25 Gourmet Sandwiches for Guys

From the molten yolk and bacon crunch of a hand-held breakfast, to the gooey charm of grilled cheese for lunch, nothing matches the simple pleasures of well-made sandwiches. They're quick to assemble, infinitely adaptable, easy to eat, and immediately satisfying—the very definition of good food.

The 25 sandwiches you're about to meet can be thrown together during the average basketball halftime or, with practice, during the seventh-inning stretch. (Who needs hot dogs, anyway?) Use each recipe as a basic road map, but bring your talent for finding creative routes. You'll easily reach your final destination: a full belly and a satisfied smile.

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Think BLT, but better. Smear sandwich bread with some mayo thinned with a bit of lemon juice. Layer on a couple of pieces of good bacon—cooked not too crisp—avocado, lettuce, and tomato.

Layer pieces of ciabatta or a sturdy sandwich roll with grated fontina or mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced prosciutto, sliced figs, and arugula. If you have a panini maker, grill the sandwich until it's hot and crispy. Otherwise, cook it on a grill pan or skillet until the cheese melts.

In a bit of olive oil, fry a good-quality sweet Italian sausage until it's crisp and brown. Remove it, and cook sliced red, yellow, or green peppers in the fat, along with some sliced onion. Pile everything onto a roll or a split loaf of French or Italian bread.

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Dredge a fish fillet in cornmeal and then pan-fry it until it's crisp. Serve on a crusty roll with shredded cabbage or lettuce, chopped cilantro, and sliced tomatoes. Thin some mayo with lime juice, add chili powder and minced garlic, and slather the dressing on the bun before serving.

Use a blender or food processor to puree shelled toasted almonds with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice, lemon rind, and fresh sage. Spread the puree on crusty bread and layer it with pecorino or Parmesan cheese. Broil it just until the cheese melts, and you're good to go.

(Inspired to create your own sandwich from scratch? Follow these 5 Steps to a Perfect Sandwich.)

Thickly butter (or brush with good olive oil) both sides of two pieces of sandwich bread. Layer the insides with sharp cheddar cheese or fontina, and thinly sliced, fully ripe pears. Pan-grill (use a panini maker if you have one) until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.

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Thickly butter (or brush with good olive oil) both sides of two pieces of sandwich bread. Layer with ham (not prosciutto), Gruyere or Comte cheese, and Dijon mustard. Pangrill (use a panini maker if you have one) until the bread is golden and the cheese has melted.

Toss eggplant slices in olive oil, salt, and pepper, and grill or sauté on both sides until tender. While they're still hot, top them with thinly sliced mozzarella and let it melt. Serve on crusty bread with fresh tomatoes, basil, and grated Parmesan.

Top a piece of crusty bread with a pile of frisée (or other bitter greens). Cover it with a slab of crisp-cooked pancetta or bacon, and lay a poached or fried egg on top. Drizzle it, if you like, with a tiny bit of olive oil mixed with wine vinegar and Dijon mustard. You'll never eat another Egg McMuffin.

Slice cooked shrimp in half the long way, and toss them with some sesame oil and soy sauce. On a piece of lavash or other flatbread, layer some chopped baby bok choy or cabbage, mung beans, crisp sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and the shrimp. Add a little more soy sauce (or, better, soy-laced mayo), and wrap it up.

Combine ground turkey with finely chopped onion, diced tart apples, salt and pepper, and a few leaves of chopped fresh tarragon or sage; grill or pan-cook. Serve on a hamburger bun with arugula or other salad green and a smear of Dijon mustard to amp up the flavor even further.

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Lay thinly sliced prosciutto on half a baguette. Top it with asparagus spears that've been steamed or grilled until quite tender. Toss some arugula with olive oil and lemon, and lay that on top of the asparagus. A little Dijon wouldn't hurt. Eat it open-faced to halve the carb load.

Start with a combination you like, such as banana, honey, and almonds; avocado and peanuts; cooked sweet potatoes and hazelnuts; apricots and almonds; peaches and pistachios; or roasted beets and walnuts. Lightly mash and then smear the spread on toasted bread, and sprinkle on some more chopped nuts.

Mix lump crabmeat with a bit of sesame oil, a chopped Thai (or other) chili, scallion, garlic, and salt. Mound it all on a roll with shredded napa or Savoy cabbage, and squeeze lime juice over everything.

Mix goat cheese with freshly chopped oregano and thyme, and spread it on a split croissant. Add spinach or arugula, and chopped olives or roasted red peppers. (Sliced turkey or ham is optional.)

Spread whole-wheat toast with goat cheese or cream cheese. Top with cranberry sauce and cooked turkey, and add avocado slices, along with some cooked and crumbled bacon.

Sauté ground lamb with chopped onions, minced garlic, ground cinnamon (along with a little ground cumin and coriander if you like), and salt and pepper. Stuff into a pita with freshly chopped tomatoes and shredded romaine lettuce. Top with a dollop of yogurt (Greek-style is best), a squeeze of lemon, and, if you like, a bit of minced onion.

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Purée roasted red peppers with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Smear the mix on split ciabatta or similar bread. Top with grilled chicken and chopped arugula or other spicy greens that are drizzled with a little more balsamic vinegar.