Seeking (very) unconventional sandwich suggestions

September 11, 2018 7:35 PM

Ham, turkey, roast beef, tuna salad, chicken salad, egg salad. After years of the same six sandwiches for lunch, both at home and at work, I'm dying for sexier variations of each, as well as completely different sandwiches altogether. I'm thinking unconventional ingredients and unconventional pairings, things you wouldn't think go together but totally do, grilled and hot versions, etc. Thanks
posted by BadgerDoctor to Food & Drink (83 answers total)

Banana and jam
Avocado and vegemite, if you can get it

The craziest sandwiches I ever saw were made by my Dad immediately following my parents' divorce. The sadness and trauma, coupled with not really cooking at all for 27 years+, resulted in some truly demented combinations:

Vegemite, lettuce, currants, carrot and desiccated coconut. If you want to really gaze into the abyss of a man's soul, that's your sandwich.
posted by smoke at 7:40 PM on September 11, 2018 [25 favorites]

Okay, you did ask for unconventional... cold pastrami, horseradish pub cheese (it’s a spread), and red currant jelly. Ideally on a ciabatta roll.
posted by Weeping_angel at 7:40 PM on September 11, 2018 [4 favorites]

Best answer: Tuna salad with good olive oil in place of some of the mayo. Add kalamata olives and capers. Transformative. Don't tell anybody else.
posted by kate4914 at 7:43 PM on September 11, 2018 [6 favorites]

Best answer: If you're eating chicken salad sandwiches without mango chutney, you're doing it wrong. Just make sure you've got some very finely sliced red onion in there and you're good to go.
posted by howfar at 7:44 PM on September 11, 2018 [7 favorites]

The Senator: Turkey, cranberry relish (fresh or canned), cream cheese, on a sturdy large format white bread, cut into triangles or quarters.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:45 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

I just flipped through a Bittman tome the other day and stopped dead at (Broiled) Tofu Sandwich with Cucumber and Hoisin Mayo. I haven't made it yet, but maaaan does that seem worth investigating. Pretty much a Banh Mi variation, but any Banh Mi is great in my books.

And from my childhood: potato chip sandwich on thickly buttered bread. Do it. Dooooo iiiiiit.
posted by maudlin at 7:46 PM on September 11, 2018

Butter + honey was a thing I ate as a kid. So was margarine + sugar. Though it tastes more like dessert / pastry since it's sweet!
posted by tinydancer at 7:47 PM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Some family favorites of ours:

Apple cheddar tartine: a simple hot open-faced sandwich with french bread, apple butter, apple slices, cheddar cheese, broiled.

Rye bread with a thick slice of ham (like a piece of Easter ham, or super thick deli cuts), pineapple slice, and a slice of swiss cheese over the top, broiled and served open face.

A baguette spread with cream cheese, with cucumber slices, salmon, and roasted red pepper. It's outstanding.

It's time intensive, but the Pioneer Woman's Marlboro Man sandwich is worth it.
posted by AgentRocket at 7:49 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I love sandwiches!

Goat cheese, arugula, roasted red peppers!
Smoked mozzarella, green olives, prosciutto!
Fresh mozzarella, pesto, artichoke hearts!
Chicken thighs, peppery greens, fig jam!
Smoked salmon, cucumber, Havarti with dill!
Green apple, honey mustard, sharp cheddar!
posted by merriment at 7:50 PM on September 11, 2018 [7 favorites]

Peanut butter & bacon. My grandmother used to make it for me.
posted by brookeb at 7:51 PM on September 11, 2018 [5 favorites]

But if you want really unconventional,

The Mar-Mar: Thin layers of Marmalade and Marmite on a sprouted grain bread, smaller sized, can be served toasted too.
posted by SaltySalticid at 7:53 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Turkey Swiss cheese cranberry sauce on good white bread and then grilled like a grilled cheese.
Also breakfast sausage on white bread with HP and butter
posted by Ftsqg at 7:55 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

I like tuna and hummous and ham and hummous.
posted by kitten magic at 7:56 PM on September 11, 2018

Avocado (sliced, not mashed, this is important for some reason), cranberry sauce OR sundried tomato and grainy mustard on a dark bread.

