Your Roast Beef Sandwiches Aren't Complete Without Smoked Provolone

A simple sandwich can be the perfect blank canvas to experiment with depth of flavor and different ingredient combinations. Maybe you love the refreshing taste of a veggie-packed bánh mì, or perhaps you prefer the savory flavors of a meaty roast beef sandwich. If the latter sounds like you, it's time to try making your next roast beef sandwich with a creamy, smoked provolone. Smoked provolone has the slightly sweet-tasting notes of your everyday provolone, but is amplified with a layer of nuttiness and smokiness that take this cheese to the next level.

The subtle smoky flavor of smoked provolone adds to the savoriness of your sliced roast beef and can bring out some of the similar flavors that exist in your meat. The combination of these ingredients creates an umami bomb in your sandwich that leaves you going back in, bite after bite. Smoked provolone is also an excellent cheese choice because it works well cold or melted, depending on how you like your sandwich. When melted, the cheese gets lusciously gooey without becoming gritty or greasy in texture, perfect for a sandwich.

With all the rich, umami flavors present in this sandwich, it's wise to include something acidic to help break up some of that heavier flavor. You can add acidity to your sandwich with pickled ingredients. Whether you go for the classic pickle chips, or something more unique like pickled onions or pickled peppers, the brightness from the vinegar in these ingredients cuts through the savoriness for a more balanced sandwich. If you want to play off the sweet notes in the provolone cheese, try using bread and butter pickles on your sandwich. These pickles have a light sweetness that complements the provolone and brings out its natural sweetness.

Another ingredient to upgrade your roast beef sandwich is the spread you choose. Whole grain mustard introduces a new texture to the sandwich and the sour, spicy notes of the mustard juxtapose the rich, creaminess of the other ingredients you have present. A spicy brown mustard is another great choice because of the heat it brings. The spiciness gives your sandwich more interesting flavors and since the meat and cheese are still relatively mild in flavor, a spiced spread can amp this up. If you want to lean into these savory flavors, a hearty garlic aioli will bring another creamy element to the sandwich and make it a full-flavored umami meal.