If You Don’t Like Tomato Sandwiches, This Tweak Might Just Change Your Mind

People like to talk rather harshly about tomato sandwiches. “Gross.” “Yuck.” “I could never eat that.” The only explanation we can come to is that those people lack imagination, or have never tasted a beautiful home-grown tomato, or are just too scared to try something new that generations of Southerners have hailed as one of the truest dishes of summer. 

The perfect tomato sandwich—in the eyes of a traditional Southerner, at least—should appear simple in its perfection. It starts with two slices of soft white bread, which are then slathered in real mayonnaise (Duke’s preferably) and topped with tomatoes that have been sliced and seasoned overly generously with salt and pepper. The details that most naysayers have an issue with? They say that the texture is too mushy, or that the ingredients are too boring. 

Now, we won’t say a bad thing about a classic tomato sandwich, especially when done correctly. As in, made with flavorful, never-mealy tomatoes and eaten immediately before it has a chance to get soggy. Yet, for those who still can’t get past the plain tomato flavor or don’t have access to high-quality tomatoes, there’s a tweak that might just change your mind (and no, it’s not to add turkey and lettuce): Use pickled tomatoes. 

Why Pickled Tomatoes?

Pickled tomatoes are one of those Southern preserves that don’t get near enough praise. However, they make a wonderful pickled addition to any snack board or Southern veggie plate. Moreover, they make a surprisingly delicious substitute for fresh tomatoes on a tomato sandwich. Not only does the vinegary zing offer so much extra flavor, pickling (which is usually done with firmer green tomatoes) actually rids tomatoes of water, meaning that your sandwich can be kept from dripping and getting mushy quite as quickly.

Tips For The Best Assembly

If texture remains a problem, lay the pickled tomatoes on a paper towel for a few minutes before putting them on the sandwich, and we even support the occasional toasting of bread slices. Just don’t tell our grandparents. While an old-school Southerner might not refer to it as a real tomato sandwich, we’ll let it slide for the sake of helping everyone enjoy this summer delicacy. 

Make your own stash at home with our recipe for Pickled Green Tomatoes, and you’ll find many more uses for them beyond a sandwich—trust us.