Egg or chicken salad made with tirokafteri, tzatziki or a really creamy high-tahini ratio hummus rather than mayo.

Apple butter and hummus on whole wheat. I guess you could add a protein to that, but that combo's perfect on its own.
posted by blerghamot at 7:59 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: Shredded chicken breast, julienned carrot, raisins, lettuce, curried mango sauce (or your choice of mango-based condiment), wrapped in a thick Greek-style pita.

Sliced English cucumber and herbed cream cheese on a nice sturdy flavourful dark bread.

Extra old cheddar cheese with jam, on hearty multigrain bread, grilled. Highly recommend peach jam, blackberry jam, or grapefruit marmalade.

(I feel like my British heritage is showing a bit with those last two?)
posted by Secret Sparrow at 8:03 PM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

I'm rather intrigued by what I found in an old Shopsin's menu:

sweet muffin sandwiches
chicken, tuna,or egg salad on a:
corn, banana, chocolate, or blueberry muffin

posted by zamboni at 8:06 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Veggie burger with bacon. Delicious, and fun for the cognitive dissonance it often inspires when ordered.
posted by ejs at 8:07 PM on September 11, 2018 [4 favorites]

I just made a goat cheese, prosciutto, and arugula sandwich for tomorrow's lunch. I'm now kicking myself for forgetting the fig butter.

Peanut butter, jelly, thin slices of Granny Smith, and banana.

I feel you can add slices of Granny Smith on a lot of sandwichs if you want to add crunch and tartness.
posted by Constance Mirabella at 8:08 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Two for dark bread, like pumpernickel:
Cream cheese, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato.
Sliced apple, brie, mango chutney (you can toast the bread; you can add ham if you eat ham).

One for white bread:
Peanut butter and chopped roasted peanuts, strawberry jam, sliced strawberries.

I admire you people who grill and broil and otherwise massage your sandwiches into something other than stuff-you-put-between-bread. I would never do it, but it's fun to read about.
posted by helpthebear at 8:16 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: Cumin roasted carrots, sun dried tomato cashew spread, pickled veg (red cabbage for the awesome color) and spring mix. Best on a fresh baguette.

Muhummara (walnut red pepper spread), whipped feta, grilled eggplant, lettuce, on focaccia.

Japanese inspired pulled pork (shoulder braised with soy and mirin) with togarashi coleslaw, pickled ginger and scallion on a bun.
posted by jenquat at 8:20 PM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Best answer: If you can make an egg salad sandwich, you can make an infinitely superior curried egg sandwich.
posted by pompomtom at 8:27 PM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Peanut butter and spicy mustard. (I add onions when I have some.)

Grilled swiss on rye with jalapenos and bacon.

And, it is a little (ok, a lot) carb intensive, but leftover spaghetti between two pieces of bread.
posted by AugustWest at 8:29 PM on September 11, 2018

Two of my faves (both on multigrain):

-Hummus, shredded carrots, dill pickles

-Sharp cheddar, sauteed onions, thinly sliced Apple, and honey mustard
posted by missmobtown at 8:33 PM on September 11, 2018

Vietnamese Bánh mì sandwiches.

Personal favourite combo is grilled bbq pork, cilantro, pickled carrots &
daikon radish, cucumber, and mayo on a French baguette.
posted by Secret Sparrow at 8:35 PM on September 11, 2018 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Pita pocket grilled on your gas stovetop (like put the bread directly on the range over the fire) until hot and somewhat charred (otherwise you can toast it) + feta/other mediterranean white farmer cheeses and/or kashkaval/kefalograviera/syrian cheese shoved in while it's still hot, so they melt a little (or even do your grilling with the cheese in, if you're careful enough to avoid a potential grease fire) + finely-minced garlic fried in oil* + fresh tomatoes [optional: all kinds of pickled vegetables in the mediterranean style; eastern european pickling, e.g., with dill, may complicate things too much, but hey it's your sandwich] [optional: middle eastern hot sauce, e.g., harissa]

*I buy mine pre-fried in a bag. hope you can find it
posted by Grimp0teuthis at 8:55 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

Roasted eggplant and goat cheese. Add spicy sausage and roasted bell pepper for another variation.

A local cafe makes a Thai turkey sandwich with turkey, Brie, cucumber, Thai basil, and spicy (Sriracha?) mayo on a baguette.

