There are small moments you should seize when they arise:
- Stand and shout when your team scores the winning overtime goal.
- Blow on a sting from a fresh cut.
- Kick through a pile of autumn leaves.
- Race your dog across a field.
- Dip your bare toes into Lake Superior.
- Watch your kids climb a rock wall in the woods.
- Crawl up behind them and join the fun.
- Hug your dad and stepmom tight before a long drive home.
- Step outside into wild, wind-driven weather just because.
- Eat a fried bologna sandwich with yellow mustard on white bread.
Yes, really — a fried bologna sandwich.
If you hand me a slice of plain bologna, I’ll probably recoil. It doesn’t look inviting straight from the package. But toss that slice into a hot pan, let it brown, place it on white bread, and add yellow mustard, and suddenly you’ve got one of my guilty pleasures: the fried bologna sandwich.
Frying transforms bologna’s texture from soft and limp to crisp and slightly chewy at the edges. There’s nothing pretentious about this sandwich; it’s simple, comforting, and downright satisfying. It’s a staple in many Midwest and Appalachian diners — regions I’ve lived in and loved — and it was a special treat at my childhood table.
With only a few ingredients, the difference comes down to technique. I won’t overcomplicate things, but here are a few tips to get the best results.
- Choose thin slices of bologna that still hold together. Thick-cut slices tend to miss the mark here. Deli bologna or brand-name bologna will work too, but the thin deli-style slices are ideal.
- Cut a vent in each slice to prevent it from puffing up in the center while frying. A puffed center stays soft and won’t crisp properly. My dad prefers an “X” in the middle; I make a single cut from the center to the edge. Either approach stops the puff and helps the slice brown evenly.
- No need for added fat in the pan. Bologna has plenty of fat on its own, so you can fry it in a dry skillet.
- Ignore the nutrition label for this one — it’s an indulgence meant to be enjoyed now and then.
- Use white bread. I like it untoasted so the hot bologna can warm and slightly soften the bread. Fancy whole-grain loaves overpower the simple nostalgia of this sandwich; keep it classic with white.
- When each slice is browned on both sides, move quickly. Use tongs to lift the hot bologna directly onto the bread and let it fold naturally as you lower it. That little burst of hot grease absorbed by the bread is part of the charm.
- Use plain yellow mustard only. Skip fancy mustards—grainy, horseradish, or fruit-flavored varieties distract from the straightforward, salty flavor of the bologna. Yellow mustard is the right match.
- Pair the sandwich with something cold: root beer, milk, beer, or just a glass of water.
Above all, enjoy it. This sandwich is indulgent by design and made to make you smile. Want one?
Fried Bologna Sandwich
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- Per Sandwich:
- 2 slices white bread
- 2-5 slices bologna depending on how stacked you want your sandwich and how thick the bologna is.
- yellow mustard to taste
Instructions
-
Make a single cut from the center of each bologna slice out to the edge to prevent puffing while frying.
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Place the bologna in a cold, heavy skillet and set the heat to medium.
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When the pan is fully hot and the bologna begins to brown at the edges, flip with tongs or a fork and brown the other side until well-colored.
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Transfer the hot bologna directly onto one slice of bread. If you cook additional slices, repeat; the second batch may cook faster in the hot pan.
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Spread yellow mustard on the remaining slice of bread, assemble the sandwich, slice in half, and serve immediately.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutritional values based on the exact ingredients you use if needed.
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