Give Tomato Sandwiches Better Flavor With A Creamy Southern Spread

Everyone agrees that all you need for the ideal tomato sandwich is the titular ingredient, the implied bread slices, a swipe of mayo, salt, and pepper. Just kidding. This seemingly simple foodstuff can be as divisive as any other. Opinions fly over what type or tomatoes to use, the right bread variety for the sandwich, optimal mayo brands, and potential seasoning adaptations, just to name a few. With so much discourse, you may as well just follow your heart to all manner of tasty tomato sandwich toppings. And pimento cheese is an excellent enhancement that also leans into tomato sandwich's broadly accepted Southern association. 

Like the tomato sandwich itself, pimento cheese is among the American South's culinary treasures. The classic combination of shredded cheddar, sweet pimento peppers, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and, frequently, proprietary extras also happens to go great with a freshly sliced tomato in all its forms. You may have even noticed that the spread's own mayo and seasonings already adorn a fairly standard tomato sandwich. Being that cheddar is also separately known to successfully join the fruit in all manner of soups, savory pies, and, of course, the good old grilled cheese, pimento spread tomato sandwiches are a logical entry to an existing canon of sweet, salty, creamy combos that are just known to work. 

The pimentos further sweeten the deal with a texture that's similar to tomatoes, but with more sugars to round out the latter's acid. So, adding pimento cheese to an understated tomato sandwich allows both elements to shine rather than compete amid the heavy protein of something like a BLT or burger. You can also make pimento cheese pretty easily on your own for terrific tomato sandwiches all season long.

Pimento cheese recipes can vary just as much as the tomato sandwiches they're fixing to join. That said, the cheese and pimentos are obviously required, mayonnaise is the typical binder that keeps it all together, and you do want it to turn out particularly sandwich-spreadable in this case. A few cups of shredded cheddar, a healthy portion of mayo like the Southern favorite, Duke's, and a smattering of jarred, chopped pimento peppers, plus salt and pepper to taste, will all be yielding enough to stir to that desired, smooth consistency by hand. 

Some pimento spreads call for cream cheese, which will give a slightly denser finish. That can be welcome when aiming to construct a more architecturally sound tomato sandwich. But remember that this more substantial addition will make your finished product more filling, should you prefer your tomato sandwiches on the lighter side. The garlic powder you probably already have in your spice rack is also a fairly routine addition, and it goes great with tomatoes. Cayenne pepper is common, too, although not usually in large enough quantities to move the Scoville scale. In spite of their name, pimento peppers are mild, so heat seekers should incorporate hotter options like habaneros for any fiery capsaicin otherwise absent in the sandwich.

Whether you want to swap or simply mingle the pimento spread with your tomato sandwich's usual mayo is also a matter of preference. But you shouldn't overdo it in any case. Consider using half the mayo you normally would when adding pimento cheese spread to your tomato sandwich for a nice balance that still introduces a fun, novel flavor.