13 Innovative Ways to Enjoy Bologna Beyond Sandwiches

Bologna is American through and through, but the spiced and blended meat has a home in nearly every corner of the world. Named after the Italian city it originated in, Bologna’s origins hold much more elegance than we might expect. What we know as bologna is an evolution from its mortadella days in Italy. The original Italian bologna — mortadella — is made of ground pork, whereas the Americanized version we enjoy today is a blend of pork, beef, and sometimes chicken. 

In the U.S., the luncheon meat is constantly ridiculed for its blend of ingredients, pitted as mystery meat and sparking the universal expression “phony baloney” for its apparent deception. People can say what they wish, but let’s face it, bologna is a flattened hot dog, and we don’t have nearly as much trash to talk about hot dogs.  A fried bologna sandwich is the ultimate comfort food for so many Americans, but there are more options than just slapping it between two pieces of bread. You can make your bologna sandwich more exciting with toppings like caramelized onions and honey, but eventually, even sandwiches can get old.

In my opinion, a huge contributor to bologna’s generalized ick factor is the thick slices commonly found in pre-packaged options. Mortadella is always cut paper thin, leaving the fatty bite to practically disappear in your mouth. This mouthwatering texture makes it easy to pair with other foods, but all it takes is a little effort to evoke that with bologna. Switch up the ol’ bologna sandwich routine with one of these wacky recipes, many of which are surprisingly sophisticated.

Yep, you read that right — bologna cake. This disaster was allegedly very popular in the South, but it’s rumored to have been more of a novelty than any real substantial dish. Even if you love bologna, this very 1950s-style cake can be a nauseating concept, but when you take a moment to think about it logistically, it’s not the worst idea. It’s basically all the elements of a sandwich, just perfectly portioned. If sliced and placed upon a slice of toasted bread, bologna cake becomes a tasty open-faced bologna sandwich with the ideal ratio of meats and cheeses.

There are a variety of dated recipes for bologna cake, but the majority include bologna, softened cream cheese, grated onion, and Worcestershire. It’s then sliced and served with buttery crackers. The art is all in the layering. The cake ideally has at least 10 layers of thinly sliced bologna, separated by whipped cream cheese and “frosted” with even more cream cheese. Easy Cheese or Cheez Whiz, the iconic aerosol cans of cheese, offer perfect piping tips for cheese frosting.

During the Great Depression, bologna was a godsend. Vacuum-sealed and canned meats are pantry-safe, high in protein, and a blank canvas for flavor. Between chicken, tuna, and egg, there are plenty of creamy protein-rich salads to choose from, but bologna is just as worthy. Ham salad is the often-forgotten mayo-heavy meat spread but in the 1930s it was arguably the most popular of the bunch, typically made into more of a spread that could double as a dip or crostini topper. The classic ham salad preparation works just as well (if not better) with bologna.

You can start by chopping slices of bologna into oblivion, or go right for the food processor to get the perfect blitz. That mixture will then be tossed with finely diced onion, mayonnaise, and seasonings to taste. Recipes vary, but in my opinion, this salad must include pickles. They add a nice amount of tang to bounce off the salty bologna. Many renditions include yellow mustard or a splash of vinegar for a similar touch. This so-called salad is so creamy and spreadable that it can also function as a dip.

Eggs pair beautifully with any salty meat — crispy bacon, sausage patties, Canadian bacon, ham steaks, and of course, bologna. Most brands use primarily pork to make their bologna, so it’s generally a great substitute for bacon and sausage. You can dice it up, fold it into a fluffy omelet, or just fry it alongside your over-easy eggs like a crispy side dish.

Bologna’s salty, subtle smoky flavor particularly complements fluffy eggs, and some shredded cheese and scallions don’t hurt either. The fact that bologna is fully cooked is one of its many perks, but it really benefits from some sizzling time on the pan. With the sugars, bologna almost caramelizes when pan-fried for a few minutes. To make the perfect bologna omelet, it’s best to chop the bologna into small pieces, fry them in a skillet, set aside, and then add to the cheesy, airy omelet at the end of cooking. By adding heavily seasoned ingredients like bologna, breakfast time can be sped up substantially.

