Southerners are no strangers to a quirky sandwich combination. We will put basically anything between two pieces of soft, white Wonder bread, and many of us grew up watching our family members place no shortage of “weird” ingredients alongside a generous slathering of mayonnaise. In truth, there are no “weird” ingredients, just ones that are waiting to be tried. We’d also be so bold as to assert there’s no Southern sandwich that doesn’t call for mayo. It’s practically a prerequisite passed down the family line along with retro casseroles and gelatin salads.
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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
There are those who get it, and the ones who are just too scared to try. The basic formula of a Southern tomato sandwich is soft white bread, mayonnaise, tomatoes, salt, and pepper sprinkled on generously. Typically, the juicy summer delicacy is eaten over the kitchen sink. Warning: You won’t get the same sort of joyful flavor from a grocery store tomato, which typically lacks some of the juiciness and sweetness.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This is usually one of those foods people don’t admit they eat and love, but plenty of Southerners know of this sweet sandwich. With just three ingredients—mayonnaise, pineapple, and sandwich bread—it’s simple but surprisingly tasty. Some people tweak the combo a bit. It’s not odd to see people add cheese, evoking the same flavor as the classic pineapple casserole. Others have been known to add ham, and there’s even rumors of a few adding a fried egg.
Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf
Some might know these ham-and-cheese sliders as “party sandwiches,” but Southern folks also gave them another name: “funeral sandwiches.” A few simple ingredients—a Hawaiian roll, deli-style ham, mustard, and cheese—combine to create a ham sandwich that is so much greater than the sum of its parts. These are customarily served anywhere from funerals to potlucks to tailgates to parties.
It might come as a surprise that some people outside the South have never heard of a banana sandwich, and we feel badly for them. Similar to a tomato sandwich, the most basic of banana sandwiches call for just soft white bread, banana slices, and mayonnaise. Yes, mayonnaise. But others prefer peanut butter and banana, often keeping the slather of mayonnaise for good measure. Elvis Presley’s favorite sandwich was a combination of peanut butter, banana, and bacon—another respectable banana sandwich in our book.
Sheri Castle
It might sound unappealing to some to serve raw onions at a party or shower, but those people have clearly never tasted a sweet Vidalia onion, the pride and joy of Georgia. Available within a limited window from April to August, the onions make for the most delicate yet punchy tea sandwiches. The premise of an onion sandwich is rather simple: rounds of raw onion are tucked between slices of crustless white bread spread generously with mayonnaise, including the edges, which are coated in finely chopped fresh parsley.
This warm, comforting sandwich will bring up nostalgic memories of summer lunches eaten at the kitchen counter. The skillet-grilled bologna melts old-school sliced yellow cheese just enough to help hold things together, with mayonnaise and mustard rounding out the meal between two slices of toasted bread. Don’t try to get the same results without a skillet—it just won’t work.
Fred Hardy; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke
This storied sandwich is served each year at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia; and many have long tried to replicate the recipe, which seemingly masters the perfect ratio of ingredients for classic egg salad. We’re always fans of keeping things old-fashioned, and you won’t find a better egg salad sandwich than this 7-ingredient rendition that works just as well for a quick lunch as a party snack. Hint: You probably already have all the ingredients at home.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
This refreshingly light sandwich is a favorite amongst fancy lunches and afternoon snack times alike. It typically includes—you guessed it—soft white bread, sliced cucumbers, and an herby cream cheese spread that adds just enough zing. The host-approved trick to avoiding a soggy sandwich is to toss the slices with salt, then roll up in a kitchen towel. Your cucumbers will be slightly softened and less slippery in the sandwich.
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Many Southerners might remember meeting this retro Southern cold salad for the first time as children, and exclaiming “ew!” However, as we get older, we learn to appreciate it as a similar but more indulgent take on chicken salad. Ham salad can be kept relatively simple, and our favorite way to make it includes a little cream cheese and Creole mustard. It’s perfect for using up leftover smoked ham, as well as for luncheons and showers.
Fried catfish is a Southern treat like no other, and we like to dress it up into a sandwich in a similar fashion as a po’boy. It might involve just a slathering of sauce or mayonnaise, but it can also be taken even further with homemade slaw and all the fixings. Tip: The best fried catfish calls for a cornmeal coating for extra crunch.
