Reddit Thinks This Onion And Pepper Hack Will Give Your Subway Sandwich More Flavor

For Mason Hereford, sandwich chef and owner of Bon Appétit's Best New Restaurant of 2017, Turkey and the Wolf, the appeal of the humble sando comes from having the ability to curate its ingredients in the exact order you want the eater to indulge them in (via YouTube). The concept certainly makes sense, especially since experts tell Serious Eats that the architecture of a sammie can impact only its taste but also its structure and mouthfeel. And yet, Subway, which is arguably the worldwide leader in all things sandwiches, takes a slightly different approach to the popular lunchtime staple.

Though the chain recently rolled out its "Subway Series" menu featuring 12 sandwiches with pre-determined ingredients (via Restaurant Business), customers are still largely in charge of just about every aspect of their meal. In fact, according to a 2018 tweet from the restaurant, there are upwards of 4.9 billion possible sandwich combinations that can be put together using the various types of bread, meats, cheeses, veggies, and condiments that Subway offers.

In addition to ingredients, Subway also offers patrons the option to get their sandwiches toasted as another means of customization. Per Intro to Extrovert, the "toasted or untoasted" question is typically asked after the placement of meat and cheese, but before the addition of veggies and condiments. However, according to one Redditor, asking for certain vegetables to be toasted is an easy flavor hack that has the potential to improve your sandwich for the better.

There are probably thousands – if not millions – of possible Subway sandwich customizations that have never crossed your mind, but thanks to Reddit user u/AutoCompliant, we've got a new one for you to add to your repertoire. "Here's my little Subway hack ... Put your onions and bell peppers on before toasting any sub!" the Redditor shared in a 2015 thread in r/foodhacks. "It takes the bite out of them ... and brings out the flavor a little more," they explained.

This totally makes sense, as Crust Kingdom says that cooking onions and bell peppers allow for the sugars inside of them to start caramelizing, thus altering their taste. Looking to kick things up even more? In another thread regarding toasted onions and peppers in r/Subway, Reddit user u/Silver-Coyote suggested having your sandwich artist microwave the veggies first to take out their crunch completely, and then dousing them in garlic herb oil and pepper before toasting for "some really good explosive flavor." Additionally, others on the thread said that toasting jalapeños, olives, banana peppers, and even lettuce are solid sandwich upgrades.

No need to be concerned about messing up the flow at Subway with these requests, either. After Twitter user @cheechsayain27 offered the suggestion of toasting onions and bell peppers to their followers in a tweet last October, the eatery responded by offering their full support of the hack. "Pro tip," it said.