Tomato Sandwiches Get A Flavorful Mediterranean Upgrade With This Whipped Ingredient

One of summer's simplest pleasures, and a pleasure that extends far beyond just the summer season, tomato sandwiches are hard to beat. But while you might not want to try to beat them entirely, there are easy ways to improve them, and one such tip is to swap the more commonly placed mayonnaise with whipped feta. This is an airy, whipped spread or dip made from feta cheese, a Greek food everyone should try at least once in their life (although once you've tried it, it certainly won't be the last). Its salty depth does a lot to balance out sweet, juicy tomatoes, and its thick, velvety fluffiness adds decadence to the sandwich.

Making the creamiest whipped feta isn't all that complicated at all; you just need a block of feta, a few spoonfuls of thick Greek yogurt, some extra-virgin olive oil, and a lemon for its zest and juice. Everything but the olive oil gets put into a food processor and blended, and as it's blending, slowly add in the olive oil so that it emulsifies and spreads into the cheese properly. If possible, use a block of Greek-style feta in brine and not pre-crumbled cheese or anything fat-free for the best texture.

Once you have your whipped feta, you can build your tomato sandwich by spreading it onto bread and topping it with thick, meaty, and ripe tomato slices that have been seasoned with salt. Drizzle the tomatoes with a little more of the olive oil and you can even layer on some fresh basil or arugula.

For a little extra Mediterranean flavor in the whipped feta itself, feel free to go beyond just the lemon and olive oil. Whipped feta can also be blended up with a few cloves of roasted garlic for a deeper flavor, fresh dill for a brighter one, or even some chili paste or flakes for heat. If you're making a batch in advance for the week, simply keep it covered in the refrigerator and give it a quick stir when you take it out as it may firm up when chilled. 

With a batch of whipped feta in the fridge, you may not want to limit it to just plain tomato sandwiches. The combination of tomatoes and whipped feta is perfect for upgrading sandwiches filled with a variety of other fillings, like roasted vegetables, pesto, pickled onions, roasted chicken, and cucumber. Even a classic(ish) Italian club sub can benefit from a smear of whipped feta, or you can incorporate it into a breakfast sandwich with fried eggs and sliced avocado. Just make sure you take the time to remove excess moisture from any particularly juicy items before you pile them in to avoid soggy sandwiches. Toasting the bread can also help keep your sandwich's structure intact so you can enjoy that whipped feta without a soggy mess.