Different Types of Sandwiches

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What Types of Sandwiches Are There?

Sandwiches come in many different varieties, including:

Open or Open-Faced

Plain

Pinwheel

Closed Tea

Ribbon

Mosaic or Checkerboard

Open-faced caprese sandwich

Open-faced caprese sandwich | Source

1. Open or Open-Faced

Open sandwiches use one kind of bread and have the filling on top. The bread slices can be cut into
squares, triangles, or rounds. Sometimes butter is spread lightly on top and pieces of cheese or meat
fillings are placed on top. They may be garnished with slices of carrots, raisins, pickles, and the like to
make them more attractive. Open sandwiches are similar to canapés, a type of French hors d’œuvre.

A regular ol' sandwich

A regular ol' sandwich | Source

2. Plain
A plain sandwich is made up of two slices of bread that is sometimes toasted. The crusts may or may not
be removed, depending upon your preference. Butter, mayonnaise, or a prepared sandwich spread may
be used as lining to prevent the bread from absorbing moisture from the filling. Besides preventing the
bread from becoming soggy, the spread also adds flavor and nutrients. Moreover, it ensures that the
bread and the filling will stick together. Some examples you may be familiar with would include a roast
beef sandwich or a grilled cheese.

Pinwheel sandwiches

Pinwheel sandwiches | Source

3. Pinwheel

Pinwheels are made of a flatbread bread (like a tortilla or lavash bread) that is cut lengthwise, about 3/8
inch thick. Fresh bread is preferable because it's easy to roll and will not crack. Trim crusts (if there are
any) and flatten long slices with a rolling pin. Spread bread with softened butter or margarine and your
choice of any smooth filling, like creamed cheese, marmalades, cheese pimiento, peanut butter, jams,
and jellies. Smooth fillings are ideal for pinwheel sandwiches, because they do not have bulk and can be
spread thinly. Place sweet pickles or several stuffed olives at the end of slice. Roll the bread up like a
jelly roll. Wrap each rolled sandwich individually and chill for several hours or until they are firm. When
ready to serve, unwrap the rolled sandwiches and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Use a sharp knife or a bread
knife so the cuts clear and neat. Arrange and serve them on a platter. Garnish if needed.

Tea sandwiches

Tea sandwiches | Source

4. Closed Tea

Closed tea sandwiches may be made ahead of time and frozen. They should be removed from the
freezer at least three hours before they are to be served.

Remove the crusts of a day-old bread. With cookie cutters of various shapes and sizes, cut as many
pieces as possible from each sandwich. Try to have a variety of squares, rectangles, and oblong shapes.
Save the scraps and crusts for crumbs. For each sandwich, spread butter on one piece of bread and
filling on the other. Top the filled side with the buttered side. Place on wax paper or in a clean, damp
towel and place in an airtight container to freeze.
An almost-ribbon sandwich

An almost-ribbon sandwich | Source

5. Ribbon

A ribbon sandwich is basically a multi-tiered sandwich. Think something along the lines of bread, spread,
meat, cheese, another layer of bread, meat cheese, third piece of bread. The image directly above is a
great example of a layered sandwich. A ribbon one goes a step further by removing the crust and cutting
the layered sandwich into 1inx1in square sections.

Colored bread is suitable for this type of sandwich. Alternate 3 slices each of pink and green bread with
one or more fillings spread between slices. Press together the stack of slices, and then trim crusts. Wrap
and chill for several hours. When ready to serve, cut into 1/2-inch slices.

The beginnings of a checkerboard sandwich

The beginnings of a checkerboard sandwich | Source

6. Mosaic or Checkerboard

A checkerboard or mosaic version uses two sandwiches. First you remove the crust, then you cut them
into similarly-sized squares, like the ham and cheese squares above, and then you arrange the pieces to
look like a checkerboard! If you can, this type of sandwich looks best when the types of bread you use
are different colors.

The initial step is similar to that of the ribbon sandwiches.

Press together stack of slices, and then trim crusts.