Brie, fig jam, and turkey.
posted by bananacabana at 8:56 PM on September 11, 2018

My favorite sandwich from the corner shop in the student union in college: cream cheese, apple slices, sprouts, and sesame seeds (other nuts would be good too). They served it in a pita, which was good and helped contain the apples, but I would also happily eat this on seedy wheat bread or a dark rye or pumpernickel.

We just had Aldi's new grilling cheese patties for dinner and they were amazing.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:00 PM on September 11, 2018

You take some good hearty multi-grain bread. Now pick a melty/spread cheese. Laughing Cow Swiss is a nice unfussy choice here. Now, slice up some red onion and maybe half an avocado. Mustard (I like dijon here). Capers. Adobo (the seasoning stuff.) Then, into a saucepan: you want the bread toasty and the cheese melty. Heavenly.

Or: brioche, sliced strawberry, mascarpone, Nutella. You can grill this too, or not. Not really a desk lunch, but gotdamn.
posted by jameaterblues at 9:02 PM on September 11, 2018

sandwich: marinated baked tofu slabs

unconventional ingredient: homemade cranberry sauce

Do they go together? Maybe not. The homemade cranberry sauce is definitely good on tofurkey, though.
posted by amtho at 9:05 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: Grilled cheese made with thin sliced or grated gruyere, roasted onion, and fresh thyme. To die for.

Ham and emmentauler (sp?) On buttered baguette as the French serve it.

The Mediterranean veggie sandwich panera serves...i think its roasted red pepper, goat cheese, thin sliced tomato, and cucumber with Greek dressing.

Roast beef on buttered sandwich roll with horseradish cream.

Pilgrim- roast turkey (not deli meat!) With cranberry sauce, mayo, stuffing on white sandwich bread.

Thin slice avocado tossed in oil and vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper and served on white sandwich bread.

Thin sliced tomatoes with miracle whip on sandwich bread.

Bblt - the usual blt but with fresh basil and italian dressing instrad of mayo.

Fresh mozzarella roasted red pepper and basil on flatbread. Can also add cold grilled chicken.

Pastrami on plain bagel. Can also add cheese.

Cheddar and thin sliced apple on croissant.

God this is making me hungry. Mmmmm
posted by TestamentToGrace at 9:10 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

The Wendigo. I haven't tried it yet but I will eventually.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:22 PM on September 11, 2018 [5 favorites]

Cream cheese, grape jam/jelly, and smoked oysters and/or salami, on toasted English muffin.

(Created with the last things we had at the end of a camping trip, and became my go-to comfort food for years)
posted by The otter lady at 9:42 PM on September 11, 2018

-Cream cheese and green olives with pimento on sliced white
-Brie, arugula, fresh sliced plums dressed in mustard vinaigrette on baguette
posted by vunder at 9:54 PM on September 11, 2018

Best answer: My favorite sandwich of all time is fig spread, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, a little olive oil and lots of freshly cracked black pepper on a crusty baguette.

For your egg salad variation, take the yolks out of the hard boiled eggs and set aside. Chop your whites into pieces and place into a bowl with minced celery and minced capers. Mash the yolks with a fork and mix in: turmeric, smoked paprika (key ingredient), a dash each of garlic and onion powder. Mix thoroughly and add mayo until it's a soft orange cream. Fold it into the whites and veg, taste for salt (depends on taste and caper brininess). I like to eat this egg salad without bread, instead scooping it into smaller leaves of romaine lettuce.
posted by Mizu at 10:08 PM on September 11, 2018

As long as you use bread and butter pickles, the Wendigo is delicious. Like a crunchier jelly.
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:10 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh, wait. He DOES use bread and butter pickles. Yeah, that shit’s delicious.
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:11 PM on September 11, 2018

Oh! Camping trip... This isn’t terribly practical for everyday life, but it’s delicious. Cook a hotdog over an open fire. Toast 2 marshmallows over an open fire. (If you’re talented, you can do both on the same stick; put the marshmallows above the hotdog and keep them farther away from the fire until the hotdog is almost done.) Put both hotdog and marshmallows on a cheap white hotdog bun. Eat. Amazing. (Conceived when we forgot ketchup, mustard, or really anything else to put on the hotdogs. But damn, it was good. That’s how we do them now.)
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:16 PM on September 11, 2018

Well now there’s the Cynthia Nixon: lox on a cinnamon raisin bagel. Very wtf but I’d try it.

