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When you’re building the ultimate sandwich, flavor balance is key. The best sandwiches make use of contrasting flavors and textures to create that perfect bite every time. Crunchy, salty, sweet, spicy — you want everything working together. Many great sandwiches rely on a pickled element to provide that sharp, tangy contrast to more mellow flavors. Think of the sauerkraut on a Reuben, the pickled vegetables in a banh mi sandwich, or just a deli-style dill pickle slice on a club sandwich. We talked to chef Owen Han, the cookbook author of “Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich,” and he gave us some tips for building a delicious sandwich with pickled vegetables as the star. Han’s advice is to “let the pickles shine,” and that’s often easier said than done.
Usually, when you make a sandwich, your focus is on meat or cheese, or something a little heartier that can overshadow those other flavors. Han believes it’s all about balance and says, “Add creamy or rich elements to balance the tang.” You can pickle almost anything, of course, but Han has suggestions for what he considers great choices. “I like pickled red onions, cucumbers, and carrots — they bring crunch, color, and a nice punch of flavor.”
While the pickles may be the star here, you still need something to hold it all together, and Han recommends a sturdy bread. “You want it to hold up without getting soggy,” he says. His recommendations include rye, sourdough, and crusty rolls.
Building the perfect bite
A sandwich is not usually bread and pickles alone — it could be, but you want harmony, and that’s why Han has some more suggestions. “Salty meats like salami or pastrami pair well with tangy pickles,” he says. You’re getting that fat from the meat, which the acidity from the pickle cuts through to round out the flavors on your palate. And if your pickle packs a sharper punch, Han recommends deli meat like turkey.
No deli sandwich is going to be complete without cheese and condiments, and Han didn’t leave those out. If you’re looking for a hot sandwich with some melty cheese, he says, “Swiss or provolone melt great and don’t overpower.” When making pickle sandwiches in the past, we’ve recommended a creamy whipped ricotta. You can even mix in honey for sweetness to offset the sour.
When it comes to condiments, Han also looks for a good balance. “Dijon, Russian dressing, or even a little aioli can go a long way,” he says. Dijon has its own sharpness, but it comes with heat that can play off of the sweetness in some pickles. The opposite is true of Russian dressing, a key ingredient in a classic Reuben, which can counter the sharpness or tang of a more sour pickle. The richness of an aioli will help temper acidity, so all three have their place.
With a strong flavor like pickled vegetables, it’s important to let it shine without overpowering all the other ingredients. Choose your meat, cheese, and condiments according to chef Han’s suggestions, and you’ll end up with a delicious sandwich every time
