Put Walnuts In Your Sandwich For The Extra Crunch You've Been Looking For

If you are a sandwich aficionado, we'd bet you love mixing and matching ingredients to create the perfect handheld meal. For example, maybe you've experimented with every type of cheese to find out which is best for optimal creaminess. However, if you find the mouthfeel of your creations is becoming monotonous, it might be a good time to add some crunch. Crushed walnuts are precisely the ingredient to switch up the texture of your sammie. Not only can they create a lovely textural contrast to soft cheeses or sliced meats, but eating more walnuts has marvelous health benefits.

According to Healthline, walnuts are rich in antioxidants and vitamin E and are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. Eating a steady amount of walnuts can also help to improve gut health, decrease inflammation, and aid in reducing the risk of particular types of cancer, such as colorectal, prostate, and breast cancers. Health benefits aside, walnuts are also delicious and naturally pair well with leafy greens like spinach and arugula or roasted vegetables, which all taste great on a panini-pressed sandwich. Let's look at some simple recipes that include walnuts for the perfect crunch.

To add crunchy texture to your next chicken salad sandwich, crush some walnuts and toss them into the mix. To completely transform this classic sandwich, start with a mayonnaise base tossed with freshly chopped celery and herbs and finish with a hearty handful of oven-roasted, chopped walnuts and dried cranberries. Walnuts give a pleasant crunch to a mixture that could otherwise seem too soft and bland. While okay to enjoy cold, this filling grilled between slices of your favorite bread or spread on toasted pumpernickel could become a new lunchtime favorite.

Walnuts pair beautifully with naturally sweet ingredients, such as honey and fruit. If you want a sweet, crunchy sandwich, try making a panini with apples and walnuts. The sweet crispness from Granny Smith apples combines perfectly with mayo, tangy Dijon mustard, creamy brie cheese, and broken-up walnuts. After the mixture is complete, place a layer onto thick-cut white bread (or any bread you please) and cook it in a panini press for up to five minutes. The finished sandwich has gloriously melted cheese; the crunch from the apples and walnuts will liven up your taste buds.