This open faced tomato sandwich is the ultimate summer snack. Lightly toasted bread is slathered with vegan mayo, topped with thickly cut ripe tomatoes, and sprinkled with salt.
When tomatoes are fresh and in season, these simple sandwiches are more delicious than they have any right to be.
Open faced tomato sandwiches are one of the highlights of summer. They prove that when you have the right ingredients, simplicity can be perfection.
I started eating them as a kid with my dad using still-warm tomatoes from our backyard garden.
- Toasted bread
- Thickly cut tomato
- Creamy mayo (Now I use the vegan variety, obviously!)
- A pinch of salt to heighten the flavors
To this day, it’s one of those “eyes roll back in your head” kind of dishes. (How can something so easy be so good?)
Tomato sandwiches are great as a light breakfast, afternoon nosh, or my all-time favorite midnight snack. (The summer I was deep into writing my book, I practically lived on “night bread” to get me through stressful all-nighters.)
And while this 4-ingredient, 5-minute dish is perfect on its own, it can easily be personalized to suit your tastes. So many options!
Whether you’re looking for a quick vegan snack, a CSA recipe, or the perfect late-night bite, this one delivers every time.
(For even more simple meal ideas, check out these 50 easy vegan recipes with 5-ingredients or fewer!)
In this post:
4 simple ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Bread: A hearty whole wheat or multigrain bread is my current preference. Silver Hills Sprouted Bread, Dave's Killer Bread, and Alvarado St. Bakery all have good vegan options.
However, as a kid, I was all about soft white bread, so that nothing was competing with the tomato flavor. A case can be made for either one!
To make it gluten-free, choose a gluten-free bread.
Stay away from crusty, chewy bread for this recipe. It works against the texture of the tomatoes.
Tomato: For the best flavor, choose local, ripe tomatoes. Heirloom or beefsteak tomatoes from your garden or farmer’s market are good options. (If you’re making this sandwich out of season, cherry tomatoes are pretty forgiving!)
Salt: A pinch of salt makes the flavors pop.
Vegan mayo: Vegenaise is my preferred option, but use any eggless mayo that you enjoy.
How to make a tomato sandwich (step by step)
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
1. Toast 4 slices of bread in the toaster until warmed. (If you prefer untoasted bread, skip this step!)
2. Cut a large, ripe tomato into thick slices.
3. Slather toasted bread with vegan mayo.
4. Top toast with tomato slices, and finish with a pinch of salt. Then dig in while the bread is still warm.
Customizing your tomato sandwich
This vegan sandwich recipe is perfect in its simplicity. However, it’s also a blank canvas if you’re in the mood to dress it up!
Here are some ideas to modify this 5-minute vegan snack.
Vary the bread or toasting method
If you prefer, make a regular sandwich with two slices of bread (instead of open faced), or change up the flavor by using a different type of bread than usual.
Instead of using a toaster, lightly oil the bread with vegan butter or eggless mayo and toast it in a skillet. Or if you’d rather, leave it untoasted!
Spread ideas beyond mayo
If you like, replace vegan mayo with any of the following:
- Vegan cream cheese or non-dairy cheese spread
- Non-dairy butter
- Smashed avocado
- Vegan feta cheese
- Vegan ricotta cheese
- Jalapeno cashew cheese spread
- Sun-dried tomato hummus
- Cilantro & basil pistachio pesto
Vary the amount or type of tomato
The amount of tomato slices you need will vary, depending on the size of your tomato and bread. You’re looking for full bread coverage.
When tomatoes are out of season, I like to use sliced cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes have a way of holding onto their sweetness, even when it’s not summer.
For a fun indulgence, replace ripe tomato with potato chip crusted fried green tomatoes or beer battered fried green tomatoes!
Add seasonings
Instead of or in addition to plain salt, add a sprinkling of any of the following seasonings:
- Black pepper
- Everything But the Bagel seasoning
- Granulated garlic (or rub garlic onto the warm bread before adding mayo)
- Granulated onion, onion flakes, or onion salt
- A drizzle of balsamic glaze and/or extra virgin olive oil
Vary the toppings
If you like, add even more toppings:
- Sprouts or microgreens
- Cucumber, thinly sliced
- Sunflower seeds, pepitas, hemp seeds, sesame seeds, or toasted pine nuts for crunch
- Fresh herbs like basil or chives
- Olives, sliced
- Lettuce & browned seitan bacon
- Sliced vegan cheddar cheese
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Open faced tomato sandwich (vegan, 4 ingredients, 5 minutes)
Ingredients
- 4 slices bread
- 8 teaspoons vegan mayo divided, plus more if needed
- 1 large tomato cut into thick slices
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Toast 4 slices of bread in the toaster. (I like to toast them just long enough to be warm but not overly brown. However, cook to your tastes. If you prefer untoasted bread, skip this step!)
- Slather each bread slice with vegan mayo (about 2 teaspoons per slice or more if your slices are large).
- Put a thickly cut tomato slice onto each piece of toast. (If your tomato is smaller, add enough tomato slices to fully cover each piece.)
- Sprinkle a pinch of salt onto the sliced tomato.
- Enjoy right away while the bread is still warm.
Gina
This is a lovely reminder of the importance and value of simplicity. Many thanks!
Cadry Nelson
Thank you, Gina, and you’re welcome! When the ingredients are this good, there’s really nothing better.