40 Sandwiches to Sink Your Teeth Into
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
Sandwiches are traditional lunchtime favorites, but they also make for hearty breakfasts and pleasing dinners. Whether you're looking for a tried-and-true classic (Croque Madame!), a meaty masterpiece (Brat Reuben!), or a flavorful, satisfying vegetarian option (Crispy Fried Tofu!), you'll find a winning choice in this roundup of our best sandwich recipes. We've got BLTs, salads-turned-sandwiches, egg sandwiches, barbecue sandwiches, and so many variations and combinations. Make sure you've got bread and keep scrolling to discover the sandwich of your dreams.
The Oriole "Ham Sandoval"
Nutty raclette cheese melted on toasted baguette gets piled high with rich country ham and silky mortadella studded with cinnamon and black pepper in this exquisite ham sandwich from 2017 F&W Best New Chef Noah Sandoval of Oriole in Chicago. Tangy walnut mustard aïoli, peppery arugula, and poppy-citrus dressing cut through the richness and add fresh flavor to every bite.
Pan Bagnat (Niçoise Salad Sandwich)
The pan bagnat is essentially a Niçoise salad in sandwich form. For this version, tuna is pureed with red wine vinegar, olive oil, anchovies, and garlic to form a unique sandwich spread inspired by tonnato sauce. Spreading a tangy tuna dressing on the cut sides of the ciabatta allows it to get absorbed into the bread, giving the sandwich plenty of flavor while making it easier to eat.
Garlic Aïoli BLTs
At Gjelina Take Away in Los Angeles, you can only get this excellent sandwich in the summer because the tomatoes have to be sweet and richly flavored with just the right texture. The sourdough bread should be toasted, but make sure it's not too dark and crisp.
Italian Beef Sandwiches
Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Topped with bright homemade giardiniera and roasted sweet peppers, these Italian beef sandwiches have lots of beefy flavor and a deeply satisfying jus.
Brat Reubens
© CEDRIC ANGELES
Here, chef Viet Pham tucks bratwurst into hearty hoagie rolls along with juicy pastrami and sliced Swiss cheese, then spreads them with his homemade Russian dressing.
Vegetarian Muffulettas
In this meatless take on the classic New Orleans sandwich, garlic-infused roasted vegetables trade places with the traditional Italian cold cuts. You might want to make a double batch of the tangy olive relish — it's also delicious in pasta or bean salad, or served on top of grilled or roasted fish.
Japanese 7-Eleven Egg Salad Sandwich
Food writer Jason Diamond's desire for the famous Japanese 7-Eleven egg salad sandwich inspired him to recreate it at home. Kewpie mayonnaise is key to this recipe — made with only egg yolks and rice or apple cider vinegar — along with a fluffy Japanese milk bread and just the right ratio of whites to yolks.
Philadelphia Roast Pork Sandwiches
These sandwiches combine roasted pork with melty provolone cheese and broccoli rabe for a seriously satisfying bite. The vegetable's bitter, bright flavor balances the fattiness of the pork, which is incredibly tender and buttery with a flavorful crust. The provolone brings sharpness and helps keep the bottom of the roll from getting too soggy, and the mayo — which has a punch of acidity from pickled peperoncini and its brine — is the finishing touch.
Chicken Caesar Wrap
Food & Wine
We love the crispy Parmesan shards scattered throughout these satisfying wraps filled with crunchy romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, and a punchy Caesar dressing.
Grilled Pork Banh Mi
© Con Poulos
Chef Luke Nguyen grew up in Australia and learned to cook at his Vietnamese parents' restaurant. He later opened his own restaurant, The Red Lantern, in Sydney. On his first visit to Saigon, he had this simple banh mi sandwich filled with peppery pork and hoisin sauce.
Lobster BLTs on Potato Rolls
These upgraded BLTs combine tender, sweet lobster meat with smoky, salty bacon, juicy tomatoes, and pillowy potato buns, lightly toasted in bacon drippings.
Croque Madame
The French croque madame sandwich is a lesson in extravagance, made with white bread, butter, cheese, ham, Mornay sauce, and a fried egg. It's a luxurious, deeply comforting dish. If you like, turn it into a croque monsieur by simply skipping the fried egg.
