15 Luxurious Upgrades For Bologna Sandwiches
Nostalgia isn't the only reason people love bologna sandwiches. The cured meat has a salty flavor with undernotes of nutmeg and coriander, depending on the company making it. It's a treat and a quick meal, but you can try these luxurious upgrades for bologna sandwiches to transform them into more flavorful experiences.
Sandwiches aren't always a few slices of bread, meats, and cheeses. You can always use your culinary creativity to make them into delicious meals inspired by your favorite cultures or spices. Enjoy your next bologna sandwich without the usual toppings.
See which options you love most by experimenting in your kitchen. You'll quickly discover your newest favorite ways to enjoy bologna when you're craving a sandwich. Invite your loved ones over to enjoy your creations too. You never know how your luxurious upgrades will inspire your loved ones, especially if they eat bologna sandwiches as recurring weekly meals.
Read more: The 14 Absolute Worst Mistakes You're Making With Meatloaf
Sprinkle Bourbon-Smoked Chili Powder On Bologna Sandwiches
People often sprinkle seasonings over their sandwiches to give them new flavors. Although you might have heard of pairing options like Italian seasoning and salami, you might not have thought of putting bourbon-smoked chili powder on bologna.
The seasoning packs a fiery punch that's easy to adjust to your taste preferences. Sprinkle as much seasoning as you prefer over your next sandwich to give it a robust flavor profile. You could shake the seasoning over your bologna pieces or brush each slice with bourbon-smoked chili powder for more even coverage.
Adding chili powder to your meals doesn't just make them tastier. It also turns them into healthier options when you're craving comfort foods like bologna sandwiches. Chili powder has antioxidant properties that reduce free radicals in the body. You'll cleanse your system with each bite while filling up on an extra delicious meal.
Load Up On Flavor By Adding Caramelized Onions Cooked In Balsamic Vinegar
People often add carmelized onions to sandwiches to enhance the flavor of their meals. They add a hint of sweetness to any salty sandwich meat, but you can make your next bologna sandwich even more delicious by caramelizing your chopped onions in balsamic vinegar.
Instead of adding butter or oil to your pan, pour an equal amount of balsamic vinegar. It prevents the chopped onions from sticking to the pan while simmering them in the tangy vinegar until the onions become translucent.
See how much you love the flavor of balsamic vinegar onions on your bologna sandwiches by trying them out with your next meal. If you make a whole onion, you'll have enough left over for future sandwiches or salads. Store them in an airtight container to help the caramelized onions last at least a few days.
Add Manchego Cheese Slices To Bologna Sandwiches
Adding cheese to a bologna sandwich is a classic way to enjoy it. Try exploring the cheese section of your local deli to upgrade your next meal. Manchego cheese is an excellent choice for any bologna sandwich connoisseur. It adds flavorful zest to each bite due to its unique curing process, rather than the sharp tang of cheddar cheese. Get your manchego cheese sliced fresh or slice it into thin squares at home to prep it for your upcoming sandwich adventures.
Layer your bologna slices between two slices of manchego if you want a zestier meal with more of a robust flavor profile. You could also grill your sandwich for a few minutes on the stove before slicing it in half. The melty, gooey cheese will transform your sandwich into a luxury recipe everyone will want to copy when they try it too.
Spread Guacamole On Both Bread Slices
Use guacamole to enhance your next bologna creation by getting it premade or slicing an avocado to prepare a homemade recipe. The creamy, slightly nutty fruit softens the salty flavor in standard bologna slices. It also adds natural fats to your guacamole recipe, preventing your sandwich from getting dry. While the fats enrich your meal's flavor profile, they'll also improve your microbiome.
Consider replacing mayonnaise with guac spread. You could spread it over whole wheat or sourdough bread for your next luxurious bologna sandwich. You may love the combination so much that you add toasted pumpkin seeds to enjoy more plant-based nutrients. It will even feel like you're having an autumn getaway without adding pumpkin to your plate. You can always use your leftover guac as a dip for chips, veggie sticks, or a topping for soup. There's no reason not to try this recipe.