A chain out here makes a sandwich with turkey, mayo, cranberry sauce, and stuffing. Super healthy. I gave in and tried it the other day and it was quite enjoyable.
posted by Smearcase at 10:59 PM on September 11, 2018

Liverwurst is the most underrated sandwich meat, but liverwurst RULES and is basically pâté but cheap! I like it with mayo and American Cheese on sourdough, but I'm terrible.
posted by Charity Garfein at 11:24 PM on September 11, 2018 [2 favorites]

Oh yes, liverwurst is incredible! Weirdest and deliciousest liverwurst combo is toasted rye, liverwurst and grape jelly. For a more normal but excellent experience go for some sauteed onions and lots of crisp lettuce with thick slices of liverwurst on a pretzel bun.
posted by Mizu at 11:44 PM on September 11, 2018 [1 favorite]

Cheddar and mango pickle with butter?
Cream cheese, avocado, cucumber and sprouts?
Liver wurst on marble rye is delicious.
posted by fiercekitten at 12:17 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

oooooh, are we going down the rabbit hole of "what is a sandwich"? if so, then go for: a hot dog, a taco, a burrito, a calzone, a samosa, an empanada.

the variations become almost endless.....
posted by alchemist at 12:50 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Peanut butter, apple slices, and bacon. Toast rye bread in the bacon fat.
posted by Sunburnt at 1:15 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Yesterday I had a wholemeal wrap with gochujang, mayonnaise, shredded cabbage and carrots, a bit of watercress and pomegranate seeds. It was delicious.

More generally I’ve taken to eating wraps or pitas really stuffed with several handfuls of salad — preferably something with some flavour of its own, my supermarket sells mixed bags of spinach, rocket and watercress which work well — with a bit of something else for flavour, like ham, pickles, smoked mackerel or strong cheese, and of course condiments: gochujang, crispy chilli oil, olive tapenade, vinegar, mustard, mango chutney.

It’s basically a way of eating a salad for lunch without having to eat a salad, but it’s good more often than not — occasionally I improvise something a bit too weird, but maybe that’s part of the fun.

So ham with green olive tapenade and pea shoots is a great combination. Smoked mackerel needs some acidity, so maybe smoked mackerel, vinegar, hot sauce and salad. Roquefort, mango chutney and salad. Roasted peppers, anchovies and salad.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 1:37 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Cheddar cheese and sliced tomato on sliced white bread. Even better if wrapped (securely) and left squished at the bottom of your bag all morning.

Grilled cheddar cheese, sliced tomato and thinly sliced onion (red or white) with black pepper on sliced white bread. The onion and tomato go down first, then melt the cheese over the top with the sandwich still open then put the top slice on and grill that, then flip the whole thing to finish off.

Grilled cheddar cheese and marmite on sliced brown bread.
posted by Chairboy at 3:20 AM on September 12, 2018

The best thing to combine with liverwurst is more liverwurst.
posted by pompomtom at 3:44 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Grilled haloumi and avocado. Or haloumi, hummus and tomato.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 3:47 AM on September 12, 2018

Hummus, grilled halloumi, tomatoes and love.
posted by speakeasy at 4:14 AM on September 12, 2018

Last night I had a starter that would work excellently in a sandwich: grilled eggplant, scallions, bonito flakes and ponzu sauce. I haven't tried it yet but I think for a sandwich, I'd add some mayo, too.
posted by mumimor at 4:20 AM on September 12, 2018

Surf n Turf, you say? Bresaola Tonnato & Escarole Sandwich
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 5:23 AM on September 12, 2018

Best answer: A piece of rye bread spread thinly with marmite and butter, top with a few slices of Swiss cheese, and pop under the broiler till cheese is bubbly and slightly crispy. You could add meat and veggies for a more substantial sandwich- maybe ham or salami and pickles, or turkey if that's too salty. Would probably be good with liverwurst too, now that this thread has me thinking of it. I also thought of making this, then topping the cheese with lingonberries, but haven't tried yet.

