Best sandwich fillings
Simple sandwich fillings, cold sandwich fillings, vegetarian sandwich fillings - our round up of the best and most popular sandwich fillings has something for everyone (and some top tips for making them).
The most popular sandwich filling are:
- Coronation chicken
- Ham and cheese
- Pastrami
- BLT
- Egg and cress
- Cheese and pickle
- Christmas leftovers
- Prawn mayonnaise
- Basil, tomato and mozzarella
- Fishfingers
Now let's find out more...
Coronation chicken
What’s in a Coronation chicken sandwich?
A Coronation chicken sandwich is primarily made from Coronation chicken (poached or roasted chicken, sliced or shredded, mixed with cream or mayonnaise, raisins or dried apricots, cinnamon and curry powder or paste), along with bread and mango chutney.
Best bread for a Coronation chicken sandwich?
A crusty white roll is sturdy enough to contain the heavy filling of a Coronation chicken sandwich, and is usually not too big - important as you don’t want to have to use lots of Coronation chicken to fill it, as Coronation chicken is incredibly rich.
Top tip!
Use plain yoghurt in equal parts to mayonnaise for your sandwich - yoghurt is just as creamy but more subtle than mayonnaise, and will allow the spice and dried fruit flavours to come through more powerfully. Find more tips and information about Coronation chicken here.
Allergen alert
Aside from the wheat (a Cereal containing Gluten) in most bread, a sandwich with a Coronation chicken filling will also contain either Milk or Eggs in the creamy sauce, via sour cream, yoghurt (both Milk products) or mayonnaise (made with Eggs). There also may be a small amount of Sulphur Dioxide if the fruit used for the Coronation chicken is dried.
Ham and cheese
What’s in a ham and cheese sandwich?
A ham and cheese sandwich is made with sliced ham (wafer thin ham, roasted ham, honey-roasted ham, cold baked ham), a semi-hard cheese such as cheddar or emmental and a spread or condiment such as mustard, mayonnaise, mustard mayonnaise or butter.
Best bread for a ham and cheese sandwich?
A thickly cut, seeded loaf is a great choice for ham and cheese sandwiches, as it is robust, soft and not overpowering in flavour - the perfect platform for meaty ham, tangy cheese and sharp mustard.
Top tip!
This is the ideal sandwich for toasting - the gooey, melted cheese is held up by the ham. Try placing your ingredients on one slice of bread and then putting it under the grill for a few minutes before topping with another, untoasted slice. This will create a medley of textures.
Allergen alert
Most bread is made with wheat, a Cereal containing Gluten and one of the 14 major food allergens.
Cheese is a derivative of Milk, another major allergen, as is butter. Mayonnaise is made with Eggs, and Mustard in all its forms is another major allergen.
Pastrami
What’s in a pastrami sandwich?
Aside from pastrami (a type of cured beef brisket), usually thinly sliced, a pastrami sandwich is usually made with mustard, swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and butter or mayonnaise - or both.
Sometimes salad ingredients such as lettuce, tomato or onions are also included, and the sandwich is frequently served with coleslaw on the side.
Best bread for a pastrami sandwich?
Pastrami sandwiches are nearly always made with rye bread, which is darker in colour and generally heavier than wheat bread. Rye bread has a slightly acidic taste that pairs well with the cured beef, and it is robust enough to withstand the multiple ingredients a pastrami sandwich usually contains.
Top tip!
Warm the pastrami in a griddle pan before adding to the sandwich. It brings out the flavour of the meat.
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ReadAllergen alert
A pastrami sandwich typically contains several allergen ingredients - rye (a Cereal containing Gluten) in the bread, Milk in the swiss cheese and butter if butter is used, Mustard, and Eggs from mayonnaise.
BLT
What’s in a BLT sandwich?
The BLT in a BLT sandwich stands for bacon, lettuce and tomato - these are the main ingredients. The other principal ingredient in a BLT sandwich is mayonnaise.
Best bread for a BLT sandwich?
Tomato, and sometimes lettuce, are considered “wet” ingredients, so for a BLT you need a sturdy bread. Toasted, thick-cut white bread is a classic choice, and the perfect base for juicy tomato and salty bacon.
Top tip!
There is much debate around how best to layer a BLT, but consensus is that the tomato should go between the lettuce and the bacon, so they can create a barrier between the tomato juices and bread, preventing sogginess.
Allergen alert
A BLT is typically made with wheat bread, so contains Cereals containing Gluten, and mayonnaise, which is made with Egg. Both of these ingredients are among the 14 major food allergens.
Egg and cress
What’s in an egg and cress sandwich?
Mashed, boiled eggs, mayonnaise, fresh cress and seasonings like salt and pepper, alongside bread, are the ingredients you need to make an egg and cress sandwich. Sometimes salad (tomatoes, lettuce, onion) might also be added.
Best bread for an egg and cress sandwich?
Wholemeal bread is a good choice for an egg and cress sandwich, as it has a savoury, almost nutty flavour that balances out the richness of the egg and mayonnaise.
Top tip!
You can use different parts of the egg to mix with the mayonnaise for different twists on the sandwich - an egg mayo made with just egg yolks will be richer and more indulgent, whilst an egg mayo made with just egg whites will be lighter and lower in calories.
