If you’re looking for easy open sandwich recipes that are colourful, fresh and simple enough to make at home, then these seven open-faced sandwiches are perfect for breakfast, brunch, a light lunch or those days when you simply don’t feel like preparing a complicated meal.
This post is all about 7 easy open sandwich recipes for breakfast & lunch
I love open sandwiches because they are incredibly versatile. Start with a slice of your favourite bread or even a toast, add a creamy spread, pile on some fresh ingredients and finish with herbs, micro greens or whatever you happen to have in the fridge.
They’re especially lovely during the warmer months, when lighter meals feel much more appealing. But there’s no reason to save these recipes just for summer. With vegetarian options, smoked salmon sandwiches, shrimp sandwiches and a delicious poached egg version, there’s something here for just about everyone.
Below, is a collection of seven of my favourite easy open sandwich recipes all in one place.
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What makes open sandwiches perfect for easy meals
There is something scrumptiously simple about an open sandwich. Unlike a traditional sandwich, you only need one slice of bread, which leaves plenty of room for vibrant toppings and curious blends of flavours and textures.
They’re also easy to adapt to every palate. Here are some of the components that you can use:
- Whole wheat, rye or sourdough bread
- Hummus, pesto or another favourite spread (cream cheese will do just fine!)
- Fresh salad leaves and vegetables
- Eggs, smoked salmon or shrimp
- Fresh herbs
- Microgreens
- Fruit
- Cheese
- Seeds
- Edible flowers for a pretty finishing touch
Meal Prepping some of your components ahead of time also makes assembling an open sandwich super easy when you want a quick breakfast or light lunch.
Here are 7 easy open sandwich recipes to try for breakfast & lunch
1. Poached Egg Open Sandwich
If you’re like me and love savoury breakfasts, then start with this colourful poached egg open sandwich.
The sandwich is basically, a poached egg that rests on a combination of salad leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, radish and mozzarella, finished with balsamic and fresh garnishes. For the longest time, I avoided poached eggs. I thought it was too time consuming to make. This entire sandwich took me 20 minutes to put together.
The combination of the warm egg and cool vegetables makes this especially good when you want something that feels both comforting and light.
Perfect for: breakfast, brunch or a quick weekend lunch.
Get the full Poached Egg Open Sandwich recipe here.
2. Healthy Tomato Feta Open Sandwich
Tomato and feta are such a classic combination, and this tomato feta open sandwich keeps things beautifully simple.
The sandwich combines tomato, feta slices, assorted leafy greens and pesto, with a drizzle of balsamic adding extra flavour. Microgreens and edible flowers were added at the end to give it that colourful summer finish.
It’s an especially useful recipe to keep in mind when you want an easy vegetarian breakfast or lunch that doesn’t involve much preparation.
And because the flavours are so familiar, this also works beautifully as part of a casual brunch spread for family or friends, or even just a snack!
Perfect for: vegetarian lunches, brunch or an easy savoury breakfast.
See the Healthy Tomato Feta Open Sandwich recipe here.
3. Colourful Summer Vegetarian Open Sandwich
For something really fresh and vibrant, try this summer vegetarian open sandwich.
Cucumber, leafy greens and slices of orange bring plenty of colour and freshness, while microgreens, edible flowers and seeds make the finished sandwich look almost too pretty to eat.
The citrus adds an unexpected angle to what would otherwise be a very traditional vegetable sandwich. I made sure to buy organic oranges, as I enjoyed eating them with the rind. If that’s too bitter for you, then feel free to do without the rind.
This is exactly the kind of meal I love when the weather is warm and cooking something elaborate simply doesn’t sound appealing.
You can also easily adapt it based on what you already have at home. Change the salad leaves, use your favourite bread or swap the garnish for whatever fresh ingredients are available.
Perfect for: hot days, vegetarian meals, snacks and light lunches.
Make the Summer Vegetarian Open Sandwich.
4. Summer Salmon Open Sandwich
Smoked salmon is wonderful for creating an open sandwich that feels a little more special without requiring much cooking.
This summer salmon sandwich combines smoked salmon with crisp cucumber, radish, salad leaves, fresh dill and pickled onions.
The pickled onions require a little extra preparation, but they add a lovely sharp contrast to the salmon and fresh vegetables. Once those are ready, the rest of the sandwich is mainly about assembly. I highly recommend taking the time to prep the pickled onions ahead of time. They add SO much flavour to the sandwich.
Perfect for: brunch, weekend breakfasts or a light lunch.
Find the full Summer Salmon Sandwich recipe here.
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5. Salmon and Passion Fruit Open Sandwich
This is probably one of the most unusual flavour combinations in the collection.
