Spice Up Your Sandwiches
Sandwiches don't have to be a boring lunchbox accessory. Whether you're trying to make lunch more interesting for the kids, entertain for friends or making a delicious meal for yourself, after reading this blog you'll be able to spice up your sandwiches like a pro.
STEP 1: Choose a good bread
Selecting a good bread is imperative for making the perfect sandwich. After all, a sandwich without bread is just a salad, right?
Sourdough is perhaps the King (or Queen) of all sandwich breads. Soft in the middle yet strong enough to hold your favourite fillings, it's our go-to for a quick sandwich lunch. Can also be toasted for extra deliciousness.
Focaccia is amazing, especially if you're planning on making a toasted sandwich. Even better because you can keep some in the freezer and pull it out whenever you need - once it's toasted and layered with yummy fillings, you'll never know it was freezer bread.
Baguette is one of our absolute favourites to use for sandwiches. Crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle, it soaks up all the goodness of the fillings while maintaining the integrity of the sandwich and not going soggy. You can either buy a whole baguette/s if you're feeding a crowd, or an individual baguette if you're shopping for one!
STEP 2: Select your hero ingredient
While bread is important, your hero ingredient will make or break your sandwich. We've detailed some of our all time favourite hero sandwich ingredients below.
Roast chicken is an oldie but a goodie. It's perfect because you can use leftover roast chicken from dinner or get one cheaply from the supermarket, whichever is most convenient. Any cut of chicken will work here, it's all just as tasty!
Smoked salmon is the ultimate hero ingredient for when you're feeling like a boujee sandwich. Tender and flavouful, you only need minimal other pairings to bring out it's flavour.
Grilled eggplant is a great option for those who prefer a vegetarian diet. Equally as flavourful as salmon or chicken, we like preparing it by roasting it in the oven. Simply slice it long ways, dab with paper towel to remove the water, drizzle in olive oil, sprinkle in cumin and bake at 180 degrees celcius until golden brown. Yum!
STEP 3: Choose an excellent spread - or better yet, make one!
You're in luck, because we happen to have perfected the recipes for pesto and tzatziki, which are an amazing spread for practically any sandwich.
Pesto is an especially delicious spread to lather on your sandwich bread, packed full of both flavour and micronutrients. It makes a great accompaniment to almost any sandwich, however we think it goes best with salmon or chicken hero ingredients. To make your sandwich extra special, follow our quick and easy pesto recipe on our blog here to make your own from scratch.
Tzatziki is another great sandwich accompaniment, which again goes with a whole range of flavour combinations. We like it best with eggplant or salmon, and it acts well as a cooling ingredient, especially if you've put some spice in the mix!
STEP 4: Select your other fillings
These fillings may seem familiar, however they really are an important addition to your sandwich. The extra 'spice' and flavour comes largely from our fabulous spreads in step 3, and the below fillings help support those flavours.
Cheese in an integral ingredient in any sandwich, and you can't change our mind. Instead of using the classic pre-sliced sandwich cheese, why not try slicing a block of tasty cheese, or crumbling some feta or goats cheese on top of your hero ingredient. If going for a vegan option, try our roast eggplant suggestion above and omit the cheese.
Tomato is a great staple ingredient which adds flavour and texture to any sandwich combination. TIP: use a mandolin to get slim, uniform slices. This will help you make the most out of your tomato and reduce the risk of soggy bread (because no one likes that!).
Avocado is all the rage, and for a good reason too. Try lightly mashing it up in a bowl then spreading it over your pesto or tzatziki. A match made in heaven!
FAQs
Where can I find the pesto and tzatziki recipes mentioned in this blog?
The pesto and tzatziki recipes that we mentioned can be found on our blog! Here is the link to the pesto recipe, and here is the link to the tzatziki recipe.
What if I can't eat gluten?
Those who eat a gluten-free diet don't have to miss out on spicing up their sandwiches. For those who are gluten-intolerant, you might find that spelt bread is tolerable as it is an ancient grain with a very low gluten content. Otherwise, simply choose your favourite gluten-free bread from your supermarket or grocer to make your sandwich coeliac friendly (being mindful of fillings too, of course!).