Another favorite is pita pockets, toasted (and buttered if you're a butter eater like me), then spread hummus inside, and chunks of feta and kalmata olives, and cucumbers sliced thin, sometimes some tzatziki or plain yogurt, but works just fine without.

Also a good snack that could be upgraded to a sandwich is thin deli salami spread with cream cheese, rolled up with black or green olives.

(And one bonus, not too unconventional sandwich, salami and provolone on a croissant with Dijon mustard. Grilled or toasted if you're feeling fancy.)
posted by catatethebird at 5:29 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Change up your chicken salad:
- thanksgiving: chicken, mayo, cranberry sauce and/or dried cranberries, sweet onions
- mixed veg: have roasted veg for dinner (sweet potatoes, beets, broccoli, winter squash, etc) then dice up one serving and mix into your salad.
- curry: chicken, plain yogurt, curry powder (or any spice powders you like, cumin, garam masala, etc) yellow raisins, sweet onion

And look for new egg salad recipes, I've seen with olives, avocado, or roasted red peppers
posted by aimedwander at 5:36 AM on September 12, 2018

Turkey, brie, apple. Egg salad with avocado both chopped and mashed into the mayo dressing.. you can add a slice of ham for "green eggs and ham." Put things in a pita: falafel, shawarma meat, tzatziki, pickled onions and veggies, chickpea salad, grilled eggplant. Put things in a wrap: spicy southwestern grilled chicken, chicken caesar salad, fajita filling. Bahn mi sandwiches. Use grilled pizza dough to fold in half and fill with sandwich fillings. Cuban sandwich or anything turned into a panini will taste sexier. Use hummus as a spread/dressing instead of mayo/mustard. Pulled pork or pulled chicken has many possibilities of sauce and slaw combinations. Some of these might be best if assembled right before eating so they dont soak the bread.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 5:51 AM on September 12, 2018

I don't know how unconventional this is because it sounds perfectly cromulent to me, but a kimchi grilled cheese toastie is fab, especially with a good beer to wash it down.
posted by like_neon at 6:05 AM on September 12, 2018

If you are up for a book, you should should check out A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches. It features unusual sandwiches and unusual writing (for a cookbook).

An example from the roast beef section: "Chutzpuh Express": roast beef, pickled mushrooms, Chinese mustard, parsley.
posted by tofu_crouton at 6:22 AM on September 12, 2018

I don't think it's that weird, but I get the side-eye when I tell people about the deluxe BLT that my mom's family makes (layers in order):
toast
peanut butter
bacon
tomato slice(s)
cheese
lettuce
mayo
toast
posted by ArgentCorvid at 6:33 AM on September 12, 2018

Best answer: My variation on the apple-cheddar sandwich - add a bit of basil to cut the sweetness.
posted by cardboard at 6:44 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Combinations:

Rare roast beef and chive cream cheese
Extra-sharp cheddar and Branston Pickle
Salami, cucumber and honey
Fried Spam, teriyaki sauce, and pineapple preserves

And I used to frequent a lunch counter run by a lovely old Korean couple who put their own spin on American standards, and they served a bulgogi cheesesteak that was the sloppiest, most ridiculous sandwich I've ever eaten. It was to die for.
posted by Faint of Butt at 6:50 AM on September 12, 2018

I came back to post that I just made and tried a peanut butter and breadNbutter pickle sandwich for breakfast based on the rave reviews in this post. I agree that it is evocative of Thai or Vietnamese flavors but unfortunately there is just something off about it for me and so I had to 1-800-nope right out of finishing it. 20 points to me though for willingness to try something new.
posted by TestamentToGrace at 7:03 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

My tartine recipe: on an quarter of a baguette (or half of a mini-baguette), spread in this order: butter, pate or rillettes, spinach or arugula leaves, havarti (or similar cheese). Broil until the cheese is toasted and top with an herbed salt like this. Eat immediately, with slices of tart apple (if I don't have the spinach or arugula, I'm inclined to slice part of the apple thinner and use it instead).

Also, my key for making any grilled sandwich taste expensive is to add a layer of chutney. Especially for turkey or ham, but why limit yourself?