Wrap individually and chill for several hours.

Cut out several squares, each about 1/2 inch wide.

Spread cut sides of ribbons with fillings.

Stack 3 ribbon sandwiches so that green and pink sections alternate. Wrap and chill for several hours.
Slice about 1/2-inch thick into checkerboard sandwiches immediately after removing from refrigerator.

These are sometimes called checkerboard sandwiches because the alternating colors look like a
checkerboard.

Sandwich-Making Tips

When cutting bread, keep slices together in pairs so that they will fit together.

Have butter, margarine, or spread at room temperature so that it will spread without tearing the bread.
Use cream if necessary. Be sure that the spread is very thin.

Certain diets also affect which type of sandwich filling you should use. Some people prefer more
expensive fillings like chicken, lunch meat, corned beef, and sausages, while others prefer simple fillings
like egg, tuna, and cheese.

Bread may also be layered with one or more types of filling as in clubhouse sandwich.

Different colors of bread can be combined together and sliced differently to make interesting designs for
the sandwich.

Apply spread on bread evenly to prevent sogginess.

Vary your sandwiches by using different shapes and fillings.

How to Pack Sandwiches

To keep the sandwich in better condition, it may be wrapped in paper napkins or placed in bags,
especially if they are to be packed snacks. If you plan to serve the food immediately, you might serve
them on a fancy plate. Any sandwiches that you plan to serve later should be placed in a covered tray
lined with a damp towel. Keep them there until serving time to avoid drying.

Aside from the usual pandesal and white loaf, there are many other options available out there. Know
which kind of bread to purchase for the specific sandwich or recipe you're making-their textures differ
greatly! Get to know the different kinds of bread with this cheat sheet.
1 Bagels

Ring-shaped just like doughnuts, bagels are made out of yeasted dough that's first boiled before being
baked. Bagels are dense and chewy, with a crisp exterior. They can be flavored with a variety of
seasonings, or topped with sesame seeds or salt. They're best eaten smothered with cream cheese or
turned into a sandwich with cured salmon or ham.

2 Batard

Similar to a baguette, although shorter and wider, batard has a crisp, almost hard crust and a chewy
interior. Batard is a good choice for sandwiches because its crust can withstand heavier fillings like steak
and chicken, while the soft interior can soak up wet fillings like vegetables and spreads.

3 Baguette

Baguette is commonly called French bread. Distinguished for being thin and long, with a length
averaging 26 inches, the real baguette is made with only flour, yeast, salt, and water. Its crust should be
crisp, and its interior light, white, slightly chewy, and dotted with irregularly shaped holes. Enjoy a
freshly baked baguette simply smothered with butter.

4 Pita

The round and flat pita is a type of unleavened bread popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern
cuisines. Once split in half, the soft and mildy flavored bread reveals a pocket that can hold a variety

of meat fillings, vegetables, and sauces. Falafels and kebabs are usually eaten with warmed pita. It can
also be cut into triangles, toasted, and paired with dips like hummus.

5 English Muffins

Made from yeasted dough, English muffins are small, round, and flat. They are usually split horizontally,
toasted until slighty crunchy on the outside, then buttered. Commonly served for breakfast, English
muffins can be topped with jam or turned into sandwiches with sausage patties, fried eggs, and cheese.
6 Focaccia

Hailing from Italy, focaccia is a type of white flatbread that's made with yeast and olive oil. This soft and
moist bread is usually flavored with herbs and spices, and is known for having wells or dots on its
surface. Because it's already flavored, focaccia is best eaten on its own or paired with grilled or roasted
meats.

7 Croissant

Named for its crescent shape, the croissant is a popular flaky, buttery, golden pastry. It is made out of
leavened dough that's layered with butter then rolled and folded several times. A good croissant is great
paired with a simple fruit jam, although it can also be stuffed with light fillings and turned into a
sandwich.

8 Ciabatta

The Italian ciabatta is a white flatbread that's also made with just flour, yeast, salt, and water. Its name
translates to "slipper," which inspired its shape. It is a popular sandwich bread because of its neutral
flavor. A filled, flattened, and toasted ciabatta loaf becomes what is known as a panini.

