15 Scrumptious Sandwich Spread Recipes

Just add bread and enjoy!

Basil Walnut Spread

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Want to instantly upgrade your lunchtime sandwich game? These easy, delicious sandwich spreads can be made ahead of time, stashed in your fridge, and added to sandwiches for a delicious change from the ordinary. You'll also find recipes here that can do double duty as appetizers, serving as dips for everything from crackers to french fries. They are a great answer to feeding your family when you don't feel like cooking, and kids can even help assemble them for DIY lunches. With a few of these spreads on hand, you'll be all set for lunch for days.

  • 01 of 15

    Classic Shrimp Salad

    Classic shrimp salad

    The Spruce

    Nostalgic, easy, and delicious, there's nothing quite like classic shrimp salad. This must-know recipe is creamy, crunchy, citrusy, and slightly sweet, with a satisfying texture from secret breadcrumbs. Enjoy it on a fluffy hot dog bun as an inexpensive alternative to lobster rolls or use for making tea sandwiches.

  • 02 of 15

    Basil Walnut Spread

    Basil walnut spread

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Aromatic fresh basil leaves, Parmesan, and cream cheese give this walnut spread a pesto-like flavor and great texture. Make it in minutes with a food processor and keep in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. It is a great addition to turkey clubs, grilled vegetable subs, and any sandwiches that would normally include mayonnaise.

  • 03 of 15

    Quick Onion Confit

    Quick onion confit

    Laurence Mouton / Getty Images

    Onion confit sounds fancy, but this quick version is so easy to prepare. Just cook down yellow onions with butter, sugar, and balsamic vinegar on the stovetop until jammy and tender. When cooled, the confit has a sweet, mellow onion flavor that instantly elevates cold meat sandwiches. Or enjoy it by itself on a baguette for a Parisian-style lunch on the go.

  • 04 of 15

    Tuna Salad With Chopped Eggs and Dill

    Tuna salad with chopped eggs and dill

    The Spruce

    Look no further for the ultimate tuna and egg salad recipe. With the perfect proportions of chopped boiled eggs, canned tuna, dill pickle relish, zippy red onion, and chopped fresh dill, it packs up beautifully for potlucks and picnics and is a popular choice for salads.

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  • 05 of 15

    Sesame Tahini Honey Spread

    Sesame tahini honey spread

    Joy Skipper / Getty Images

    Ready to change up your usual PB&J? Try adding this Middle Eastern-style sesame tahini honey spread to jelly on your usual sandwich bread for a sweet and delicious lunchtime treat. Or try it on its own, for a nutty-tasting, peanut-free sandwich filling with fewer calories than peanut butter.

  • 06 of 15

    Southern Comeback Sauce

    Southern comeback sauce

    The Spruce

    Your lunch guests will want to come back again for this classic Southern sauce that really boosts sandwiches. Tangy, tomatoey, and addictive, it is the Southern equivalent of rémoulade. Slather it on fried fish sandwiches, crispy chicken thighs, and grilled cheese sandwiches. It makes a great dipping sauce for french fries and fried pickles, too.

  • 07 of 15

    Olive Paste Spread (Tapenade)

    Olive paste spread (tapenade)

    Michael Möller / Getty Images

    Whether you spread it on baguette slices for an appetizer, add it to cheese boards, or layer it in sandwiches with tomatoes, cheeses, and salami, there's no denying the uniquely flavorful appeal of tapenade. Make it easily in a food processor with just four simple ingredients including pitted Kalamata olives.

  • 08 of 15

    Southern Pimento Cheese Spread

    Southern pimento cheese spread

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Pimento cheese spread is a much-loved sandwich filling in the southern United States. It is super easy to prepare and makes a fabulous appetizer on toast, a great addition to turkey sandwiches, and a tasty burger topping, too. Tweak the spice level with your favorite hot sauce, and store unused portions covered in the fridge for up to a week for snacking.

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  • 09 of 15

    Spicy Chile Mayonnaise

    Spicy Chili Mayonnaise

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Creamy, sweet, and packing just the right amount of heat, this flavorful chile aioli is a fabulous spread for burgers and other meat sandwiches. Or serve it as a dipping sauce with french fries, chicken fingers, or wings. You only need four ingredients, including sambal oelek or any similar chile garlic sauce.

  • 10 of 15

    Indian Tomato Chutney (Kasundi)

    Indian tomato chutney (kasundi)

    Harini Prakash / Getty Images

    Bring spice and flavor to hot or cold meat sandwiches with kasundi, an Indian-style tomato chutney that's sweet, sour, and spicy all at once. It makes an excellent horseradish alternative and a fabulous way to use up a bounty of fresh tomatoes from your summer garden. Store in an airtight glass jar in the fridge to use within two weeks.

  • 11 of 15

    Vegan White Bean Spread

    Vegan white bean spread

    nata_vkusidey / Getty Images

    Smooth and creamy vegan white bean spread is a great way to boost the protein of vegetarian sandwiches. It's a cinch to whip up in the food processor, with canned beans, garlic, a little olive oil, and a few herbs, plus lime juice for a lift of citrus flavor. Thinned with some plain yogurt, it also doubles as a popular dip for crudités, breadsticks, or crackers.

  • 12 of 15

    Roast Beef Sandwich Spread

    Roast beef sandwich spread

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Turn last night's roast beef leftovers into a brown bag lunch that strikes envy among your colleagues. It's easy to make the sandwich spread by mincing or grinding the meat with mayonnaise, pickles, and simple seasonings and makes a hearty sandwich filling on a submarine roll or Italian bread.

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  • 13 of 15

    Curried Chicken Salad With Toasted Almonds

    Curried chicken salad with toasted almonds

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Use leftover cooked chicken, a store-bought rotisserie bird, or poach some chicken breasts to make this delicious curried chicken salad. It's wonderful in pita pockets, on whole-grain bread lined with crunchy lettuce leaves, or on dense, hearty pumpernickel bread.

  • 14 of 15

    Kentucky Benedictine Spread

    Kentucky Benedictine spread

    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

    Creamy, cooling Kentucky Benedictine spread made with cream cheese and cucumber has a nice, tangy element from the grated onion. While it is often served as a dip for crackers in the South, you can spread it on bread and cut into squares for easy tea sandwiches, or use it as a refreshing replacement for mayonnaise in salmon and tuna salads.

  • 15 of 15

    Creamy Avocado Spread

    Creamy avocado spread

    The Spruce / Miri Rotkovitz

    Even easier than guacamole and kosher to boot, this creamy avocado spread is a great sandwich addition to know about. Mayonnaise lends a creamy texture and zippy tang that makes this an ideal sandwich condiment or a pleasing dollop for fried fish. Or add it to a pita stuffed with raw vegetables as an alternative to store-bought dressings.