Finally, I love a good BLA (bacon, lettuce, avocado).
posted by koucha at 7:13 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

White bread, buttered. Add vegemite (a thin layer -- this is why Americans don't like vegemite, they all slather it on like it's PB) then cheddar cheese and a fried egg.

yum.

Best when hungover, but good any time.
posted by gaspode at 7:42 AM on September 12, 2018

Brie + fig jam + arugula + a good smoked ham (not boiled; think prosciutto) on ciabata or a hard roll

Cheese + strawberry or raspberry jam + slices of hard-boiled egg (actually, ideally a soft-boiled egg, but that doesn't travel well) on black bread or a multigrain roll
posted by yggdrasil at 7:43 AM on September 12, 2018

Curried chicken salad + sliced brie + sliced red grapes. I discovered this by accident and it is SO GOOD.

(Also good atop a crostini or cracker.)
posted by a fiendish thingy at 7:53 AM on September 12, 2018

This lentil walnut loaf makes kickass sandwiches. I like it with barbecue sauce.
posted by FencingGal at 8:07 AM on September 12, 2018

Best answer: Sandwich inspiration

Up your condiment game. Make some red onion pickles to put on a roast beef sandwich on sourdough with romaine and horseradish mayo. Use leftover pickle juice to quick pickle shredded carrots or even sliced cucumbers. Banana peppers are great with ham. Try these: capers, pickles, olive tapenade. Chutney is awesome, esp on chicken or turkey.

Avocado and/or hummus are delicious healthy add-ins or main ingredients.
Try some new cheeses: boursin, swiss, good cheddar, colby, havarti
Change up the meats: salami, pepperoni, pastrami, corned beef
Better bread - ciabatta, wraps, sourdough
Crunchy and healthy: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spinach
Mayo's good, try sriracha mayo, wasabi, horseradish, aioli(garlic mayo),
Mustard can be sweet-hot, grainy, brown,dijon
Add some intensity: arugula, radishes, jalapeño, sauerkraut,cilantro,

Wraps, Burritos, More burritos
The BLT is a classic for a reason; use thick bacon, plenty of mayo.
cheese and pickle, cream cheese with chipped beef and/or olives, add arugula
posted by theora55 at 8:43 AM on September 12, 2018

Instead of adding bacon to turn the sandwich into a club, add pepperoni.
posted by soelo at 8:56 AM on September 12, 2018

Best answer: Put smoked paprika in the egg salad and sub honey mustard for the regular yellow mustard. Game changer.
posted by Green Eyed Monster at 9:38 AM on September 12, 2018

Variations on the Pav bhaji (keep the ingredients separate and then put them together when ready to eat) or the Vada Pav.
posted by Ashwagandha at 10:07 AM on September 12, 2018

Guacamole, onion, lox. Yum.
posted by pyro979 at 10:38 AM on September 12, 2018

Beloved classic:
Heirloom tomatoes and mild cheddar sliced thick, mayo, whole wheat bread

New favorite:
Teriyaki chicken, sautéed mushrooms, jack cheese, wasabi mayo, crunchy roll

Secret menu:
Olive and red pepper cream cheese, Vegemite, Cheetos, whole grain bread
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:41 AM on September 12, 2018

Avocado, sardine, red onion, squeeze of lime.
posted by 10ch at 10:51 AM on September 12, 2018

Best answer: Pickled herring in cream on pumpernickle. Don't @ me.
Liverwurst and creamcheese on pumpernickle
Proscuitto with butter and grainy mustard on a hard roll
Goat cheese and cherry jam on walnut bread
Humbolt Fog cheese with fig jam on walnut bread
Lox and cream cheese with capers on a bagel (or ciabatta)
Brie with apple slices on challah
Pita filled with cucumber, tomatoes, pickles, shredded lettuce, and mayo or other dressing
Pita with lamb meatballs, feta, tzatziki, red onion, and cucumber
posted by ananci at 10:53 AM on September 12, 2018 [2 favorites]

I really like chicken salad with curry powder (which is pretty common) so I tried curry powder in tuna salad once and it was just as good, though far less common. Cinnamon is a good alternative. This is especially good if your tuna salad sandwich has avocados on it.
posted by lunasol at 11:24 AM on September 12, 2018

The proper pickle to have in a peanut butter and pickle sandwich is the dill pickle. The bread and butter ones are gross with peanut butter but the dill ones are AMAZING.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:48 AM on September 12, 2018 [1 favorite]

Throw in a meatball sub or two, you're also missing philly cheesesteaks.

