend with dijon, capers, parsley, and lemon juice.

Cottage cheese can be the star of the show in a tomato sandwich, but you can also use it in a supporting role. For example, cottage cheese is the fridge staple that'll make your next grilled cheese extra creamy, not to mention pack it with protein. Simply spread a layer of cottage cheese onto your sandwich bread, followed by shredded cheese, and proceed to frying or toasting it on a skillet.