When tomatoes are perfectly ripe and in season, a ridiculously easy and delicious way to let them shine is in a tomato sandwich.

For the most basic version, all you really need is:

  • Juicy sliced tomatoes
  • Soft white bread spread with mayonnaise
  • Salt and pepper

Maybe add a dewy glass of iced tea on the side.

It's iconic, simple, and utterly delicious.

But once you've mastered the basic tomato sandwich, the next obvious upgrade is the Caprese version — same simple structure, with fresh mozzarella and basil doing the heavy lifting alongside the tomatoes.

Ingredients (for each Caprese sandwich)

  • 1 oblong ciabatta roll (or other type of crusty sub roll)
  • ½ Tbsp mayonnaise
  • ½ Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 slices fresh mozzarella
  • 3 slices of tomato (about ¼-inch thick)
  • 5 basil leaves, roughly chopped
  • Pinch of oregano
  • Pepperoncini slices, green olives, and shaved red onion (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Slice ciabatta in half lengthwise.
  1. Spread one side with mayonnaise, then drizzle with olive oil.
  1. Top the other side with fresh mozzarella and tomato slices. Top with chopped basil and oregano — scatter over a few pepperoncini slices, olives, and shaved onion (if desired).
  1. Add salt and pepper to taste, close the sandwich, and enjoy.

That's it. Done in five minutes. No oven required.

Why Each Ingredient Matters

The Tomato

This is the whole point of the sandwich. Use the ripest, juiciest, most-in-season tomatoes you can find.

  • Garden-grown if you have a garden
  • Farmers market for non-gardeners (the Klamath Falls Farmers Market on 9th Street between Main and Klamath Avenue every Saturday June–October is exactly where to buy)
  • Heirloom varieties if available — Cherokee Purple, Brandywine, Green Zebra all bring different flavor profiles

A grocery-store winter tomato will produce a sad sandwich. Make this in August, when basin tomatoes are at peak.

The Mozzarella

Fresh mozzarella — not the shredded pizza-style mozzarella. The kind that comes in a ball, packed in water or whey, with a soft texture and a milky flavor.

If you can find it, buffalo mozzarella is even better than cow's-milk fresh mozzarella.

The Basil

Fresh basil, not dried. Five leaves per sandwich is the right amount — enough to taste, not so much it overpowers.

Roughly chopped, not whole leaves — chopping releases more of the aromatic oils into the sandwich.

The Bread

Ciabatta has the right structure — crusty outside, open crumb inside, sturdy enough to hold up to the moisture from tomatoes and oil without going soggy.

Other crusty rolls work too — focaccia, a good baguette cut into sub-length, or even a sturdy sourdough roll. Avoid soft white bread for this version — it'll fall apart.

The Olive Oil

Good olive oil, not the cheapest bottle at the grocery store. A bright, peppery, fresh-tasting extra-virgin makes the difference.

A drizzle is enough — you don't want the sandwich to be dripping in oil.

The Salt

Don't skip the salt. Tomatoes need salt to bring out their full flavor. A pinch of flaky sea salt (Maldon, kosher) right before closing the sandwich does it.

Variations

  • Pesto upgrade — spread pesto instead of (or with) the mayonnaise
  • Prosciutto addition — for a heartier sandwich, add 2–3 slices of prosciutto
  • Balsamic — a small drizzle of good balsamic adds sweetness and acidity
  • Avocado — for a creamier, more substantial version
  • Hot honey — controversial but excellent for those who like sweet-spicy notes
  • Grill it — make a panini-style hot version with the mozzarella melted

When to Make It

  • August — peak tomato season in the Klamath Basin
  • Lunch on a hot day — when you don't want to turn on the stove
  • Backyard summer entertaining — these scale up easily
  • Picnic — assemble at the picnic site so the bread doesn't get soggy
  • Anytime someone hands you a flat of ripe heirloom tomatoes — and you suddenly need to use them well

A Klamath Summer Note

The Klamath Basin's high desert produces excellent tomatoes — long, dry, sunny days followed by cool nights produce the kind of intense flavor concentration that lower-altitude tomato regions can't match.

Buy local. Make this sandwich. Eat it outside. That's a Klamath summer afternoon done right.

Recipe by Emily Tyra, contributed to Klamath Living.