The salmon and avocado sandwich, with slightly toasted and buttered dark bread, is a real treat. For me, it’s perfect: it’s not a classic sandwich with lots of mayonnaise (which I love), nor is it a bulky bread roll with too much bread to bite into (though I love that too…). It has the right balance: the bread is whole grain, slightly toasted but not crispy, and spread with a thin layer of butter. The filling is a sauce made of ripe avocado, salt, and lemon, coarsely mashed with a fork. Then, of course, there’s the majestic smoked salmon.
The salmon and avocado sandwich solves a thousand situations, from an aperitif to dinner in front of the TV, but it will also be perfect for a Sunday brunch or a picnic outing. You can prepare it with two or three slices of bread stacked, depending on the occasion.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Valentine's Day, All seasons
- Energy 261.75 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.12 (g) of which sugars 3.70 (g)
- Proteins 13.85 (g)
- Fat 9.98 (g) of which saturated 2.74 (g)of which unsaturated 6.36 (g)
- Fibers 5.25 (g)
- Sodium 1,041.41 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 115 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
For 8 two-layer sandwiches
- 8 slices of sandwich bread (whole grain, crust removed)
- 2 tbsps butter
- Half avocado (ripe, fairly large)
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- to taste fine salt
- 3.5 oz smoked salmon (Scottish)
How to Prepare Salmon and Avocado Sandwiches
Easy as pie: the salmon and avocado sandwiches will be ready in no time.
Take eight slices of whole grain sandwich bread and trim the edges, removing the outer crust (don’t throw it away, please). Then toast them lightly on a griddle or in the toaster, but with great care. We want to achieve a crispy exterior and a very soft interior. Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of the bread, which we will use on the inside. Then proceed with the avocado: after cleaning it, slice it into a bowl, add lemon and salt, and mash with a fork until a semi-creamy mixture is obtained. Spread all eight slices with this coarse cream and top four of them with the salmon. Close the sandwiches with the other four; then, with a sharp knife, cut each sandwich diagonally, being careful not to press too hard. We will obtain eight perfect and inviting triangles to devour immediately.
The Queen’s Secrets
These sandwiches are also good with many other fillings. The one I chose is very classic and perfect for a special breakfast (for example, Valentine’s Day), but I can think of many others, original and tasty: for example beetroot and feta with yogurt mayonnaise and lamb’s lettuce.
If you’re thinking about a picnic or a sofa dinner, make plenty and, perhaps, use three slices of bread instead of just two. The single layer is more suitable for aperitifs and brunch.
The choice to mash the avocado without blending it is intentional. It prevents the avocado slices from falling apart with each bite while maintaining its famous creaminess, which we love so much.
If you really want to prepare a special breakfast, check out the recipe for pain d’épices: even if it’s not Christmas, it will be delicious served with homemade orange marmalade.
If you, like me, are a cappuccino fanatic, then for breakfast you absolutely must try the Genoese focaccia, and be surprised at how good it is with coffee or cappuccino.
Returning to the HOME, you will find other recipes, sweet and savory, for holidays or everyday, and many vegetarian dishes. Follow me on Facebook and Instagram: you’ll find quick recipes, many useful tips, and you’ll never be without dinner ideas again.
How can I fill this sandwich keeping the avocado but eliminating the salmon?
Try replacing it with a good creamy or aged goat cheese (like the log) or with smoked tofu, which you can also blend with a spoonful of plant-based milk.
A great alternative is also chickpea hummus along with avocado, which, in this case, I would slice instead of mashing with a fork.
