21/01/2026
If you are a sandwich nut like me, this is for you.
*What makes a smashing sandwich*
Part l - Components
1. Bread: You gotta a soft fluffy bread or something chewy and crusty? This itself decides a lot of things. You don't want to weigh down a soft bread with a heavy filling but you definitely want crunch. On the other hand, a crusty chewy bread needs a toothsome filling but also creaminess as an offset.
2. Sauces/ spread: a dry sandwich is no fun. Mayo, hung curd, mustard, green chutney, pesto, hot sauce, cream cheese, hummus - all of these are worthy candidates. I firmly believe the sauces make or break how mouth watering the sandwich finally is.
3. Crunch: Texture can add a winning chompworthy quality to the sandwich in an instant. Fresh salad leaves, a tangle of herbs, coleslaw, crunchy veg like sliced peppers, onion or cucumber work well.
4. Pickles: My favourite addition. Pickled onion, chilli & beetroot, capers, olives - these delightfully tangy and salty bits liven things right up and can also double up as the crunch element.
5. Cheese: A fundamental building block. Soft cheeses like ricotta, cottage cheese, fresh goat cheese, burrata etc can be used interchangeably with spreads as they add creaminess, other than flavour. On the other hand, semi hard cheeses like cheddar, gouda, edam, gruyère or provolone can be used specially well in a hot sandwich like a grilled cheese.
6. Filling: The main bulk of the sandwich, this involves things like cured or roasted meats, boiled egg, roasted vegetables, any sort of patty, grilled paneer, aloo tikki, day old vada or cutlet. The filling is what walks a sandwich from a light snack to meal category. Add some chips and/ or a salad on the side and it's a legitimate lunch or dinner.
A delicious and wholesome sandwich can be built using any of these 2-6 elements - the combinations are endless and completely dependent on your pantry, fridge & mood.
In the next addition of this Sandwich thesis (!!), we'll discuss how to build one - stay tuned - and in the meanwhile let us know what's your go-to sandwich?