Allergen alert
Like other sandwiches, an egg and cress sandwich will usually contain Cereals containing Gluten via wheat flour in the bread. Mayonnaise is another main ingredient, and is made with Eggs, another major food allergen.
Cheese and pickle
What’s in a cheese and pickle sandwich?
Sometimes known as a “Ploughman’s”, a classic British cheese and pickle sandwich is made with a semi hard cheese (traditionally cheddar), pickled chutney and butter, as well as white bread or sourdough. Sometimes there is the addition of salad ingredients such as lettuce, tomato or red onions.
Best bread for a cheese and pickle sandwich?
Crusty white bread is the traditional bread used for a cheese and pickle or ploughman’s sandwich, as it is hearty, and alongside the cheese and pickle makes for a filling lunch.
White sourdough is an increasingly popular choice too, as its tang compliments the pickled chutney.
Top tip!
Whilst cheddar is the most commonly used cheese for a ploughman’s, other cheeses can also work well, and will add new flavour dimensions - a nuttiness from emmental, an earthiness from gruyere or saltiness from Cheshire cheese.
Allergen alert
Most bread used for cheese and pickle sandwiches is made with wheat flour, a Cereal containing Gluten, and cheese is a derivative of Milk, another allergen (and so is butter). Chutney ingredients vary, but a few varieties contain Celery, another one of the 14 major food allergens, and most contain a vinegar of some sort - which may contain Sulphur Dioxide or Sulphites.
Christmas leftovers
What’s in a Christmas leftovers sandwich?
A Christmas leftovers sandwich is made with components typically served at a Christmas dinner (though not necessarily leftover), such as pigs in blankets, turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce, placed in a sandwich.
Often condiments such as butter or Mustard are also added, and sometimes gravy too.
Best bread for a Christmas leftovers sandwich?
Because there are a lot of ingredients in a Christmas leftovers sandwich, the bread used is required to be sturdy and withstand the pressure from a lot of fillings, some of which might be very moist. For these reasons, focaccia is an ideal choice, as it is spongy and absorbent, as well as thick and strong.
Top tip!
Whilst gravy adds tasty flavour to a Christmas leftover sandwich, and makes it all the more festive, it can cause the sandwich to be soggy and fall apart. Try serving the sandwich with a small ramekin of gravy, so the sandwich can be dipped in and enjoyed without disentegrating in the hands of whoever is eating it.
Allergen alert
There might be multiple allergens in a Christmas leftovers sandwich, particularly Cereals containing Gluten from bread, stuffing and gravy, Milk from butter (which might also be in gravy) and Egg (from stuffing). Sometimes Mustard, another allergen, is added to the sandwich too.
Prawn mayonnaise
What’s in a prawn mayonnaise sandwich?
A prawn mayonnaise sandwich is made with cooked king prawns (chopped or whole), mixed into a sauce of mayonnaise, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and black pepper. The mixture is then placed between 2 slices of bread.
Best bread for a prawn mayonnaise sandwich?
You can use most types of bread to make prawn mayonnaise sandwiches, but soft white bread or granary bread are timeless classics that let the flavour of the prawns shine through.
Top tip!
Mix in some smoked paprika or a small amount of chilli powder to your mayonnaise sauce to give it an extra kick.
Allergen alert
Prawn mayonnaise sandwiches are made with bread, which usually contains some type of Cereal containing Gluten, and prawns are a Crustacean. Both of these are among the 14 major food allergens.
Most varieties of Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, which are a Fish and another major allergen.
Basil, tomato and mozzarella
What’s in a basil, tomato and mozzarella sandwich?
Also known as a Caprese sandwich (after the famous salad), like its name suggests, a basil, tomato and mozzarella sandwich is made with basil, tomato, mozzarella and bread, as well as black pepper and some sort of dressing made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Some types of this sandwich add rocket.
Best bread for a basil, tomato and mozzarella sandwich?
Since the Caprese salad is an Italian invention, an Italian bread like ciabatta is the best choice for this sandwich. Its slight tang pairs well with creamy cheese and sharp basil, and its spongy texture can withstand the juicy tomatoes.
Top tip!
Use ripe, but unrefrigerated tomatoes - they will have more flavour, and be less watery - which is important for holding the sandwich together.
Allergen alert
The bread used for a basil, tomato and mozzarella sandwich will most likely be made with wheat, a Cereal containing Gluten. Additionally, cheese is a dairy product made from Milk.
Fishfingers
What’s in a fish finger sandwich?
Fishfingers and bread are the main ingredients in a fish finger sandwich, alongside condiments or sauces like butter, tartar sauce (made with mayonnaise, pickled and herbs such as dill or parsley) and ketchup.
Best bread for a fish finger sandwich?
Fluffy, soft white bread is the best choice for an indulgent fish finger sandwich, as it plays into the nostalgia of the dish.
Top tip!
Be sure to fry your fish fingers - it is quicker than oven baking, which reduces the chance of overcooking the fish and making it tasteless and rubbery. It also gives the breadcrumb coating a great crunch.
Allergen alert
Fish is one of the major food allergens, and so are Cereals containing Gluten - of which nearly all bread are made (either from wheat or rye or both). Tartar sauce also contains mayonnaise, which is made with another allergen, Eggs. If the fish finger sandwich is buttered, Milk will also be present.