The salmon and passion fruit open sandwich combines smoked salmon with radish, fresh greens and microgreens before finishing everything with passion fruit pulp.
Salmon and passion fruit might not be the first combination that comes to mind when planning breakfast, but the contrast between the rich smoked salmon and the bright fruit makes this sandwich particularly interesting.
It’s also a lovely choice when you want to make a simple meal look a little more impressive. I recommend ‘whipping’ the passionfruit pulp before adding it to the sandwich. This makes it almost sauce-like.
Serve it for a leisurely breakfast, brunch or even as part of a selection of small open sandwiches when entertaining.
Perfect for: brunch, entertaining or anyone who enjoys trying unusual flavour combinations.
Try the Summer Salmon and Passion Fruit Sandwich here.
6. Easy Summer Shrimp Open Sandwich
If speed is the priority, this summer shrimp open sandwich is a wonderful one to keep in your recipe collection.
Using pre-cooked shrimp means very little cooking is required. The shrimp are paired with cucumber, leafy greens, pesto, microgreens and fresh dill for a simple open sandwich that comes together quickly.
It’s fresh without being fussy, which makes it ideal for those days when you want something more interesting than a basic sandwich but don’t want to spend a long time in the kitchen.
Preparing the vegetables ahead of time can make it even easier.
Perfect for: quick lunches, summer breakfasts and easy snacks.
Get the easy Summer Shrimp Open Sandwich recipe here.
7. Citrus Shrimp Open Sandwich
This citrus shrimp open sandwich combines shrimp with tomato, cucumber, salad leaves, microgreens and orange for a colourful mixture of fresh and citrus flavours.
Adding fruit to a savoury sandwich is such an easy way to make regular ingredients feel different, and the orange works particularly well with the fresh summer feel of this recipe.
Like many of the sandwiches in this collection, most of the work is simply preparing the ingredients and layering everything onto your bread.
Perfect for: a fresh lunch, brunch or something a little different from your usual shrimp sandwich.
See the full Citrus Shrimp Open Sandwich recipe here.
How to Build Your Own Open Sandwich
Once you’ve tried a few of these recipes, it becomes very easy to create your own combinations. I like to think of an open sandwich in a few basic layers. For ease of reading, I’ve broken down the Sandwich template I used.
Start With the base:
Choose a sturdy slice that can hold plenty of toppings. You can go with rye, sourdough and whole wheat breads as these are all wonderful choices. Toasted bread is fine too. You could even improvise and try rice crisps.
Add a Spread:
A thin layer of hummus or pesto adds flavour and a bit of a tang, while helping create a base for the other ingredients. Don’t be afraid to try making your own spreads. Whip up cottage cheese / Paneer in a blender, add seasoning and herbs and you have your very own healthy spread.
Add Something Fresh:
This is where you can really use what you already have. Try using tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, assorted salad leaves, herbs, micro greens and more. If you’re lucky enough to not have a nut allergy, try adding crushed nuts as a topping.
A few different textures will usually make the finished sandwich more interesting.
Choose Your Main protein:
This could be as simple as feta cheese, or you could add poached egg, smoked salmon or shrimp.
You can also keep the sandwich completely vegetarian and allow the vegetables and spread to be the main focus.
Finish with a special garnish:
The final layer is where an ordinary sandwich can become much more interesting.
Try fresh dill, balsamic, microgreens, seeds, pickled onions, citrus fruit or even passion fruit.
And, if you want your sandwiches to look beautiful for a brunch table, edible flowers make a lovely finishing touch.
Planning Budgeting
Easy Open Sandwiches for Breakfast
Open sandwiches are especially useful when you’re trying to move away from having the same breakfast every morning.
For something with more protein, try the Poached Egg Open Sandwich or one of the smoked salmon sandwich recipes.
If you prefer something lighter and vegetarian, the Tomato Feta Open Sandwich is perfect for you.
And on especially warm mornings, the colourful Summer Vegetarian Open Sandwich is the way to go.
Open Sandwich Ideas for Brunch
These recipes also work beautifully for a relaxed brunch.
Instead of making everyone the same sandwich, prepare a few toppings and allow everyone to create their own.
It turns a very simple meal into something colourful and interactive without requiring you to cook several different dishes. You could also make several open sandwiches, slice them into smaller pieces and arrange them together on a large serving board.
The best thing about these easy open sandwich recipes is how adaptable they are.
You don’t need a complicated ingredient list or hours in the kitchen. A good slice of bread, a flavourful spread and a few fresh ingredients can become a colourful breakfast, brunch or light lunch in minutes.
Watch the video to see how I put together these sandwiches!
Use these seven recipes as inspiration, change the ingredients according to what you have at home and create your own favourite combinations.
And if you decide try one of these open sandwich recipes, I’d love to know which one it was!