One of our favorite memories from childhood is watching our dad make himself a sandwich on Saturday
afternoons. He was a true master and this was serious business. Here’s what he taught us:

There are four elements to a Good Sandwich:

1. The Bread – This is key. It’s what binds the whole sandwich together. It can be store-bought Wonder-
bread (appropriate in certain situations) or it can be a home-made sourdough, but it must be chosen
with care and with the end result in mind.

2. The Spread – Here we’re talking mayo and mustard, or if you’re feeling fancy, pesto or red pepper
spread. This acts as a moisture barrier between the bread and the fixings so that the bread doesn’t get
too soggy too quickly.
WATCH: EASY LEMONADE FROM SCRATCH

3. The Main Ingredient – This is the main focus of the sandwich and what is providing the real
sustenance. Whether it’s heirloom tomatoes or leftover roast chicken, this is the whole reason why you
started craving the sandwich in the first place.

4. The Secondary Ingredients – These are the supporting actors of your sandwich and aren’t meant to
take center stage. Instead, they add texture and flavor contrast to the main ingredient. They can be
lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, or a slice of good cheese.

Three types of hot sandwiches are basic sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, and fried sandwiches. Three
types of cold sandwiches are basic sandwiches with meat or poultry, sandwich wraps, and triple decker
sandwich.

Open-faced Sandwiches

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Open sandwiches make use of one kind of bread with the filling on top. The slices of white bread can be
cut into squares, triangles or rounds.

Butter is spread lightly on top and pieces of cheese or meat fillings are arranged and garnished
attractively like that make /use of biscuits, cookies or toasts instead of using breads.

2. Regular Cold Sandwiches

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A plain sandwich is made up of two slices of bread, preferably a day-old bread, toasted if desired, and on
which butter can be readily spread. Its crusts may or may not be removed, depending upon your
preference. Butter, mayonnaise or a prepared sandwich spread may be used as lining to prevent the
bread from absorbing moisture from the filling. Moreover, it ensures that the bread and the filling will
stick together.

3. Pinwheel Sandwiches

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Pinwheels are made of bread cut lengthwise, about 3/8 inch thick. Fresh cream bread is preferable
because they are easy to roll and will not crack. Trim crusts and flatten long slices with rolling pin.
Spread bread with softened butter or margarine and your choice of any smooth filling, like creamed
cheese, marmalades, cheese pimiento, peanut butter, jams and jellies. Smooth filling are ideal for
pinwheel sandwiches, because they do not have bulk and can be spread thinly. Roll up bread like a jelly
roll.

4. Tea Sandwiches

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Tea sandwiches are small fancy sandwiches made from light, delicate ingredients and bread that has
been trimmed of crusts. And may be made ahead of time and frozen. They are often cut into fancy
shapes, squares, rectangles and oblongs add to the variety. Fillings and spreads can be the same as
those for canapés. .

5. Multi-decker Sandwiches

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Are made with more than two slices of bread (or rolls split into more than two pieces) and with several
ingredients in the filling. The club sandwich is a popular multi-decker sandwich, made of three slices of
toast and filled with sliced chicken, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and bacon and cut into four triangles.

6. Wrap/Rolled Sandwiches

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Wraps are sandwiches in which the fillings are wrapped, like a Mexican burrito, in a large flour tortilla of
similar flatbread. They may be served whole or cut in half if large

HOT SANDWICHES

1. Regular Hot Sandwiches

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Simple hot sandwiches consist of hot fillings, usually meats but sometimes fish, grilled vegetables, or
other hot items, between two slices of bread. They may also contain items that are not hot, such as a
slice of tomato or raw onion on a hamburger.

2. Hot Open-Faced Sandwich

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Open-faced sandwiches are made by placing buttered or unbuttered bread on bread on a serving plate,
covering it with hot meat or other filling and topping with a sauce, gravy, cheese, or other topping. This
type of sandwich is eaten with a knife and fork.