Cubano Sandwiches
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
These Cuban sandwiches get an extra kick of flavor from a classic Cuban mojo used as both a marinade and a sauce. Like most Cuban mojos, this one by food writer Anya Von Bremzen starts with orange juice, then cumin, garlic, oregano, cilantro, and red onions add complexity and kick.
Grilled Cheese with Corn and Calabrian Chile
Chef Nancy Silverton's upgraded grilled cheese is filled with a charred sweet corn-studded blend of nutty English cheddar, sharp caciocavallo, and just enough mayonnaise to bind it all together. Thick slices of sourdough get a beautifully buttery, golden crust in a cast iron skillet, while Calabrian chile sneaks in with just the right amount of heat.
Vegetable Sandwich with Dill Sauce
Stacked high with slices of tomato, onion, cucumber, avocado, and provolone cheese, this is a vegetable sandwich that even confirmed carnivores will love. You can add or substitute other fresh vegetables; radishes, spinach, or grated carrot go particularly well here. When you can't get good tomatoes, don't buy lousy, cottony ones; use twice the amount of lettuce instead.
Super-Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches
Seasoning boneless, skinless chicken thighs with a classic Southern fried chicken spice blend and dill pickle brine makes for the juiciest, crunchiest fried chicken sandwiches. Choose dill pickles without much sugar, which can burn during cooking.
Ground Beef Bulgogi Sloppy Joes with Fiery Napa Slaw
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Ground beef gets the Korean barbecue flavor treatment with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and a hint of gochujang so it becomes saucy, sweet, and salty in this amped-up version of the American classic. Meanwhile, the spicy, mayo-dressed slaw keeps the sandwiches from veering too sweet. They’re messy, yes, but so worth it.
Barbecue Shrimp Po’boy
Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman
Smoky, spiced shrimp are the heart of this classic New Orleans-style po’boy sandwich. Try to find baguettes or rolls with a thin, crackly crust and soft interior for these po’boys, so the spiced shrimp and mayonnaise can soak in while the bread retains its integrity.
Aleppo Pepper-Pork and Fennel Sandwiches
For these delicious roast pork sandwiches, Chicago chef Tony Mantuano spreads a rub of garlic and spicy Aleppo pepper on boneless pork shoulder or pork leg.
Vada Pav (Potato Fritter Sandwich)
Vada pav, one of Mumbai's most popular street foods, is a potato fritter the size of a baseball stuffed into a flaky white bun, smeared with coconut and spicy green chile chutneys and then squished until it's small enough to fit into your mouth.
Crispy Pork Belly Sandwiches with Meyer Lemon Relish
You need to begin this recipe two days ahead as the pork belly goes through two brining processes: The wet brine keeps the meat nice and moist, and the dry brine contributes great flavor. The Meyer lemon relish offers a tangy finishing touch.
Patty Melts with Charred Scallion-Chipotle Mayo
Classic versions of the patty melt often include caramelized onions, but those take time, so here we lean on quick-charred scallions instead. Chipotle-spiked mayonnaise adds an extra dose of lushness and a punch of smoky heat.
Beaten Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich with Tomato Jam
Chef Marcus Samuelsson makes incredible biscuits, adding a little bit of nutty brown butter to amp up the flavor. He serves them warm, spread with tangy-sweet tomato jam, fried ham, and perfectly scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese.
Club Sandwich
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
This triple-decker sandwich with turkey, bacon, lettuce, and tomato is a classic for a good reason. Few sandwiches hit the spot so completely and perfectly, filling your stomach as they revive your spirit.
Sabich (Israeli Roast Eggplant, Hummus, and Pickle Sandwiches)
Restaurateur Michael Shemtov and chef Stuart Tracy prepare this messy, incredibly tasty vegetarian sandwich, called a sabich, with vegetables, hummus, house-baked pita, and herbs from a garden right behind the restaurant. "The sabich is Iraqi-Israeli, just like me," Shemtov says. "It's a personal dish."
Meatball and Provolone Subs
Neal's Deli serves tender, oversize pork-and-beef meatballs stuffed into a warm hero roll with melted provolone cheese. Although Matt Neal makes his own chunky tomato sauce for the sub, it's fine to substitute six cups of jarred sauce.
