How To Avoid The Big Mistake People Make With Tomato Sandwiches

Toasted tomato sandwiches are a simple yet tasty lunch or light dinner option, especially when paired with a hearty bowl of soup. Despite their simplicity, there is one major mistake that looms over the preparation of this dish — a mistake that can detract from the wholesome flavor of the ingredients. To ensure your next tomato sandwich hits all the right notes, Mashed reached out to Michelle Wallace, owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co., for some exclusive expert answers.

"I think one of the biggest mistakes is over-toasting your bread," Wallace explains. With toast, aiming for a crispy yet yielding texture is usually the best way to go. However, you don't want the bread to be too soft, because it could collapse under the weight of the juicy tomatoes.

In this case, Wallace recommends "lightly toasting the bread in a sauté pan versus a toaster or toaster oven." You'll have more control over the doneness using this method, and that can help you avoid both under- and over-toasting when making a tomato sandwich.

Michelle Wallace highlights why over-toasting bread can lead to disaster when it comes to homemade tomato sandwiches. She explains that over-toasted bread can be "rough to the roof of the mouth," which is a universally derided sensation. We're also of the opinion that you've been making toast wrong your entire life by using a toaster instead of a frying pan, but employing the proper technique is key.

Begin by slathering substantial portions of salted butter on the bread slices. Cover the entire surface from edge to edge. Next, place your frying pan over medium-low heat and add the bread slices. Be sure the butter side makes contact with the hot surface. It usually only takes a couple of minutes for the bread to finish toasting, so keep your eye on it.

There are lots of delicious ways to upgrade a tomato sandwich, such as adding a surprise ingredient like cottage cheese or marinating the tomatoes in vinegar and seasonings. However, getting the bread texture right ensures that your sandwich has a solid foundation.