Funeral Sandwiches
The Perfect Bite For A Friend Or Family In Need
These Funeral Sandwiches are Tortilla Roll-Ups that are a fresh, flavorful, and easy-to-eat option. Perfect for providing comfort to a family experiencing loss.
Light yet satisfying, they feature crisp red peppers, cool cucumbers, and fresh lettuce wrapped in a soft tortilla with a zesty cream cheese spread. The tangy, herby cream cheese adds a burst of flavor, complementing the fresh crunch of the vegetables.
These roll-ups hold well in the fridge, making them an easy, grab-and-go snack during a difficult time. Thoughtfully made and easy to share, they offer nourishment without being too heavy.
Easing Grief
My family is Catholic and it is our tradition to have a wake for one day when someone passes and then a funeral with a mass. The wake is at a funeral home and there is always a kitchen area where snacks and drinks are provided for the family and friends who come to pay their respects.
These Funeral Sandwiches are what I make to bring to every wake. They are easy to make a lot of, they are delicious, and the veggie option is usually safe for everyone to eat.
You can add meat or cheese if you like. These are also something I make to drop off to a family who is experiencing loss or any big change in life like a new baby or sickness or a move.
You can bring a variety of chips and some nice soft drinks as well. I also like to bring a potato salad or macaroni salad for this to be a complete meal for them.
This provides a NO WORK option for a meal that is appreciated when you can’t imagine cooking or do not have the taste for a heavy meal.
The Cream Cheese, The Glue That Holds This Together
The recipe card that is at the end of this post has all the ingredients and my suggested measurements for the seasonings and herbs. As always, these measurements are a suggestion.
You are welcome to use any amount to your personal taste. I will remind you that the salt oxidizes as it sits overnight, so it will taste stronger the next day than it tastes when you first assemble these.
I use the seasonings I provided, but I also sometimes nix all of those and use 2 heavy tablespoons of McCormick, Perfect Pinch, Salad Supreme Seasoning. This adds such nice flavor, color, and texture.
This is the same seasoning that I use for my Aunt Nita’s Famous Linguine Salad recipe.
Roll Out
The rolling up of these sandwiches is sometimes confusing for some. You will see in the directions that you put the veggies on only HALF the whole tortilla.
This is so the cream cheese on the other side helps everything stick together. When rolling, you may have to tuck the lettuce back a little as you roll.
The lettuce likes to slide forward when you are rolling this up. Do not worry too much about this, just make sure you get a tight roll.
Make Ahead Is Best
You CAN make these, roll them, and slice them right away if needed. I do advise letting them sit rolled up overnight or for at least a few hours, however.
This helps everything stay together when slicing them up. It makes everything looks nice and tight and colorful when sliced.
Embrace The Sog
People always ask me if these will be soggy. Yes there will be some sog to these but not in a bad way.
I like when the tortilla absorbs some of the flavors. The tortillas should not be wet, so make sure you dry your lettuce really well, but they will dampen some and that is just fine.
The same goes for my Hye Roller Sandwiches.
Funeral Sandwiches Recipe
Light and tasty with veggies and herbed cream cheese, these are an ideal meal to start getting through the grieving process.
Ingredients
- 2 eight ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
- 2 heaping tablespoons of mayo
- 6 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced
- 1/2 tablespoon of onion powder
- 1/2 tablespoon of dried dill
- 1 teaspoon of celery salt
- 1 teaspoon of celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 large red bell pepper, very finely diced
- 1 seedless cucumber, sliced very thin, with skin on. I use a potato peeler to make the slices very thin
- 1 head of crisp iceberg lettuce, washed and dried
- 6 very large, burrito sized tortillas
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add your cream cheese, mayo and all your dried seasoning and herbs and blend using a hand mixer until the cream cheese is light and fluffy and the seasonings are well combined. Fold in your finely diced green onions. Mix well to combine. This mix should not be ice cold when you are building your sandwiches. If you make this ahead of time, leave it out for about one hour before attempting to spread it.
- When ready to build your sandwiches, spread the cream cheese mixture on the entire tortilla from end to end.
- Add your red peppers and cucumber slices to just half of the tortilla. One side should be blank with just the cream cheese.
- Layer a few pieces of the lettuce across the cucumbers and peppers.
- Roll the tortillas up cigar style starting from the side that has the vegetables. Roll tightly, tucking the lettuce in as you roll. Make sure this roll is tight. Use the cream cheese end as a way to "glue down" the tortilla. Repeat until all your ingredients are used.
- I wrap each roll tightly with foil or plastic wrap and let these sit overnight in the fridge.
- When you are ready to cut, unwrap and dampen a paper towel to clean your knife off on between slices. Make sure your knife is SHARP. Cut the end off and those are snacks for the cook. Then slice the rest into 1 inch thick rounds or you can cut on the diagonal for a fancier look. Wipe your knife off in between cuts for clean cuts.
- Place on a plate or tray and cover with plastic wrap to transport.