Marinate Your Bologna Slices In Barbecue Sauce
If you've been cooking meat for a while, you're likely no stranger to marinating. Leaving it to soak in sauces, broths, and spices makes it a juicer delight when it's time to eat. Replicate that same experience with your future sandwiches by marinating your bologna the day before.
All you need is a condiment and a storage container like a plastic bag. If you're interested in luxurious upgrades for bologna sandwiches, get yourself a high-quality bottle of barbecue sauce. You could marinate your bologna slices in the mixture overnight or for a few hours to infuse the meat with your sauce's flavor.
You could spread the same mixture over your bread to prevent dryness. Anyone looking to get even more creative could shake hot sauce over the bread to complement the spicy barbecue sauce you'll taste in every savory bite of your bologna.
Enjoy Vegan Bologna Slices
People may have once laughed at the contradictory idea of vegan meat products, but hardly anyone's laughing now that they've tasted the widely available replacements for deli products. Vegan beef, pork, and chicken substitutes are becoming more popular each year, resulting in numerous options for consumers.
Vegan bologna is an ingredient swap you could enjoy. Get a pack at your local grocery store to try it out this week. You might discover you love plant-based meat more than a traditional alternative due to its high protein content and organic ingredients.
If you take your first bite and feel like something's missing, it might be sodium. Real deli products like beef use salt as a preservative, whereas plant-based ingredients may not need the same amount to stay fresh. Add a sprinkling of salt to your bologna slices or a savory condiment to enjoy your meal more.
Choose Ciabatta Bread For Your Sandwich
White and whole grain bread might have a constant presence on your grocery list. Upgrade your next meal by getting ciabatta bread instead.
Ciabatta has a slightly tangy flavor like sourdough, but doesn't retain an aftertaste. The subtle tanginess might be what you need to elevate any future bologna sandwich. You'll also get the enhanced experience of a chewy ciabatta crust with a spongy interior texture that soaks up oils and sauces to prevent sandwich drippage during a meal.
Make your meal a divine experience that even boosts your self-esteem by making your bread a day before. As long as you carefully measure your ingredients and follow your selected recipe carefully, you'll create a tasty batch of bread that makes every meal more incredible. Store your leftovers in an airtight container to keep mold spores from loving your creation as much as you will.
Roast Garlic Butter For A Bologna Melt
A sandwich may not feel complete until you've dipped it in a condiment to prevent dryness. Homemade butter enriched with roasted garlic might sound like something you can only make with experience in a professional kitchen, but anyone can whip up a batch in just a few minutes.
Peel and chop a garlic bulb before placing the diced pieces on an aluminum-lined baking sheet and drizzling them in olive oil. Ball the aluminum around the garlic and bake for nearly an hour. When it's ready, you can heat a stick of butter on the stove and whisk the softened garlic pieces into it.
It makes any bread into garlic bread, layering a savory-sweet flavor into the buttery aroma rising from your plate. Save the leftovers to top roasted chicken breasts or spread over a loaf of French bread during your next Italian dinner.
Drizzle Honey Over Bologna With Goat Cheese
Salty and sweet almost always pair well together. It's why people love chocolate-covered pretzels or dipping tortilla chips in melted cheese. It's also the reason you'll adore adding honey to your next bologna sandwich.
Honey can upgrade sandwiches. The natural sweetness balances your bologna's salty flavor profile without added or processed sugars. Anyone hoping to get even more creative can add crumbled goat cheese to their honey for a lavish topping. Goat cheese always has a unique flavor that depends on its curing and manufacturing process.
Both flavors will make your bologna sandwiches extra savory without requiring additional preparation time. Spread the soft cheese on your sandwich bread and drizzle honey over everything to make your meal in a minute or two. All three ingredients keep well in the fridge, so this is also an excellent upgrade for anyone who preps their meals.
Enjoy A Bologna Pita Wrap With Tahini Sauce
Pita bread is a fun way to make any meal fancier and tastier. It has an inner pocket people traditionally fill with hummus and vegetables, but you can also pack some bologna sandwiches and your favorite toppings.
The primary benefit of choosing pita bread over sliced alternatives is its ability to hold thinner liquid mixtures. Whether you like your bologna drenched in a dripping sauce or smothered in buttered spices, the wrap will hold everything together.