Salmon Salad Rolls
In this clever take on the summertime classic, salmon replaces lobster and yogurt stands in for mayonnaise. Topping rolls with potato chips adds crunch and fun.
Toasted Chocolate-Hazelnut Sandwiches
Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The perfect brunch or late-night treat, these sweet sandwiches are piled high with a blend of sweet-tart preserves, toasty hazelnuts, and melted chocolate. The bread is crisped, lightly salty, and golden brown from the butter, while the inside of the sandwich is both gooey and delightfully crunchy.
Marinated Apple and Cheddar Sandwiches
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
This fall-perfect sandwich is proof positive that apples and cheddar are a match made in heaven. Marinating Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples amps up their flavor, making apple slices that are wonderfully sweet and punchy, and that, when layered with rich cheese and peppery arugula on butter-slathered slices of bread, creates an extra-flavorful, deeply satisfying sandwich.
Crispy Fried Tofu Sandwich
Freezing and thawing extra-firm tofu and then wringing out its moisture makes the slabs more porous and receptive to the tangy pickle juice marinade in this crave-worthy sandwich. After a brief soak in pickle juice, the tofu is dredged in a spiced flour mixture, brushed with hot sauce and mustard, then dredged again and fried to yield the crispy, crunchy slabs for a satisfying vegetarian meal that gives fried fish sandwiches a run for their money.
Focaccia Reubens
At The Sentinel, chef Dennis Leary's riff on a Reuben uses locally made corned beef and fresh focaccia, but the sandwiches are just as delicious with top-quality deli corned beef and store-bought flatbreads.
Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches
This iconic Philadelphia sandwich is a meaty, cheesy delight. Our version packs very thin slices of griddled steak into a hoagie roll with browned onions and cheese sauce. A combination of provolone and American cheese creates a tangy, creamy situation that coats the meat beautifully. We've also opted to add tender red and green bell peppers here, which combine with the onions to add earthy, vegetal sweetness to the sandwiches.
Monte Cristo
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Debbie Wee
A hybrid of a ham and cheese sandwich and French toast, this breakfast and brunch sandwich is both sweet and savory, with raspberry jam and spicy mustard.
The Best Cucumber Sandwich
The only reason you think cucumber sandwiches are boring is because you haven't had one that is made right, says chef Vishwesh Bhatt. Benedictine, a creamy spread of cucumber and herbs; chaat masala; and a spicy and herbaceous peanut pesto with serrano chile, cilantro, and citrus add verve to these sandwiches.
Viet-Cajun Fried Catfish Po’boy
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle
This salty, sweet, spicy, and crisp sandwich features fried catfish with a fish sauce caramel and punchy tart pickles as a mash-up of Cajun and Vietnamese cuisines.
Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw
Thanks to a smoky, tangy, gently sweet sauce, these barbecue jackfruit sandwiches taste satisfyingly meaty (feel free to double the sauce to toss with smoked or braised pork shoulder). An herby, creamy slaw adds a layer of richness and crunch, while a double dose of quick-pickled red onions and pickle chips provides puckery punch.
Pretzel-Crusted Chicken Sliders with Cabbage-Apple Slaw
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Jillian Knox
Shatteringly crisp chicken tenders and a zingy slaw star in these party-ready sliders. Breaded with pretzel crumbs, these grown-up tenders are juicy on the inside with a crunchy, salty crust that pairs wonderfully with the crisp cabbage slaw.
Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce
Fresh fillets of haddock are coated with smoky paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme before they get a quick sear to develop a delicious crust. They're then sandwiched between toasted brioche buns smeared with a strong, tangy tartar sauce laced with refreshingly piquant horseradish.
Crab Salad Sandwiches
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
The crab salad sandwich at the iconic restaurant Sabella & La Torre is by itself a compelling reason to visit Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. Owner Thomas La Torre uses pristine Dungeness crab in a simple salad that’s piled on toasted sourdough rolls to create a tall and dramatic sandwich with a generous amount of crab in each bite.
Sloppy Lennys
Mark Weinberg
Sloppy Joes go vegan with recipe developer Ali Slagle’s pantry-friendly version, featuring lentils, pickled peppers, chile powder, and ketchup on toasted burger buns.
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