Tomato Sandwich | Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
Got the season’s fresh, plump tomatoes from the market? Here is one recipe with which you can make the most of it. Tomato Sandwich is easy, quick, requires minimal ingredients and one of those dishes that you can make super quickly. Within 15 minutes, precisely! This is a grilled sandwich version made with tomatoes and cheddar cheese. You can take this as your base recipe, and then go on experimenting too.
About Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
Bread, tomatoes, cheese, some seasonings and butter – you’re sorted with a scrumptious Tomato Sandwich. I like to grill my sandwich, so I do it. But if you don’t wish to grill, you can enjoy the sandwich as it is. It tastes fab like that too.
Since tomatoes and cheese is a great combination, pretty much in any recipe, this sandwich recipe too is one of my go-to ones when I’m literally not wanting to put much efforts in creating a quick snack or a tasty dish for brunch. I’ll reiterate this again, making this Tomato Cheese Sandwich is literally a piece of cake!
For the bread, you have a list that you can choose from. And by the way, you can make these too at home – Wheat Bread, White Bread, Brown Bread, multigrain bread, sandwich bread, etc. I would really suggest you give making your own bread at home also a shot. It’s really therapeutic to see a freshly baked bread coming out of the oven!
Usually, I toast or grill these sandwiches in an electric toaster or grill. However, in this post, I have shown how to grill the sandwich on a skillet. So, if you do not have a toaster or grill, then also you can easily make these sandwiches on a skillet or frying pan.
Serve the Tomato Cheese Sandwich with any dip, tomato ketchup or chutney. You can also accompany some potato chips, banana wafers or potato wedges by the side.
How to make Tomato Sandwich
Preparation
1. Rinse 1 medium to large tomato in water first. Wipe dry with a clean kitchen towel. Slice the top part of the tomato and discard it.
Then thinly slice the tomato. But make sure not to cut into transparent slices. Set the thin tomato slices aside.
Next take 8 to 10 bread slices and spread some butter on them. You can use wheat bread, brown bread, white bread or multigrain bread.
2. Then, place 3 to 4 thin tomato slices.
3. Add some grated cheddar cheese. You can add less or more as per your requirements.
But do not add too much or over stuff with cheese, as then the cheese melts on the skillet and makes a mess.
You could also place a cheese slice on top of the tomatoes instead of shredded cheddar cheese.
4. Sprinkle a few pinches of dried herbs like oregano and basil, crushed black pepper and red chili flakes (or cayenne pepper if you like).
You could also use your preferred dried mix herbs and sprinkle a pinch of salt if you prefer.
5. Cover with the second buttered slice.
Make Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
6. Heat a frying pan or skillet or tawa and brush some softened butter on it.
7. Place the prepared sandwich on the skillet and gently move it around so that it soaks up the butter.
8. Place a plate or lid on it. On top of the plate place a heavy weight like mortar or a heavy bowl. Or you could just use a heavy plate or tray.
9. When the bottom of the bread is grilled or toasted with a golden crust, remove the lid and heavy weight from the top. Brush some softened butter on top side.
With this method the sandwiches get grilled fast. Do check with a spatula if the bottom bread is toasted well or not.
10. With a spatula turn over the sandwich. You will see the crisp and toasted side facing you. I like to make my sandwiches more toasty and crispy.
11. Place the lid and heavy weight again and grill till the bottom of the bread is golden.
12. Remove the grilled Tomato Cheese Sandwich from the pan.
13. You can serve the Tomato Cheese Sandwich hot or warm with any dip, sauce or chutney. You can also accompany some veg nuggets or French fries by the side.
Birth of Tomato Sandwich
Although, the Tomato Cheese Sandwich is a delicious pair, we can’t forget our good ol’ tomato sandwich that brought in the use of this common fruit veggie to make sandwiches. Traditionally, it is just mayonnaise slathered bread slices topped with juicy tomato slices and seasoned with pepper, salt and/or some herbs.
This basic combination of a Tomato Sandwich is believed to have taken birth in Southern United States. Since this region had long hot summers, this sandwich was the easiest way one could also make use of the ripest southern tomatoes, and create a light dish in a matter of minutes. Till today, this sandwich is a favorite summer dish in this part of the world.
