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There is nothing better than a sandwich, and while your choice of bread is usually just as important as the filling in between the slices, there are some tasty alternatives that you can use. Whether you’re looking for a gluten-free option, or you just want to think outside the bread, here are eight replacements for bread in your sandwich.
Rice cakes
Rice cakes are a healthy alternative to bread for your sandwich and they are gluten-free, nut-free and soy-free, so anyone can enjoy them. They are allergen free and low in calories too, so they work well for those who are trying to lose weight. They can be a bit dry, though, so it is best to eat them with a moist filling and to drink water while eating the sandwich so you don’t choke.
Nori
The edible seaweed, nori, is hugely popular in Japan, and can act as the perfect, healthy wrap for your sandwich. Keep it Asian in terms of flavours, but feel free to experiment. The savoury saltiness, together with the particular al-dente texture, make it a delicious alternative to bread.
Lettuce wraps
Lettuce wraps are eaten in China and known as san chow bow. A spicy filling of pork mince is the preferred option in China, but you can play around with whatever you want.
Portobello mushrooms
The large-cap of the Portobello mushroom can be used as an alternative to bread. Grill two caps, with a knob of butter, as a delicious option. Add salt and pepper and you have two fungi-based buns for a sandwich or a burger.
Bell pepper
A stuffed bell pepper is a delicious dish that is eaten around the world. It is, in effect, a type of sandwich, so there is absolutely nothing stopping you from filling a bell pepper with your favourite sandwich filling and popping it in the oven. They work really well with halloumi cheese and couscous, parsley and brushed with olive oil.
Cauliflower bread
This is a low-carb, gluten-free alternative to wheat bread for your sandwich. It is made with dried cauliflower mixed with egg whites, and baked in the oven in a loaf tin. It is exactly like bread, but is quite firm. Cauliflower bread is great for toasted sandwiches and works very well with melted cheese.
Corn tortillas
A corn tortilla is a delicious way to upgrade your bread-free sandwich and turn it into something much more satisfying – a tortilla. Obviously, Mexican-style tortilla fillings work best with corn tortillas, but you can add whatever you want. Make them with corn flour, hot water and salt, and cook them on a cast-iron skillet or a new non-stick frying pan. Serve them warm.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes can be used as an alternative to bread for your sandwich, either by stuffing the sweet potato and roasting it in the oven, or by making a sweet-potato cake, that can then be used to hold your filling. Boil the sweet potato and then press it through a ricer and bind with egg, before frying for a thin and crispy sweet-potato cake.
Once you open your mind to making a sandwich without bread, you open up your kitchen to a whole new world of snack ideas. It is debateable, whether a sandwich without bread can be called a sandwich, but whatever you want to call it, try these alternatives and enjoy.
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