The Sandwich Bread Swap You Should Try Is A Veggie You Might Not Expect

Whether you're looking for gluten-free alternatives or keto-friendly alternatives for sandwich bread, cauliflower is an unexpected ingredient to bake into a fluffy and delicious loaf. Cauliflower has recently become the "it" food for both carb-conscious and vegan alternatives to everything from rice and pizza crusts to chicken wings and roasted steaks. Its neutral flavor becomes nutty when roasted, making for an excellent oven-baked swap for wheat flour in a loaf of sandwich bread.

In fact, cauliflower bread recipes abound with various different ingredients to complement cauliflower's flavor and facilitate its transformation into bread form. The simplest recipes blend riced cauliflower with whipped egg whites for a firm yet fluffy crumb that'll hold up under the weight of sandwich fillers and condiments. However, many cauliflower bread recipes blend riced cauliflower with almond or coconut flour, egg whites, and yolks to help the bread rise and maintain a cohesive crumb. The almond and coconut flour make for a heartier crumb while also bringing out the nuttiness in the cauliflower.

Riced cauliflower should be steamed or microwaved and strained of all liquid before added to the other ingredients to avoid a crumbly outcome. Blending the cauliflower rice with another dry flour will also help absorb its high water content for a fluffier and less dense crumb. Other flour alternatives like oat or rice flour will also work, but it's important to use the precise measurements and ratios given in tested, trustworthy recipes.

As proven by both cauliflower rice and cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower bread doesn't taste vegetal or bitter. Its nutty, savory flavor and firm yet fluffy texture will pair well with any sandwich filling and condiment you have in mind. You can enhance the nuttiness by topping the loaf with pumpkin or sunflower seeds. A seeded cauliflower bread would work well for a peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwich.

Since cauliflower and cheese sauce is a classic side dish, cauliflower bread will make an excellent vessel for grilled cheese sandwiches. It would also work well with a nutty, cheesy spread, from herby pine-nut-laden pesto to hummus. Of course, you can also incorporate shredded cheese into the dough or even make a cauliflower flatbread to sprinkle with herbs. A cheesy, herby cauliflower flatbread would make a great alternative to focaccia. Stuff a cauliflower focaccia sandwich with your favorite Italian cold cuts, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella.

You could also form cauliflower bread into circular buns for a gluten-free option for burgers and cheeseburgers. Or, consider cutting a thick slice of cauliflower bread to be the foundation of a fancy toast or open-faced sandwich with mashed avocado, cherry tomatoes, a fried egg, and microgreens.