Use this experience to explore the world of bologna sandwiches topped with tahini sauce. The slightly thicker topping has a nutty flavor drawn from the sesame seeds it comes from. Fill your pita bread with bologna, lettuce, and tomato slices. You could use a bread knife to spread tahini sauce over the inside of the pocket before enjoying it cold or warming it on the stove.
Top Your Sandwich With Sauerkraut
Some people don't enjoy sweet sandwiches. If things like Hawaiian bread and maple-glazed deli cuts aren't your style, try improving your next bologna sandwich with sauerkraut. It's easy to find already made in stores and simple to replicate at home.
The fermented cabbage is a popular sandwich and wrap topping because it adds an acidic layer to any combination of ingredients. Any tart topping enhances a fat-based meal like bread filled with bologna slices. The acidic profiles make each ingredient bolder. You'll taste everything more clearly by trying something that isn't sweet.
Sauerkraut has natural juices and sometimes comes in a creamy mixture. You'll love the additional moisture in your sandwich, especially if you're using a slightly stale loaf of bread. Adding it to a meal-prepped sandwich will also elevate the dish because your serving might dry out in the low-humidity air within your fridge.
Dip Everything In Apricot Dijon Sauce
Many meals get tastier with dips. It's why people grab Ranch dressing for their pizza slices and ketchup for their French fries. You can do the same with your bologna sandwiches by finding a condiment that enhances each bite.
If you're unsure where to start, explore the world of apricot dijon sauce. It's a mustard-based recipe that combines the earthy taste of mustard with the natural sweetness of apricots. The combination is an explosion of flavors in every bite when added to salty deli meat.
There are numerous ways to personalize this kind of dip. Find apricot jam and mix dijon mustard in or blend mustard, a splash of water, and fresh apricots to create a condiment. You could even add a few dashes of Cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to give your dip a tasty kick. Just ensure you label your leftovers.
Serve Bologna On Toasted Open-Faced Bread Slices
Who says all of your sandwiches must consist of two bread slices on top of each other? You can always make your next bologna creation an open-faced meal. Lay your bread slices next to each other, slather your preferred condiments on and top with your bologna. Then start your culinary adventure.
Roast your open-faced slices for a few minutes under your broiler to make your bologna curl around the edges. You'll get an instant fried bologna texture and taste without breaking out a pan.
You'll also have plenty of room to pile on as many toppings as you'd like. Explore options that might otherwise fall out of the bottom of a sandwich, like pico de gallo or cheese slices topped with everything bagel seasoning. Since you'll eat each piece horizontally, it's much easier to eat tall, loose toppings that make every bite luxurious.
Test Your Tastebuds With A Salt And Vinegar Drizzle
Anyone who can't resist sour snacks should add a salt and vinegar drizzle to their next bologna sandwich. It will just take a few minutes. Pick a vinegar you love the most, like apple cider or red wine vinegar. Pour a few tablespoons into a small bowl and sprinkle salt into the mix.
You can use a basting brush to lightly cover the inside of your sandwich with it or coat the outside for a crispy bologna melt. Start with a light coating to see how much vinegar you prefer.
If you want to make enough for leftovers, save your mixture in a jar for your next big dinner. Vinegar sauces enhance shredded pork recipes, burgers, and even slow-cooked meats. Everyone will wonder how your cooking skills became so refined when you know the secret is a simple bottle of vinegar.
Slice Fruit For Your Next Bologna Sandwich
People love to pair fruit with sandwiches, but what happens if you layer the fruit inside your bread? You could get your next favorite luxurious upgrade for bologna sandwiches. Select something sweet to offset the meat's saltiness, like sliced peaches. If you cut them thinly and lay them onto your deli slices, they'll add a lovely layer of juice to each bite.
You could even make your meal taste like a dessert by roasting your sliced fruits for a few minutes under a broiler. The heat makes the fruit softer, making the juices more prominent. Broil the slices by themselves or on top of your open-faced meal.
Opt for jam when you want a fruit-enhanced bologna creation and lack the time to broil your toppings. You'll get the same sweet, luxurious aroma and flavor profile without spending as much time in the kitchen.
Read the original article on Tasting Table