You won’t find a picnic table without a big bowl of macaroni salad, and chances are you’ll spot a few variations. There’s often a vegetarian take with extra greens, and perhaps a spicy preparation loaded with thick cuts of salami. The lucky chosen noodles play a huge factor in and typically dictate the style and seasonings of the chilled salad. Old-school Italian pasta salad, which often features penne, is usually tossed in a herby vinaigrette. Then we have the Southern-style macaroni salad, which is more often elbows dressed in a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce. 

If bologna sandwiches have taught us anything, it’s that the salty meat goes beautifully with tangy, whipped mayonnaise. Some dress their macaroni salad with grilled shrimp, but that bologna sitting in the fridge can make a delicious upgrade. If the more Italian-style pasta salad is the preference, chopped bologna is a great substitute for peppery salami, but the creamier spin on chilled pasta salad works especially well with smoky bits of bologna.

Nothing says cozy like a steaming pot of chili. While not all chilis are created equal, they all share the same key seasonings and spices that carry the flavor. A good pot of chili has the right texture, each bite with the perfect ratio of beans to beef, or in this case, bologna. As long as the right flavoring is there, anything goes with a simmering pot of chili.

Everyone and their grandmother seems to have a prized chili recipe, with a wide scope of ingredients; some with a dozen different beans, some with none at all, some packed with beef, others with lamb, and occasionally even with chicken. Bologna is often discarded as an option but chili is actually the perfect place for the peppery lunchmeat. There’s a mild smokiness that adds a depth of flavor with each passing minute of simmering. Just as you’d brown the ground beef before adding it to your chili pot, searing the pieces of bologna first will make a big difference.

If your attraction to bologna stems from its affordable price, then let me introduce you to the baked potato. It’s one of the most economical carbs you can add to your plate and can be a whole entree if dressed correctly. Sour cream, shredded cheese, and scallions are the most obvious toppings, but there are plenty of other ways to jazz up your baked potato. Bacon is another constant on the baked potato bar, and bologna can imitate bacon if properly crisped up beforehand.

Grab some slices of bologna from the fridge and dice them into itty bitty pieces before tossing them into a skillet over medium heat. You’ll want to keep an eye on the bologna “bacon,” stirring occasionally, until the pieces curl and become golden brown and crispy. The edges will get a nice crust while the center holds onto just enough chew. This opens up a whole new avenue with bologna “bacon” crumbles, but what deserves crunchy bacon bits more than a baked potato?

This is a truck stop favorite. You may have eyed the odd-looking jars of pickled eggs and the like at the gas station tucked next to the cash register, but don’t discredit the bologna. You can pickle just about anything, including cured meats like bologna. While you can find pickled bologna from brands like Koegel’s, Trail’s End, and Brooks in grocery stores across the Midwest and beyond, making your own is surprisingly simple and lets you control the flavors. All you need is bologna, vinegar, and your choice of spices to create this tangy, savory bite that’s perfect for snacking or adding to a shabby charcuterie board.

Start with thick-cut chunks of bologna and a basic pickling solution of white vinegar, water, and pickling spices. Many home picklers swear by adding garlic cloves, red pepper flakes, and mustard seeds to their brine, while others include sliced onions or jalapeños for extra kick. Simply bring your pickling liquid to a boil, let it cool slightly, then pour it over your bologna in a fresh jar. After 3-4 days in the fridge, you’ll have zesty pickled bologna that rivals any store-bought version. The longer it sits, the more pronounced the flavor becomes.

Bologna deserves a place at the breakfast table. If not sandwiched between two pieces of Wonder bread, the morning hours are peak time for the deli meat. It’s been established that bologna is delicious paired with eggs, but it’s just as tasty alongside other breakfast fixings like hash browns, grits, or biscuits and gravy. The real win with breakfast is when it’s filling, delicious, and practically hands-off. There are countless ways to prepare eggs in the AM, but baked eggs are one of the easiest as you simply crack em’ and leave em’.

Bologna breakfast cups check every box on that list. This genius hack gives the muffin tin a whole new purpose. You can craft mini cups made of bologna by tucking slices into each divet of the tin and then cracking an egg into each. The eggs will help each slice of bologna keep its round shape, which will then crisp up in the oven. The add-ins are endless: Cheese, fresh herbs, chopped peppers, salsa, you name it. If you have a surplus of bologna in the fridge or just can’t get enough, you can double the bologna by topping the eggs with some diced bologna bits.

