How to make a better sandwich, inspired by international favorites

I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by the sandwich I ordered for lunch at an out-of-the-way cafe on a side street outside of the main tourist area of Seville, Spain, but the montadito on my plate begged to differ. Served on a dense white roll called a bollo, the sandwich was stuffed with a salad of chickpeas, celery, red onion and capers in a creamy dressing, topped with fresh cilantro and a spiky scattering of potato sticks. Each bite offered a delightful surprise: the nuttiness of the chickpeas, a burst of vinegar from the capers, the salty crunch of that unexpected garnish of potato sticks. I’m fairly certain I detected one of my favorite ingredients, lemon zest, giving a subtle, sunny lift to the mayonnaise.

It may have been the first sandwich that pleased my palate while I was traveling in Europe this past summer, but it wasn’t the last; the attention to detail given to these lunchtime staples equaled that found in handmade pasta served with freshly foraged wild mushrooms for dinner. The through line, as I traveled from Iberia to Ireland, was a thoughtful balance of flavors and textures — from sweet and salty to crunchy and creamy — combined with an almost scientific obsession with layering ingredients to keep the bread from getting soggy.

Handheld lunch — or breakfast or dinner — options benefit from ingredients and techniques found around the world, like the French-inspired layers of a Vietnamese banh mi or the sweet and savory Indian influences found in a coronation chicken sandwich. By looking at sandwiches through a global lens, these practical strategies focus on layering flavor, balancing textures and taking advantage of a worldwide pantry to build a bolder, better sandwich.

Go ahead and say goodbye to that Sad Desk Lunch. Here’s how.

Incorporate bold, contrasting and complementary flavors

Sandwiches shine when given a complex flavor profile, highlighting salty, sweet, sour and spicy.

• Hit the sweet spot by adding a layer of jam (a great combo with salty ham), blending chutney into cream cheese, using sliced peaches or apricots instead of tomatoes, or folding dried cranberries into chicken salad.

• Introduce contrasting salty notes, such as feta, blue or pecorino Romano cheese; cured meats; or briny olives. Or whisk a little miso, fermented black beans or Vegemite into softened butter to spread on for additional umami.

• Add a piquant punch with pickled vegetables, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, finely diced preserved lemon or a simple squirt of citrus juice.

• Spice things up with mustard and other bold condiments, such as toum, ajvar, chutney sabz and chili crisp.

Aim for a variety of textures

Try to include ingredients that bring crunch, cream and chew. Crisp vegetables, a smooth spread, and a spongy or hearty bread all come together for satisfying layers of texture and flavor.

• Sprinkle sandwich fillings such as shrimp, egg or chickpea salad with toasted sliced almonds, or top with potato sticks, chips or fried shallots.

• Use tangy Greek yogurt in sandwich fillings for an extra-creamy base.

• Soak fresh greens such as lettuce, spinach or cabbage in an ice-water bath for 15 to 30 minutes, which helps the leaves crisp up, then spin-dry before using.

Think outside the deli case

Sandwiches are a blank canvas ready for any fillings you can layer inside the bread, such as fried plantains with bacon or a masala-spiced omelet.

• Swap out traditional deli meats for tandoori chicken, salmon shawarma or roasted mushrooms glazed in honey and soy.

• Grill or sear vegetables, halloumi or bologna to bring a smoky depth of flavor.

• Consider recipes that can be repurposed as sandwiches, like stuffing these jerk chicken inside a warm pita.

Build sandwiches to last

Nothing’s less appetizing than a soggy sandwich, so use layers to separate wet and dry ingredients.

• Thinly coat the inside of each slice of bread with softened butter, which helps keep sliced tomatoes or other wet ingredients from soaking through.

• Tuck tuna salad or other similar salads inside whole fresh lettuce leaves, creating a moisture-free barrier.

• Wrap sandwiches tightly in parchment or wax paper to create structure, then cut just before serving, if possible.

