My sandwich recipes will help you break out of the PBJ or grilled cheese routine you may have developed. Sure, you'll still make those but offer one of these occasionally; they could become family favorites, too.
When you're talking sandwich recipes "quick and easy" is taken for granted - after all, how hard or time-consuming is it to make a wrap or a sandwich? Rather, the point with these sandwich recipes, like all my recipes, is to have fun making them, real pride in serving them and pleasure in eating them.
After you've checked the ones on this page and would like to see more you can visit
my sandwich archive.
Spread salad dressing in the center of the flour tortilla, then lay on the chicken and top with the celery; roll it up and eat or cut up and serve.
15 Minute Chili and Rice Wraps
Makes 6 wrapsIf you’re like me, when you make chili from scratch (or "almost" from scratch - I often use pre-packaged seasonings) you end up with more than you could eat in 3 meals. This easy wrap would be a great way to use some of the leftover chili – or just go ahead and buy a can of it.
1 can (15 Oz) your-favorite chili with beans
1/2 cup water
1 cup Minute Rice (or similar), uncooked
6 flour tortillas
cheddar cheese, shredded
Bring chili and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice; cover and cook on low heat 5 minutes.
Spoon 1/3 cup of this mixture onto each tortilla, top with shredded cheese, chopped tomato, and sliced green onions, if you’re into those guys. Fold to enclose this good filling, secure with tooth picks and serve.
Click here for lots of chili recipe you eat with a spoon
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Greens and Sardines Pita
Serves 2
This is just a tasty and easy example of the many things you can stuff into a pita or any other pocket bread to make a memorable lunch.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1/4 tsp oregano
salt & black pepper, to taste
3 cup loosely packed torn spinach leaves
1 small tomato, sliced thin
2 slices red onion, sliced into rings
2 pita breads, halved
3 & 3/4 oz tin Norway sardines in oil, drained
In a small bowl combine first 6 ingredients; whisk to blend.
Toss spinach, tomato and onion with the cheese and vinegar dressing. Fill breads with the spinach salad and sardines, dividing equally.
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Chicken & Blue Cheese Panini
Serves 4
You do have a panini press, don’t you? If not, get one soon and make this and other panini samiches often. I'm still getting used to mine - when I press the lid down on a ciabatta roll sometimes the samich shoots out of the press and hits me in the stomach; I hate when that happens, don't you?
4 soft sandwich rolls
1 & 1/3 cups chopped white meat from a rotisserie chicken 4 deli slices ham
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Y2 cup ranch dressing
Carrot and celery sticks, for serving
Preheat a panini press.
Place the roll bottoms on a work surface and top with the chicken and ham.
In a small bowl, mix the cheese and ranch dressing and spread on the cut side of the roll tops. Cover the sandwiches with the roll tops, place in the panini press and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then cut in half and serve.
Mexi-Cuban Sandwich
Serves 4Usually, the Cuban sandwich is made on a a crusty roll, and usually, a tortilla doesn’t involve pickles, Swiss cheese or mustard. So what else could I call this “un-usual” sandwich but a “Mexi-Cuban”?
8 (5-inch) corn tortillas
1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 Tbsp honey mustard
8 baby Swiss cheese slices
8 thin slices deli ham
8 thin slices deli roasted pork
12 dill pickle chips
2 Tbsp hot mustard
Brush 1 side of each tortilla with melted butter. Place 4, buttered sides down, on wax or parchment paper.
Spread honey mustard evenly over these tortillas and layer each with 1 cheese slice, 2 ham slices, and 2 pork slices; top with 3 pickle chips and 1 cheese slice.
Spread hot mustard evenly on 1 side of 4 remaining tortillas, and place, mustard sides down, over layered tortillas.
Cook sandwiches, in batches, on a medium-hot griddle or in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, gently pressing with a spatula, about 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and melty.
Wrap it up Lunch
Serves 4
This wrap makes a terrific take-along lunch since there's no dressing to make it soggy. The cumin, red pepper, and grated carrots provide all the flavoring you could want.
4 oz cream cheese spread
1 medium carrot, grated
1 Tbsp cumin
4 whole wheat tortillas (8 or 9 inch
) 8 large romaine lettuce leaves
1 medium zucchin
i 1 medium sweet red pepper
2 Ybsp pine nuts, toasted
Combine cream cheese, grated carrot and cumin, in a bowl, stir until well combined.
Spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture on each of the 4 wraps leaving a couple inches bare at the bottom of the wrap. Press 2 lettuce leaves on top of cheese mixture on each wrap.
Cut the ends off the un-peeled zucchini, cut in half, cut each half into sticks and divide the zucchini among the 4 wraps to one side.
Cut the red pepper in half, slice the halves into sticks, divide between the 4 wraps and place beside the zucchini, in the middle of the wrap.