Russian potato salad, or Olivier salad, looks like a classic potato salad at first glance, just with tiny bits of potato rather than the big chunks other cuisines begin with. Once you take a closer look, you’ll spot some unexpected guests. It’s made in the same fashion as German-influenced potato salad, with parboiled potatoes, mayonnaise, and onions, but with the addition of peas, pickles, and the star of the show — bologna.

The Eastern European dish has a lot of variations, with many calling for bologna and a handful going for cubed ham. Regardless, the two have a similar feel and contribute a relatively close taste to the potato salad. Cubed bologna has a similar texture to ham and could be swapped in its place in nearly any instance. The real key to great Olivier salad is cutting all the ingredients into uniform-sized cubes, guaranteeing a perfect mix of flavors and textures in every bite. To make it, dice your bologna into small cubes (about the same size as your potato pieces) and combine it with cooled diced potatoes, carrots, peas, hard-boiled eggs, and pickles. The salad is then held together with mayonnaise and often seasoned with dill. Some versions include morsels of apple for sweetness or a bit of mustard for a punch.

Casseroles are like the American catch-all for whatever is left in the fridge. They’ve become the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink type of dinner in my kitchen, taking care of that leftover chicken or the last of the beans. Bologna is rarely in urgent need of consumption given its long fridge lifespan, but it can still star in your casserole. Take any casserole that calls for ham or even chicken, and bologna can step right in as a thrifty substitute.

That chicken cordon bleu casserole you adored as a kid? Bring it back into adulthood, but this time layer in diced bologna instead of ham alongside chicken, swiss cheese, and a creamy sauce for a savvy twist on the classic. Got some day-old bread? Tear it into pieces for a savory bologna and cheese strata. Half a bag of frozen peas, some leftover pasta, and that block of cheese that’s been waiting for its moment to shine? Throw them all together with diced bologna, a simple cream sauce, and top with breadcrumbs for an easy one-dish meal.

Many pre-sliced brands of bologna we see at the grocery store have been smoked in one way or another, but always with the intention of being tossed in a sandwich. To switch up the usual bologna sandwich night, prepare a big smoked feast. Bologna is a versatile sausage, which gives it a lot of room to absorb different flavors, and that isn’t just in regards to seasoning but also cooking technique. Even if the bologna is already lightly smoked, you can take it two steps further by smoking it as you would a big hunk of pork belly or brisket.

Burnt ends are one of the most sought-after options at the BBQ table, but they were originally nothing more than an afterthought. It’s understanding that the crispy, charred bits don’t look incredibly appetizing at first, but the contrast of fatty and smokey flavors makes for a mouthwatering bite. Burnt ends are traditionally made with the point cut of brisket, a.k.a. the brisket’s fattiest section, but swapping for bologna works wonders. With the right smoke rub, bold BBQ sauce, and a few hours, you can make smoked bologna burnt ends that may even rival the classic.

Salads are another dish with no rules, and bologna is the perfect addition. Chef salads have been a lunch menu mainstay for over 70 years and they still haven’t lost their charm. They’re one of the heartier salad preparations out there, almost like a deconstructed sandwich sans bread. Chef salads commonly start with chopped romaine and are then loaded with just about every type of protein imaginable — deli meats, cheeses, hard-boiled eggs, and bacon.

For a traditional approach, simply julienne some bologna and arrange the strips alongside the other cured meats and chopped goodies in your salad. The bologna can either replace more expensive deli meats like roasted turkey and soppressata or complement them for an entree-worthy salad. Its mild, smoky flavor plays well with tangy ranch dressing or a classic vinaigrette.

Wurstsalat is a traditional German salad that makes bologna the centerpiece. It’s simple yet filling, often served with thick country bread or pretzels at Bavarian beer gardens. It translates directly to “sausage salad” and recipes prioritize high-quality proteins and pickles over fresh veggies. In Germany, bologna is called ringwurst or ring bologna, but other than the specific shape, it tastes similar to popular American brands.

Thinly slicing bologna is usually the secret to elevating it in a dish, but in Wurstsalat, thicker strips give the salad a better texture with a heartier bite. Cheese is cut in a similar fashion, mixed with pickles, and onions, and then tossed in a sharp, zingy vinaigrette. Different regions in Central Europe have their go-to ingredients, but in Germany alpine-style cheeses are big and Emmentaler is a crowd favorite. The semi-hard cheese hails from Switzerland and has a distinct nuttiness while staying mild and smooth. It’s a great match for slivers of full-flavored bologna, and the bright vinaigrette is the ideal finishing touch.