The Best Bread For Tomato Sandwiches Varies More Than You Think

Tomatoes are one of the most versatile sandwich fillings. Their sweet and savory notes effortlessly enhance meats, cheeses, and other vegetables, brightening up your meal's look and flavor profile. While they often serve the role of a juicy sidekick in sandwiches, tomatoes are also yummy enough to take center stage. However, the type of bread can make a significant difference, either enhancing the filling's taste and texture or failing to bring out its full potential.

To get some expert advice on the matter, we talked to Michelle Wallace, the owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co., a pop-up store based in Houston. Mashed asked Wallace about the best bread to use in three types of tomato sandwich: the Southern style, the fried green variety, and one with mozzarella.

It turns out that the choice is not as simple as using whatever's available in your pantry. Wallace's insights show us that selecting the right bread combines a discerning palate with an eye for texture.

A Southern tomato sandwich is the best way to honor fresh garden tomatoes and the history attached to them. Southerners embraced the fruit before the rest of the U.S. — the plant thrived in the hot climate and was used in cooking there before other regions. One of the earliest references to a tomato sandwich came from the Virginia Chronicle, a Virginia-based publication, in 1911.

The dish typically features mayonnaise, salt, and freshly-cracked black pepper. It's commonly made with white bread, but Michelle Wallace leans into the sandwich's Southern origins and recommends a fresh buttermilk biscuit. "There is something about the buttery fluffy interior of the biscuit that works so well with sweet summer tomato," Wallace explains. "That interior works as a sponge and absorbs the juice of the tomato so beautifully. It's my favorite for that reason alone."

In our Southern tomato sandwich recipe, which can easily be modified to use a fresh biscuit, we also include crushed pork rinds — another Southern staple. They add a touch of salty crispness that contrasts with the soft and flaky biscuit.

When making a tomato and mozzarella sandwich, a roll of ciabatta or focaccia often serves as the bread. However, Michelle Wallace suggests using sourdough instead. "That slight sour note that the bread provides with fresh summer tomatoes and the richness of the mozzarella creates a flavor that checks all the boxes," she says. It's no secret that bread from a bakery just tastes better, so opt for a fresh loaf if you can.

Of course, flavor is not the only important aspect. "When toasted, the sourdough provides the texture that this sandwich screams for," Wallace explains. The crusty slices create a delightful contrast with the juicy filling. For an easy upgrade, toast the slices with high-quality olive oil on a pan to give them a nutty flavor and form a golden crust.

Tomato, mozzarella, and sourdough — although delicious as a simple trio — also welcome plenty of modifications. Make the sandwich Caprese-style with basil and a drizzle of balsamic, spread on some pesto, or add prosciutto and arugula. Sourdough fits the bill regardless.

Made with cornmeal breading, fried green tomatoes are so commonly linked with Southern states that you may wonder why they aren't the official filling of the Southern tomato sandwich. But this association could stem from the popular '90s film, "Fried Green Tomatoes." (The earliest documentation of this crispy, juicy appetizer actually comes from Northern and Midwestern cookbooks.) Regardless of where they came from, it's clear where they belong. Put fried green tomatoes between some slices of white bread, and you'll find you made a delicious sandwich.

Michelle Wallace recommends white bread because the "simple yet delicious bread allows the cornmeal-crusted tomato to shine. It doesn't interfere with the crispy texture and flavor of the breading but is strong enough to hold it all together."

Plain, starchy, and mildly sweet, white bread plays a great supporting role in a sandwich. Slather it up with mayo for richness. Add heft to the meal with some lettuce, a few slices of cheese, or bacon to give the BLT a fried green tomato makeover. White bread leaves the door open to plenty of additions that still fit the flavor profile.