Recipes Lunch Sandwiches + Wraps 40 Sandwiches to Sink Your Teeth Into By Food & Wine Editors Updated on February 26, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman 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. 01 of 40 The Oriole "Ham Sandoval" Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell 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. Get the Recipe 02 of 40 Pan Bagnat (Niçoise Salad Sandwich) Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen 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. Get the Recipe 03 of 40 Garlic Aïoli BLTs © John Kernick 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. Get the Recipe 04 of 40 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. Get the Recipe 05 of 40 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. Get the Recipe 06 of 40 Vegetarian Muffulettas Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Rishon Hanners 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. Get the Recipe 07 of 40 Japanese 7-Eleven Egg Salad Sandwich Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Food Styling by Ana Kelly / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell 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. Get the Recipe 08 of 40 Philadelphia Roast Pork Sandwiches Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman 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. Get the Recipe 09 of 40 Chicken Salad Sandwiches © David Malosh Slow-poaching the chicken breasts keeps them extra moist. The chicken salad gets scooped onto toasted, grainy whole wheat bread and topped with crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes. Get the Recipe 10 of 40 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. Get the Recipe 11 of 40 Lobster BLTs on Potato Rolls Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer These upgraded BLTs combine tender, sweet lobster meat with smoky, salty bacon, juicy tomatoes, and pillowy potato buns, lightly toasted in bacon drippings. Get the Recipe 12 of 40 Croque Madame Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley 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. Get the Recipe 13 of 40 Mojo Pork Cubanos © Robert Fisher Chef Roy Choi's outstanding sandwich features slices of garlicky roast pork layered with grilled, boiled ham ("American school lunch ham is great here," he says), as well as Swiss cheese and tangy pickles. You can substitute leftover roast pork for the mojo pork shoulder Choi uses. Get the Recipe 14 of 40 Grilled Cheese with Corn and Calabrian Chile Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson 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. Get the Recipe 15 of 40 Vegetable Sandwich with Dill Sauce © CHRISTINA HOLMES 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. Get the Recipe 16 of 40 Super-Crispy Fried Chicken Sandwiches Eric Wolfinger 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. Get the Recipe 17 of 40 Barbecue Sloppy Joes © Lucy Schaeffer Before serving his version of this old-school sandwich to customers, chef Christopher Tunnell ran it by his mom. "When she tasted it, she was proud," he says. A combo of ground sirloin and chuck is smothered in a tangy sauce of ketchup, barbecue sauce, tomatoes, garlic, and vinegar, then gets spooned onto cheddar-lined broiled buns. Get the Recipe 18 of 40 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. Get the Recipe 19 of 40 Aleppo Pepper-Pork and Fennel Sandwiches © Antonis Achilleos 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. Get the Recipe 20 of 40 Vada Pav (Potato Fritter Sandwich) Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Judy Haubert 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. Get the Recipe 21 of 40 Crispy Pork Belly Sandwiches with Meyer Lemon Relish © Antonis Achilleos 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. Get the Recipe 22 of 40 Patty Melts with Charred Scallion-Chipotle Mayo Photo by David Malosh / Prop Styling by Amy Wilson / Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero 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. Get the Recipe 23 of 40 Beaten Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich with Tomato Jam © Abby Hocking 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. Get the Recipe 24 of 40 Coffee-Cured Pulled Pork John Kernick Chef Linton Hopkins turns this slow-roasted pork shoulder into sliders. "Why are we so obsessed with the 30-minute meal?" he says. "I want to create a TV show called The 36-Hour Meal. The best things take a little bit of time." Get the Recipe 25 of 40 Israeli Roast Eggplant, Hummus, and Pickle Sandwiches © Johnny Valiant 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." Get the Recipe 26 of 40 Meatball and Provolone Subs © John Kernick 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. Get the Recipe 27 of 40 Salmon Salad Rolls © Chris Court 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. Get the Recipe 28 of 40 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. Get the Recipe 29 of 40 Scrambled Egg and Avocado Breakfast Sandwiches ABBY HOCKING This easy, satisfying breakfast sandwich recipe calls for American cheese, but it's equally delicious with Gruyère or sharp cheddar. Feel free to use your favorite toast if you don't have English muffins. A dash of vinegary hot sauce is a great addition here. Get the Recipe 30 of 40 Crispy Fried Tofu Sandwich Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Lydia Pursell 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. Get the Recipe 31 of 40 Focaccia Reubens © Squire Fox 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. Get the Recipe 32 of 40 Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches Photo by Fred Hardy / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Brockman 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. Get the Recipe 33 of 40 Breakfast Banh Mi Sandwiches CON POULOS This outstanding Vietnamese banh mi includes duck pâté and spicy pickles along with, less conventionally, five-spice-flavored bacon and a fried egg. Get the Recipe 34 of 40 The Best Cucumber Sandwich Cedric Angeles 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. Get the Recipe 35 of 40 Catfish Po'Boys with Pickle Remoulade © Antonis Achilleos These mouthwatering fried fish sandwiches from San Francisco chef Jay Foster are made crispy with a combination breading of cornmeal, panko, and flour. They're slathered with a piquant sauce featuring sweet pickle relish, capers, shallot, and garlic. Get the Recipe 36 of 40 Barbecue Jackfruit Sandwiches with Cabbage Slaw Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Melissa Gray / Prop Styling by Heather Chadduck Hillegas 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. Get the Recipe 37 of 40 Chicken Pan Bagnat © Susan Spungen Literally "bathed bread" in the ancient dialect of Provence, pan bagnat delivers meat, bread, and salad all in one handful. You both brush the bread with oil and let the finished rolls sit for a few minutes so the dressing permeates and "bathes" it with flavor. Get the Recipe 38 of 40 Blackened Fish Sandwiches with Horseradish Tartar Sauce Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis 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. Get the Recipe 39 of 40 Maine Lobster Roll © QUENTIN BACON In Maine, you're likely to find lobster rolls served two ways. Innovators prefer a crunchy, tangy, and slightly spicy version of the lobster salad that includes celery, lettuce, lemon juice, and a pinch of cayenne, like the recipe here. Purists leave out those ingredients because they believe nothing should interfere with the mix of sweet tender summer lobster and mayonnaise. Get the Recipe 40 of 40 BLT Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwich © Kana Okada Chef Thomas Keller's scrumptious recipe combines three of the world's most popular sandwiches — bacon, lettuce, and tomato; fried egg; and grilled cheese. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit