My 1-Ingredient Upgrade for the Best Tomato Sandwich

I look forward to tomato season all year long—and it’s finally here! 

Whether I grow them at home or snag some beautiful heirloom varieties at the farmer’s market, there’s truly nothing better than a fresh summer tomato. While I have no shortage of creative ways to use these freshly grown gems in the kitchen, one of my favorites is a simple tomato sandwich.

The classic version of this dish (bread, mayo, tomato, and salt) is nothing short of perfection in my book. However, over the years, I’ve discovered some fun upgrades to make the tomato sandwich a little more intriguing. 

My 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Tomato Sandwiches

When it comes to tomato sandwiches, I used to spread a healthy serving of mayo onto soft whole-wheat bread, add sliced tomatoes, sprinkle with salt, and call it a day. Now, I upgrade this simple recipe by using everything bagel seasoning in place of salt!

As a trendy and available ingredient nowadays, everything bagel seasoning is already in many American pantries—including mine—and I can’t get enough.

Everything bagel seasoning adds a salty, garlicky flavor along with poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and bits of onion. The seasoning adds a ton of flavor to this simple sandwich, and it also adds a crunchy texture to an otherwise uniformly soft dish, like sprinkles on a cupcake.

The Best Way To Add Everything Bagel Seasoning to Your Tomato Sandwich

To try this trick at home, I have a few tips to make sure your first go is nothing short of a home run.

• Start Slow: If you’re new to everything bagel seasoning—or haven’t tried it on a sandwich yet—start with just a few dashes over the tomatoes to avoid overpowering the dish. From there, you can add as much as you like—I add about half a teaspoon to mine.
• Eat Right Away: To get the full textural effect of the everything bagel seasoning, be sure to eat the sandwich right away—otherwise, you’ll lose that crunch. Plus, the salt in the seasoning will leach water out of your tomatoes, resulting in a watery mess.
• Sprinkle Onto the Mayo: To reduce mess, add your seasoning directly to the mayo; this helps it to stick to your sandwich.
• Add Some Herbs or Other Veggies: I love to boost up my tomato sandwich with any herbs or veggies I have on hand. Fresh basil, parsley, sprouts, or spinach all work well.
• Swap Your Spread: While I’m a mayo lover through and through, I like to switch up the spread for my tomato sandwich from time to time. Cream cheese, cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese, or even burrata all fit the bill.