Open Faced Polish Sandwiches (Kanapki)
Simple, Delicious. Elegant
Open Faced Polish Sandwiches (Kanapki) are just about the easiest treats you can make if guests drop by. Made with savory, herbed butter, cold cuts, and fresh vegetables plus always something pickled. They are pretty to look at and fully customizable so get creative!
My friend Maggie has been doing my hair for nearly two decades. I have been with her since she worked at a salon to now owning her own salon.
I was honored when she hosted her grand opening and asked me to make the food. Maggie and her family are Polish, and her mom is one of the best cooks.
She made these little open faced Polish sandwiches, called Kanapki, for the party. They were so pretty to look at, as well as delicious.
I have been making them ever since that say.
What Are Kanapki?
Kanapki are a pretty common delicacy in Poland. I believe the word would basically translate to Canape.
They are basically open faced sandwiches that can be put together with most anything. The recipe card below has my two favorite versions that I think will be perfect for a shower, Mother’s Day, or Easter celebration.
You can use my recipe or get creative and make your own. There are a few key elements of these open faced sandwiches that I will explain below in more detail.
The Bread Should Be Sturdy
You cannot have some kind of weak bread for this recipe. I like to use Italian bread from a local baker called Turano.
The slices are flat and large and the bread is slightly dense. The crust is also sturdy so the bread can hold all of your delicious toppings.
Other breads you can use would be a nice rye or sourdough. The bigger the slices, the better.
I find this bread in front of the deli case, not in the bread aisle.
Quality Butter Is Key
Do not cheap out on the butter for this recipe. When I make this butter to keep on hand, I buy a better quality European style butter.
Trust me on this, you want the butter to be good! If you do not have access to a European butter, you can use butter that you get at your store.
You will be adding herbs to it and seasoning so it will be good. I just like to make these a little more special by using the better butter.
Toppings Are Customizable
The recipe card has the two Kanapki that I make most often, but you can certainly make these any way you please.
Any deli meats and cheeses will do, these are just my favorite combinations. I also like to do a ham and cheese version.
A good rule of thumb is to make sure to have a protein, some fresh vegetables, some type of spread like a pepper spread or hummus, and then I like to add something pickled and then something green, like parsley or dill.
Sometimes I add hard boiled egg slices too!
It is also important to remember to season every component of these including every vegetable. This is to make sure you have a delicious bite every time.
You can also play around with your seasonings as well!
Another Great Topping Option
I was thinking that my Chicken Spread recipe would be another great topping idea to make Kanapki with. This spread is one of my favorite recipes.
I usually eat it as a dip, but it would be GREAT on these open faced sandwiches with all the toppings. A perfect baby shower recipe too!
Open Faced Polish Sandwiches (Kanapki) Recipe
Polish Kanapki are open faced sandwiches that can easily be put together for breakfast or brunch. They are delicious and fresh tasting and are fully customizable. The base is a toasted crusty bread spread with a herbed butter and topped with your favorite meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Easy to make, beautiful to look at.
Ingredients
- 6 large slices of a Crusty Bread
- 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- 8 tablespoons of Salted Butter
- 2 teaspoons of Dried Dill
- 1 teaspoon of Garlic Salt
- 1 teaspoon of Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon of Salt *or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper *or to taste
- 2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of Mayonnaise
- 1/2 lb. of shaved Roast Beef
- 1/2 lb. of shaved, oven Roasted Turkey
- 1/2 of a Red Onion, sliced very thin
- 6 Radishes, sliced very thin
- Fresh Parsley
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced Chives
- 1 cup of Tiny Pickles, I used Cornichons, sweet or dill
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced Cucumber
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced Tomatoes
- 1/4 cup of a Red Pepper Spread, or Hummus
- Sprinkle of Celery Salt and more Black Pepper
Instructions
- Soften the butter to room temperature and add it to a bowl or a stand mixer bowl. Beat on high with a mixer for 3 to 5 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy. Slowly add in your mayonnaise and continue to beat on high, incorporating it into the butter.
- Add your garlic salt, dill, onion powder, salt, and black pepper and continue to whip up the butter. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Set aside.
- Brush your bread slices with the olive oil and toast the slices in a skillet until they are toasty brown. Set them aside to cool.
- When the bread is cooled off, spread each slice generously with the butter mixture you made. Make sure to add a decent amount and get the butter to the edges of the bread.
- In a bowl, I add the cucumber and the radishes and add a sprinkle of celery salt and black pepper. Toss them to coat. Do the same thing with the onion slices in a separate bowl.
- Layer the roast beef on half the bread slices and the turkey on the other slices.
- Top the beef and the turkey with the radishes, cucumbers, and the onions. Add the red pepper spread or hummus or any other spread you like in small amounts on top of the deli meat. I place little dots of this in different places.
- Add tomatoes to the turkey sandwiches. Add a little salt and pepper to the tomato slices.
- Add some fresh parsley to the tops of the sandwiches.
- Sprinkle chives across all the sandwiches. Then add a few pickles to the top of each sandwich. Display whole or you can cut in half. I usually serve these on a wood cutting board with some parsley or lettuce around them for aesthetics.