How To Choose The Right Bread For Your Sandwiches Every Single Time

Selecting the right bread for a sandwich is not a decision to be taken lightly. From sourdough to focaccia to classic white bread, the availability of so many types of bread can be overwhelming. Even when you make flavorful sandwiches, the wrong bread can still be the downfall of the most delicious combination of fillings. Luckily, chef Michelle Wallace, owner and founder of B'tween Sandwich Co. and former "Top Chef" contestant, gave Tasting Table the dish on what to look for when seeking the perfect bread for your sandwiches.

In general, a softer filling benefits from a softer bread, whereas sturdy, heartier fillings need a more robust bread to match. Wallace also took more of a poetic perspective on sandwich-making. "Your bread and sandwich fillings should be singing a song together. Consider what you need both to do when building your delicious masterpiece," she illustrated.

When it comes to choosing the best bread depending on your sandwich, Wallace told us it all comes down to education and knowing the differences between the various styles. First, you must familiarize yourself with the qualities of different kinds of bread, considering what their crusts are like as well as the textures of the inside. "If you know what you want your bread to provide for your sandwich, it makes it easier to select a bread. Soft, chewy, crusty, or a combination of qualities, you'll be able to select the right bread if you know the differences," said Wallace. 

For sandwiches filled with sturdy meats and cheeses, like cold cut sandwiches, Michelle Wallace said this: "I love a bread that has some crustiness to its exterior and soft interior." For her, the juxtaposition of these textures together in something like focaccia or sliced Italian bread is ideal for a deli sandwich because "it provides texture and a chew that's lovely." 

For deli salad sandwiches that house softer fillings — like tuna salad or egg salad — Wallace said that "bread with a soft exterior and crumb work best." In particular, she suggested sliced white, milk, potato, or brioche bread because they are "strong enough to hold the deli salad but soft enough to keep all the ingredients of the sandwich in when biting into it."

If you plan to toast your sandwich, Wallace points to a nice sourdough, as the fermented bread is a bit more dense and able to hold up to toasting. "These aspects are great for that desired crunch and sturdiness that you need for a toasted sandwich," explained Wallace. 

The main takeaway from our conversation with chef Wallace was that it's crucial to consider the fillings for your sandwich and to make your bread-based decision with that knowledge in mind. Once you've become well-versed in the art of sandwich making, you can try your hand at making your own with our homemade sandwich bread recipe.