Gourmet Fried Bologna Sandwich Recipe

There's nothing quite like the combination of mustard, bologna, and bread when you want a delicious yet fast meal anytime of the day (yes, even breakfast). That said, chef and recipe developer Angela Latimer at Bake it with Love has put her own twist on the fried bologna sandwich recipe, creating a gourmet version of the lunchtime classic by adding cheddar cheese, garlic butter, Dijon mustard and a toasted ciabatta bun.

"This is an extremely easy sandwich to make," Latimer says. "The bologna fries up quickly, so it's just a matter of having everything ready to assemble, and you can enjoy the sandwich while still warm." Although this classic dish can be eaten by itself, Latimer suggests pairing it with a bowl of fresh fruit, a small salad, or potatoes. "Of course, fries are a great standby, so I would opt for piping hot potato wedges if I went that route," she adds. Whether you plan on incorporating a side dish or not, this gourmet fried bologna sandwich recipe only takes 8 minutes total to make, so you'll be diving into bologna in no time. 

First, you'll need to gather the ingredients to make your sandwich. To make one sandwich, you'll need a ciabatta roll, 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter, ½ teaspoon of garlic salt (or garlic powder and salt combined in equal parts), four to five slices of bologna (the outer peel can be removed, if needed), two slices of sharp white cheddar cheese, two leaves of green leaf lettuce, three to four slices of red onion, 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise, and 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard.

Mash together the butter and garlic salt, until the garlic salt is well distributed throughout the butter. Then spread the butter mixture equally between the top and bottom bun of the ciabatta roll. Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Place the top and bottom buns on the pan, and then brown them for one to two minutes, or until golden. Remove the buns from the pan and set them aside.

If you haven't removed the outer peel of the bologna yet, now is the time to do so. The skillet will already be hot from toasting the buns, so you can go ahead and place two to four slices of bologna on the pan so that the pieces fit without overlapping. You might need to cook the bologna in batches if they don't fit. 

Sear the bologna for about one minute per side or until lightly browned, then remove the bologna from the pan and set the slices aside. Continue cooking more slices as needed.

It's time to put the ingredients together and stack the gourmet fried bologna sandwich. First, spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on the bottom bun. Next, place the fried bologna slices on top of the bottom bun. You can fold the slices for height, which is purely for looks, and feel free to place additional slices on top of each other in slightly different directions for the best layering effect. 

Place the sliced sharp white cheddar cheese on the warm bologna, then add the lettuce leaves and sliced red onion. Finally, spread 1 tablespoon of the Dijon mustard on the top half of the ciabatta roll, close the sandwich, and enjoy! If you're looking for extra crunch and flavor, pickles are a nice addition. "Pickles are one of my fave sandwich toppings — feel free to use your own," says Latimer.