3. Grilled Sandwiches

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Grilled sandwiches, also called toasted sandwiches, are simple sandwiches that are buttered on the
outside and browned on the griddle, in a hot oven, or in a Panini grill (see sidebar). Sandwiches
containing cheese are popular for grilling

4. Deep Fried Sandwiches

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Deep-fried sandwiches are made by dipping sandwiches in beaten egg and sometimes in bread crumbs,
and then deep-fry..

5. Filled rolls, focaccia or pitta bread

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Flavored breads served with dips like quesadillas and burritos

Sandwich bread (also referred to as sandwich loaf)[1] is bread that is prepared specifically to be used for
the preparation of sandwiches.[2][3][4] Sandwich breads are produced in many varieties, such as white,
whole wheat, sourdough, rye, multigrain[1][5][6][7] and others. Sandwich bread may be formulated to
slice easily,[8] cleanly or uniformly, and may have a fine crumb (the soft, inner part of bread) and a light
texture.[4] Sandwich bread may be designed to have a balanced proportion of crumb and crust,
whereby the bread holds and supports fillings in place and reduces drips and messiness.[3][4] Some may
be designed to not become crumbly, hardened, dried or have too squishy a texture.[2][9] Sandwich
bread can refer to cross-sectionally square, sliced white and wheat bread, which has been described as
"perfectly designed for holding square luncheon meat".[10] The bread used for preparing finger
sandwiches is sometimes referred to as sandwich bread.[10] Pan de mie is a sandwich loaf.[11][12]
Some sandwich breads are designed for use in the creation of specific types of sandwiches, such as the
submarine sandwich.[13] For barbecuing, use of a high-quality white sandwich bread has been
described as suitable for toasting over a fire.[14] Gluten-free sandwich bread may be prepared using
gluten-free flour, teff flour,[15][16] and other ingredients.

Although a traditional sandwich may seem a bit boring, changing the types of bread and fillings can yield
a different flavor and texture that allows the sandwich to be a versatile food.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

(Image: MSPhotographic/iStock/Getty Images)

White and Whole Wheat

When you head to the grocery store, chances are that you make a beeline for the bakery. There, you'll
find rows of bagged sandwich bread. White and whole wheat bread varieties have a mild flavor, which
make them best for mild fillings such as meat, vegetables and various butters. Unfortunately, white
bread has been stripped of the whole wheat nutrients, so when in doubt, reach for the whole wheat
variety. Two slices of whole wheat bread offers 3.6 g protein and 1.9 g fiber as opposed to white bread,
which has only 1.9 g of protein and 0.6 g of fiber.

Flatbreads and Pitas

Traditional bread is made with yeast, which causes the texture to be light and airy. Yeast bread is a
traditionally a Western culture item. In Middle Eastern cultures, bread is made unleavened so it does
not rise. The result is chewy, dense types of bread such as pita and naan. Ideal for making wraps and
stuffed pockets, unleavened breads typically have fewer carbohydrates than leavened breads, so they're
a good choice when you're watching your daily carb intake.

Flavored Breads

Breads such as rye, pumpernickel and sourdough have distinct flavors that can often be acquired tastes.
These breads are often sold as specialty items in bakeries and grocery stores. Because the flavor is often
strong, they make the best sandwiches when paired with flavorful fillings, such as pastrami and strong
cheese. Two slices of rye bread have 83 calories, 2 g of fiber and 3 g of protein, making it a sensible
choice come lunchtime.

Bagels and English Muffins

Although sandwiches are often associated with lunchtime, breakfast can be an ideal time for a sandwich
as well. Eating a breakfast sandwich made with lean meat and vegetables is a fiber-filled way to start the
day and feel full until lunch. Bagels, which are circular and have a center hole, are notorious for being
large, so check serving sizes before you eat one as a healthy breakfast. Or make a breakfast sandwich
made with egg and lean meat with a whole wheat English muffin for a healthy alternative to fast food
fare.