There’s barely any recipe for the perfect tomato sandwich, because whichever way you choose to make it, it’s going to turn delicious. Like, there’s hardly any room for error in a tomato sandwich. But then there’s this Tomato Cheese Sandwich and other recipes like a Tomato Cucumber Sandwich, etc. with which you can definitely keep trying new variations.
Expert Tips
- With the tomatoes and herbs, the quantities can be increased or decreased. Use tomatoes that are ripe, tangy-sweet and firm.
- You can even alter the quantity of the cheese as per your wish. Just make sure that you don’t over stuff the sandwiches with cheese. This way the cheese might melt on the skillet and create a mess.
- List of herbs that go well in this sandwich – dried herbs like oregano, basil, parsley, or mixed herbs. Along with these, you can add black pepper powder/crushed black pepper, red chili flakes and some salt as well, if needed. You could also opt to use fresh herbs.
- Bread varieties that can be used for this sandwich – white, brown, whole wheat, multigrain, rye, sandwich, etc.
- If you’re wanting to use processed cheese or mozzarella cheese instead of cheddar cheese, go for it. Cheese slices also work well. There’s absolutely no problem in there.
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 bread slices – whole wheat bread, brown bread or white bread
- 1 tomato medium to large, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese or add as required
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or add as required
- ½ teaspoon dried basil or add as required
- ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper or black pepper powder, add as required
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red chili flakes or add as required, optional
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Butter (softened) or add as required
Instructions
- First rinse 1 medium to large tomato and wipe dry with a clean kitchen towel.
- Slice and discard the top part of the tomato. Thinly slice the tomatoes. But do not cut into transparent thin slices.
- Spread butter on all the bread slices.
- Place 3 to 4 tomato slices on half of the buttered bread slices.
- Sprinkle a few pinches of herbs, black pepper or red chili flakes. You can also sprinkle some 1 to 2 pinches of salt if you like.
- Cover with remaining half of the bread slices.
- Heat a frying pan or skillet or tawa and brush some softened butter on it.
- Place the prepared cheese and tomato sandwich on the skillet and gently move it around so that is soaks up the butter.
- Place a plate or lid on the sandwich. On top of the plate place a heavy weight like mortar or a heavy bowl. Or you could just use a heavy plate or tray.
- When the bottom bread is grilled well, toasted evenly with a golden crust, then remove the lid and heavy weight. Brush some butter on top side.
- With a spatula turn over the sandwich. You will see the crisp and grilled side facing you.
- Place the lid and heavy weight again and grill till the bottom bread is golden.
- Remove and serve hot or warm.
- On a large skillet or tawa or frying pan, you can easily toast 2 to 3 sandwiches together.
Notes
- You can add less or more tomatoes and grated cheese. Preferably use tomatoes that are tangy-sweet, ripe and firm.
- Herbs can be added less or more. You could also use fresh herbs.
- Use any bread loaf that you prefer – white bread, whole wheat bread, multigrain bread, rye bread. All work well for this recipe.
- For a more flavor, spread mayonnaise on the bread slices after spreading the butter.
- Instead of grated or shredded cheddar cheese you can also use mozzarella cheese or processed cheese or cheese slices.
Nutrition
This Tomato Sandwich recipe post from the archives first published in April 2017 has been republished and updated on 24 July 2022.
Hello Dassana,
Can we use cheese slices instead of grated cheese ?
Also what is the difference between processed,mozzarella and cheddar cheese like how do we differentiate when we purchase them and how do we decide for like which category of cheese has to be used for which food ?
Thanks
Welcome Meghà. You can use cheese slices. I don’t use because we don’t like the taste of cheese slices. The difference in the various types of cheese is the preparation and method and the culturing. Read the cheese label before buying. on google you will get to know the process in details on how these various cheese are made and where they can be used. most of the times i mention which type of cheese to be used in the recipe.
Hi, I liked the way you have placed a heavy bowl on the plate. That’s the simplest and creative way of cooking. Please do share these kinds of ideas to make cooking life simple and effective ????????????????????????
thanks a lot yamuna. will try to add some ideas in recipes like these.