My fav "odd" sandwiches:
Hummus, red peppers, cucumbers inside a pita
fried egg, provolone, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, on a bagel
grilled portabella cap, sauteed onions, your favorite melty cheese

Easiest ways to help out tuna salad (in my opinions) are:
1)add curry powder
2)use half mayo, half zesty catalina (it is not nearly as good with regular or honey), tangy Caesar, or peppercorn cheese dressing
posted by FirstMateKate at 1:25 PM on September 12, 2018

My favorite is egg salad, fortified with nutritional yeast, a squeeze of lemon juice (or shake of crystalized lemon juice), and roasted salted sunflower seeds. My preferred ratio is 2 eggs, 1 tablespoon mayo, at least 1 tablespoon nootch, and then however much of the others fall in. Add pickled spicy peppers for more fun. (My husband looks like he's in physical pain when I make and eat this.)

Chickpea "tuna" salad with sunflower seeds is also a favorite.

Smokehouse chickpeas with avocado and tomato and mayo.

Ants on a log in a loaf: peanut butter with thin slices of celery, and dried tart cherries (if you feel fancy) or raisins.
posted by esoterrica at 1:49 PM on September 12, 2018

Peanut butter bacon.

The peanut butter brings a bit of sweetness and creamy texture, while the bacon adds a salty, slightly greasy crunch. It's a perfect yet entirely temporary marriage that makes almost every omnivore happy.
posted by talldean at 6:12 PM on September 12, 2018

I like the andouille tofurkey with lots of lettuce, cucumber, onions, and mustard and mayo. Put it on any roll.

I also make a tofu salad sandwich that I like far more than egg salad. Cut up a block of firm tofu but not too finely, and then add very finely chopped pieces of celery and carrot, really good mustard, a touch of soy sauce, mayo, and green onions. Stir it, then plop it on some toasted 99 cent white bread.

Peanut butter and honey sandwiches are very good, put that on sprouted wheat bread for a density contrast. I also like an avocado sandwich with a deep fried egg, a thin swipe of mayo on the top of the bread, and some salt and pepper.

My favorite sandwich in France was one I had to improvise from the breakfast buffet - get a real solid roll with a hardy crust and soft crumb, butter heavily, then stuff in as much brie and thick cut bacon as you can until it can't be filled anymore, then squish it down and compress it a bit and wrap it in paper. That lasted a solid day of travel and enjoyed parental approval.

Add cranberry sauce to your sandwiches, it'll be really good.
posted by yueliang at 1:30 AM on September 13, 2018

Oh, and my favorite sandwich at my local grocery store is thick-cut Cajun baked tofu, with sprouts, cucumber, bell peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, red onion, with pesto mayo, cranberry sauce, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. All on a perfectly toasted Dutch Crunch roll.

Speaking of which, my other favorite sandwich from SF Chinatown did an amazing smoked salmon with cream cheese and all vegetables on a Dutch Crunch roll. What an amazing sandwich...
posted by yueliang at 1:42 AM on September 13, 2018

A frittata sliced into rectangles or triangles (I do it with roasted peppers, broccoli/zucchini/asparagus, onion, and cheddar) with sriracha mayo on a sturdy crusty bread.
posted by dapati at 9:45 AM on September 13, 2018

Peanut Butter + Ketchup + mayo + sardines.

Amen.
posted by storybored at 5:22 PM on September 13, 2018

Peanut Butter + Ketchup + mayo + sardines.

I would judge, but my favorite breakfast used to be a bacon and egg sandwich with toasted bread, peanut butter and wasabi on the bacon side, tomato sauce and mayo on the egg side.
posted by zamboni at 9:38 AM on September 14, 2018

Yeah, look, what you're after is crunchy peanut butter, cheddar cheese, and sliced dill pickles (preferably spicy, as spicy and peanut butter work really well together too).

Pickles will obviously turn the sandwich into a soggy mess if left for any length of time, so transport those separately if it's for work.
posted by turbid dahlia at 4:06 PM on September 18, 2018