Super Sandwich Recipes

Although this recipe looks long, the sandwiches are actually quite efficient to make, even on a weeknight, because you saute the veggies while the meatballs bake.

Tracy Singleton, owner of the Birchwood Cafe in Minneapolis, combines summer's greatest hits—heirloom tomatoes, basil and sweet corn—in what she calls "a kitchen sink sandwich."

Food Network star (and Chicago native) Jeff Mauro's recipe mimics captures the spirit of classic Italian beef without having to invest in a deli slicer. Just so you know, "real" Italian beef sandwiches are completely dunked (bread and all) in the meat juices, or jus. It's messy and marvelous. The recipe comes from Mauro's book, Come on Over (William Morrow, $30).

A handy supermarket product—chipotle-flavor mayo—is the secret ingredient in this loaded sandwich. We love the convenience, but if you like, stir 1 teaspoon of minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce into regular mayonnaise instead.

This crowd-pleasing party sandwich works on your schedule. You can prepare and bake it all at once for a party, or assemble the sandwiches the night before, and then bake them when your guests are ready to eat. Perfect for Game Day!

A sandwich that improves with age? Oui! The name of this classic French tuna sandwich means "bathed bread," a reference to brushing the baguette with olive oil to ward off sogginess.

We traded the traditional roast pork for rotisserie chicken, but kept the signature Cuban flavors-mustard, onion and pickles.

Crumbled blue cheese adds salty punch to these indulgent but easy-to-make sandwiches served at The Iron Horse Hotel in Milwaukee.

We call this chicken salad "basic," but thanks to lemon juice and fresh green onion and parsley, it's anything but boring. 

Layer rotisserie chicken with crisp veggies, mayo and zippy sesame dressing on a soft roll for this easy version of the popular Vietnamese sandwich.

This nifty mayo-dressed salad uses healthy and budget-friendly chickpeas instead of the traditional tuna, hard-cooked eggs or chicken. Try it in a sandwich or wrap or over a bed of greens.

Squashed PB&J? Bad news. But our grown-up sandwich tastes better pressed, making it perfect for tossing in a cooler or beach bag. 

This scrumptious mess of a sandwich is every bit as satisfying as a classic Italian sub--and if you prepare the tomato sauce and pesto in advance (or use purchased pesto), the sandwiches come together super fast. The recipe comes from Cara Mangini, of Little Eater in Columbus, Ohio.

A $1,000 winner in one of our recipe contests, this colorful sandwich from Lori McLain of Denton, Texas, is a flavor twist on a classic Midwestern tenderloin sandwich.

Make these hearty sandwiches for a quick lunch or dinner. Add fresh fruit and a beverage for a picnic.

Just four ingredients combine for a cheesy meatball dish you can spoon into hoagie buns. The recipe is from a Perrysburg, Ohio, reader who says she never has leftovers when she takes this dish to get-togethers.

This amazing steak sandwich is the creation of Karen Gibson of Cincinnati, who entered it in Midwest Living's first Best of the Midwest cook-off. The unusual flavor combo? A mix that includes a little chocolate, cinnamon and allspice.

A surprise ingredient, root beer, adds sweetness to this roast and its dark sauce. Try leftover pork in quesadillas or stir it into ramen noodles.

Basil and lime juice flavor the fruity salsa on this ready-in-minutes, low-cal grilled sausage sandwich.

Honors for creating the Reuben sandwich may go to Reuben Kulakofsky and his poker pals at the former Blackstone Hotel in Omaha, where the sandwich was first served in the 1920s. Here's our version of the corned beef-and-sauerkraut classic.

Our grown-up tuna sandwich tastes better pressed, making it perfect to eat on the go.

Len Skvor trades the traditional corned beef for thin-sliced turkey in this twist on a classic Reuben at his Cork 'n Fork Deli 'n Grill in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. To reduce the sodium, rinse sauerkraut with cold water before using.

Chuck roasts come out so tender in the slow cooker, and this cheaper cut of meat is easy on the budget. For dinner, spoon the beef onto hoagie buns and top with provolone, onions and peppers, then pop it under the broiler to melt the cheese.

Grilled sweet peppers and onion add crunch to the sweet-smoky Applejack Turkey Sandwich from Gobbler's Restaurant in Gaylord, Michigan.

Brisket is a tough cut of meat that's transformed into heavenly tenderness with slow, low cooking. Serve on crusty ciabatta rolls. If you like morel mushrooms (and can find them!), try them here.

This gooey mess of caramelized onion and barbecue sauce also tastes great as a cold sandwich. (And did you know caramelized onions freezes well? Make extra for topping burgers, pizzas and more.)

These little beef sandwiches make a great appetizer for a party. And you can put them together in just 20 minutes.