I Tried 5 Celebrity Tomato Sandwiches, and There’s One You Must Make

When summer comes around, I get excited. Yes, I love the warm weather, days at the beach, and the smell of freshly cut grass, but it’s the tomatoes that I’m looking forward to most. In the Midwest where I live, summer is when the juiciest, sweetest tomatoes are ready for slicing, chopping, and dicing, and I’ll find any way and any excuse to eat them, including in tomato sandwiches. 

They’re a simple way to experience the best of this summer staple, and celebrity chefs seem to agree—but which tomato sandwich is the best? I accepted the task of trying five recipes from star chefs and discovered that most were good, and one was my very favorite.

Celebrity Tomato Sandwich Taste Test

Best “Classically Elegant” Tomato Sandwich: Ina Garten

Ina Garten is known for approachable, delicious food, and her tomato sandwich is no exception. It starts with slices of country bread, a good choice visually (thanks to a gorgeously rustic appearance) and texturally (hellooo crusty, yet crisp exterior with a tender, yet hearty interior). The bread holds up well to the basil and garlic-infused mayo and the big slices of tomato. It’s simple, pretty, and a delightful way to enjoy summer tomatoes. 

Best “Classic-ish” Tomato Sandwich: Ree Drummond

The Pioneer Woman’s tomato sandwich is all the things you love about the traditional tomato sandwich but with one upgrade—swapping in homemade aioli for store-bought mayonnaise. She uses white sandwich bread as the base, then combines her aioli with some fresh basil before swiping it on the bread. Next, she adds slices of seasoned tomato and covers it with another slice of bread. After assembling and taking a bite, I determined that it was great, albeit a bit soft and squishy. I loved her aioli upgrade, and this is a good classic tomato sandwich, but it didn’t impress or “wow” me like others on the list.

Best Tomato Sandwich for Highlighting Fresh Tomatoes: J. Kenji López-Alt

I’m a big fan of J. Kenji López-Alt because he takes the time to explain the “how” and “why” of his recipes, even when it comes to his tomato sandwich. It’s simple by design, capitalizing on the beauty of the freshest, ripest tomatoes, and begins with Shokupan, also known as Japanese Milk Bread. It’s soft, fluffy, and perfect for a tomato sandwich. If you don’t have it, López-Alt suggests white bread, but I recommend finding Shokupan or making it yourself. After choosing the best tomatoes and bread, López-Alt suggests toasting one side of each slice of bread. This is a genius move because the toasted sides are sandwiched together, leaving the soft, untoasted sides facing outward. This helps keep your bread from getting soggy and adds a touch of sweetness and texture. Next, the tomatoes are seasoned with salt and pepper, and a good swipe of mayonnaise on the toasted side finishes things off. It’s a delightful sandwich, and I couldn’t get enough. If you have ripe, perfect tomatoes, make this sandwich.

Best Tomato Sandwich if You Love Herbs: Mason Hereford

If you have a garden full of fresh herbs, Mason Hereford’s (of Turkey and the Wolf fame) tomato sandwich is the recipe for you. It starts with thick slices of toasted white bread. Those get topped on one side with mayonnaise, followed by a sprinkle of sunflower seeds. Yes, that surprised me too, but I loved the crunch it added to the sandwich. After adding layers of seasoned tomatoes, Hereford adds plenty of fresh dill and basil followed by a big squeeze of lemon. It’s a refreshing sandwich and tastes like the best parts of summer—in sandwich form. I love this version and would absolutely make this part of my summer tomato sandwich rotation.

Best Tomato Sandwich if You Want A Little More: Robert Irvine

Unlike other tomato sandwiches on this list, Irvine’s version begins with hearty whole-wheat bread. I happen to love whole wheat, so I appreciated the flavor and heft it added to the sandwich. Like Drummond, Irvine whips up an easy and fast aioli to use in place of mayonnaise, which he swipes over the bread after it’s toasted. He covers the aioli with sliced tomatoes that are dusted with salt and pepper, then adds some thinly sliced basil, radishes, and red onion, along with some arugula (which he tosses in a bit of the homemade aioli). I loved the contrast that the peppery radishes and arugula provided against the sweet tomato, and the homemade aioli is a creamy complement to it all. Definitely a “keeper.”