To bring ou their flavor, crush the pine nuts on a cutting board with a chef's knife. Sprinkle 1/4 of the cracked nuts over each wrap.
To wrap: Fold the bottom of the wrap up over the contents, holding it there while you fold the side over, then the other side overlapping the first side. Wrap a paper towel or napkin around the bottom half of the wrap to hold it together.
Enjoy your crunchy lunch!
Blackened Salmon Po’ Boy
Serves 2
I’ll bet you can think of other uses for the ‘cado-mayo mixture that really makes this sandwich so exciting.
½ small avocado, pitted
1 Tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tsp blackening or Cajun seasoning
8 oz salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 2 portions
2 crusty whole-wheat rolls, split and toasted
1 cup arugula
1 plum tomato, thinly sliced
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Oil grill rack and preheat grill to high.
With a fork, mash together avocado and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
Rub blackened (or Cajun) seasoning on both sides of salmon. Grill until just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, spread the avocado mixture on the bottom halves of each roll. Top with the salmon, arugula, tomato and onion. Done.
More grilling recipes? Click here.
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Tomato-Basil-Cheddar on 12-Grain
Serves 4
Yes, you must use fresh basil, and yes, it's a bit pricey, but - Oh Boy! It really makes this sandwich special.
8 slices 12-grain bread
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese. grated
4 ripe tomatoes [about 1 lb cored & sliced to 1/4-inch
16 basil leaves
2 Tbsp unsalted butter. melted
On each of 4 pieces of bread, layer a heaping 1/4 cup grated cheese, 4 tomato slices, 4 basil leaves and another heaping 1/4 cup grated cheese. Top with another slice of bread; brush with melted butter.
Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Place sandwiches, buttered side down, in pan and brush top slice of bread with butter. Press with spatula.
Cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and serve immediately.
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Steak & Blue Cheese Sandwiches
Serves 6
Don't screw this up in the final stage by carving with the grain. You want to hear, "Wow, this is good!", not, "Wow, this is stringy!".
2 (l-lb.) flank steaks
2 tsp each salt & freshly ground pepper
6 large crusty rolls, sliced in half horizontally
6 Tbsp butter,softened
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 & 1/2 cups arugula or baby spinach leaves
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
6 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
Coat your grate with Pam or similar and heat up on high.
Season the steaks on both sides with salt and pepper and grill, covered with grill lid, 5 to 6 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness.
Remove steaks to a baking dish to collect juices, and let stand 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, spread cut sides of each roll evenly with butter and grill with the buttered sides down, for a minute or until lightly toasted.
Remove from grill; keep warm.
Slice steak diagonally across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Return the steak strips to the baking dish, and toss with balsamic vinegar and the steak juices before dividing them among bottom halves of the rolls. Top with arugula, tomato slices, and blue cheese. Slap on the top half of the roll and proudly serve up.
Click here for more tasty things to do with your grill
Tuna & Cannellini Panini
Serves 4
I love this recipe because I can say, ‘cannellini panini” five times fast – can you?
2 7-oz containers tuna in water, drained and flaked
1 15-oz can cannellini beans (white kidney), rinsed, drained, and slightly mashed
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 - 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough or another favorite dense-textured bread
3 Tbsp butter, softened
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup lightly packed large fresh basil leaves
4 oz sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
In a medium bowl, stir together first 5 ingredients and set aside.
Preheat an electric sandwich press, indoor grill, or a skillet.
To assemble, spread one side of each bread slice with tuna mixture topping with tomato slices, basil leaves, cheese and the remaining bread slices.
Butter the top slice and place sandwiches, butter-side down - in the sandwich press or indoor grill; butter the top, cover and and cook about 6 minutes or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. If using a skillet, weight down sandwiches and grill about 2 minutes, then remove weight - did I really have to tell you that? - butter the top, flip them and cook until the other side is toasted.
Tuna & Cannellini Panini
Serves 4
I love this recipe because I can say, ‘cannellini panini” five times fast – can you?
2 7-oz cans Albacore tuna in water, well-drained and flaked
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained, & lightly mashed
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
8 1/2-inch-thick slices sourdough or other dense-textured bread
3 Tbsp butter, softened
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 cup lightly packed large fresh basil leaves
4 oz sliced mozzarella or provolone cheese
In a medium bowl, stir together tuna, beans, onion, and garlic. Stir in the mayo and set aside.
Preheat an electric sandwich press, indoor grill, or a skillet.
To assemble sandwiches, spread one side of each slice with tuna mixture topping with tomato slices, basil leaves, cheese and the remaining bread slices.
Butter the top slice and .place sandwiches - butter-side down - in the cooker; butter the top, cover and and cook about 6 minutes or until cheese melts and bread is toasted. If using a skillet, weight down sandwiches and grill about 2 minutes, then remove weight, butter the top, flip them and cook until remaining side is toasted. See why you should own a panini grill?