Vary the sandwich shapes and sizes

Whether you’re in the mood for bite-size tea sandwiches or crowd-pleasing footlongs, customize your sandwich size and shape to your needs.

• Mini pitas, cocktail rye bread and slider rolls are just right for kids’ lunch boxes and snack-size portions, or when you want two different fillings on the same plate.

• Try finger sandwiches, Japanese-style — like Chicken Katsu Sandos, which can be halved or cut into narrow rectangles on soft white bread without the crust.

• Use lavash or flour tortillas to roll up pinwheel sandwiches filled with soft cheese or hummus with pickled vegetables.

•••

Chicken Katsu Sandos

For the katsu and slaw:

¾ cup panko, plus more as needed

Neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola, or nonstick cooking spray

Four (3- to 3½-ounce) thin-cut chicken breast cutlets

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided

1 teaspoon soy sauce, divided

2 tablespoons fried onions, such as French’s, crushed (optional)

½ teaspoon fine salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups (3 ounces) finely shredded napa cabbage

For the sandos:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

8 slices shokupan (Japanese milk bread*)

Tonkatsu sauce, for serving*

Make the katsu and slaw: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.

Spread the panko on a large sheet pan and transfer to the oven while it’s preheating. Toast the panko for 10 minutes, or until golden and aromatic. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly, then transfer to a large, shallow bowl. Set a wire rack in the same sheet pan and brush the rack lightly with oil.

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the flour until lightly coated all over, then transfer to a large plate.

In another large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of the rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon of the soy sauce until well combined. Transfer a generous 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.

To the bowl with the toasted panko, add the crushed fried onions, if using, salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder, and mix well to combine.

Working with one floured cutlet at a time, shake off the excess flour, then dip it in the mayonnaise mixture in the large bowl to lightly coat both sides. Dip the cutlet in the panko mixture to coat all over, then transfer to the prepared wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of each cutlet, flipping them over halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before assembling the sandwiches.

While the cutlets are baking, to the bowl with the reserved mayonnaise mixture, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon of soy sauce, and whisk to combine. Add the cabbage and toss to coat.

Assemble the sandos: In a small bowl, mix together the butter with the mustard until well combined. If you prefer, remove the crusts from the bread then spread a thin layer of the butter mixture on one side of each slice of bread. Place one of the chicken cutlets over one buttered slice, then drizzle generously with the tonkatsu sauce, followed by ¼ cup of the slaw, then top with another slice of bread, buttered side down. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make four sandwiches. Cut each sandwich in half and serve immediately.

Servings: 4 (makes 4 sandwiches)

* Where to buy: Shokupan (Japanese milk bread) and tonkatsu sauce, such as Bull-Dog brand, can be found at Asian markets.

Substitutions: For Japanese milk bread, use other soft white sandwich bread. For butter, use nondairy butter. For Dijon mustard, use other types of mustard, or Worcestershire sauce or wasabi. For tonkatsu sauce, use barbecue or gochujang sauce. Gluten-free? Use gluten-free all-purpose flour mix, gluten-free panko, gluten-free tamari in place of soy sauce and gluten-free bread. Can’t have eggs? Use vegan mayonnaise. For fried onions, use fried shallots. For thin-cut chicken cutlets, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved across the equator and pounded to ¼-inch thickness.

Variations: To make tofu katsu sandos: Cut a 16-ounce block of extra-firm tofu into four lengthwise slices and follow the directions above. Other katsu fillings: Breaded long slices of eggplant or sweet potatoes, pork, ham, or beef are all great options in place of chicken or tofu.

Storage: The sandwiches are best as soon as they are made. The chicken and slaw can be refrigerated, separately, for up to 4 days, but the cutlets will lose their crispy exteriors.

Nutritional information per sandwich, using a 3-ounce cutlet: 797 calories, 42 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 74 g carbohydrates, 997 mg sodium, 146 mg cholesterol, 30 g protein, 3 g fiber, 13 g sugar.

— Kristen Hartke