Russian Tea Sandwiches:

How to make Russian Tea Sandwiches:

• 

  Lightly toast your chosen bread to give it a slightly firm texture and enhance its flavor. Spread about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise evenly over each slice. Arrange 2-3 slices of your preferred European deli meat (kielbasa) over the mayonnaise, followed by 2 small pieces of cheese, ensuring good coverage.
• 

  Finally, crown your sandwich with thinly sliced fresh cucumbers. This adds a refreshing crunch and a burst of freshness that beautifully complements the rich flavors of the meat and cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!

• Cold Cut Meats that I used: For the sandwiches pictured, I selected a delightful array including Osoboya Salami for its rich aroma, Krakowska sausage for its distinctive spice, the sweet and savory Honeycomb Sausage (ham), and the robust Royal Baked Pork Shoulder Sausage. Each offers a unique flavor profile!
• To Make Ahead: While best served fresh, if preparing in advance, hold off on garnishing with fresh cucumbers until just before serving. This prevents the cucumbers from making the bread or cheese soggy. Always keep assembled sandwiches chilled in the refrigerator.

Nutrition per serving

The foundation of a great Russian tea sandwich is a robust and flavorful bread. Unlike the fluffy, airy breads often used in Western sandwiches, the most commonly favored options are hearty wheat loaves or substantial sourdough varieties. You’ll likely find these dense, wholesome breads in the specialty bread sections of European markets. My personal favorites include authentic Lithuanian Bread or a rustic, country-style Sourdough bread. The key is to avoid anything too soft; it needs to be “hearty,” which often means a darker, more compact wheat bread that can hold its own against the rich fillings. If you find the bread a bit too chewy for your liking, a light toasting on a low setting will soften it slightly and, as a bonus, fill your home with a wonderfully inviting aroma!

The vast array of European deli meats can be a delicious dilemma! Here are some of my top recommendations for a truly authentic and flavorful Russian tea sandwich experience:

• Honeycomb Sausage: This is a unique type of ham, carefully cured into a distinctive flower shape. It offers a tender texture and a subtly sweet, savory flavor that is incredibly appealing. (Pictured on the far left.)
• Evreyskaya (Jewish) Osobaya: A darker, incredibly soft salami sausage, Osobaya is a premium choice. It’s often pricier but well worth it for its exceptionally aromatic profile and rich, deep flavor. (Look for the darker marbled Salami towards the far top right.)
• Royal Baked Pork Shoulder: This ham-style sausage is wonderfully tasty, featuring a skin seasoned with a hint of pepper. It has some marbled fat throughout, but not excessively, ensuring a juicy yet lean bite. (Find this on the top far left in the image.)
• Dry Krakowska: A classic ham sausage, typically paler in color and beautifully speckled with black pepper. It’s slightly larger than Osoboya salami and boasts a very pronounced, inviting aroma and a firm texture. (Pictured center top right, a light marbled sausage.)
• Krakowska Sucha: This particular variety, often from the Bacik brand, is a dry sausage sold by the log. It resembles ham but comes in a much smaller, cylindrical shape and contains barely any marbled fat, offering a lean and savory experience. (Pictured in the center, the shorter log.)
• Arbatskaya Bologna: A smoked bologna, Arbatskaya is a particular favorite among children due to its mild, savory taste and smooth texture. It’s a versatile and widely loved option. (This is the longest log in the photo.)
• Schmalz’s Bologna: While not pictured, Schmalz’s is another excellent bologna I recommend, especially for traditional dishes like Ukrainian Potato Salad (Olivier Salad). Alex’s Meat Bologna is another reliable brand if Schmalz’s isn’t available.
• Moskovskaya: Also not pictured, but Moskovskaya is a very aromatic, pale salami sausage. It’s a fantastic option that is usually more budget-friendly. Find Moskovskaya here.
• Natural Casing Bologna: Not pictured, this is a large, pale, and soft sausage. It pairs exceptionally well with dark Osoboya salami when crafting sandwiches. Its mild flavor also makes it an excellent choice for frying and serving alongside eggs for breakfast.
• Doktorskaya: Another unpictured but highly recommended option, Doktorskaya is a wide, large bologna that is also great for frying and accompanying eggs. There are varieties of Doktorskaya that contain minced fat throughout, but for sandwiches, I personally prefer a leaner version.
• Krestyanskie: While not pictured, Krestyanskie is a distinctive kielbasa shaped like a tied ring. It is quite thick, making it a wonderful choice for robust sandwiches or as a flavorful topping for pizzas.

Tea Sandwiches, in the Russian and Ukrainian culinary tradition, are typically small, open-faced sandwiches designed to satisfy a hungry craving between meals or to elegantly serve unexpected guests. Unlike the typically delicate English tea sandwiches, the Russian version emphasizes hearty flavors. They are primarily composed of robust European cold cuts, paired with soft yogurt or mild cheeses, and often brightened with fresh slices of cucumbers or tomatoes. Their simplicity and quick assembly make them not only an ideal teatime snack but also a popular and convenient breakfast choice. A classic Russian tea sandwich embodies this philosophy, featuring a slice of hearty wheat bread, a spread of mayonnaise, a generous layer of flavorful Kielbasa, mild cheese, and a crisp garnish of fresh cucumbers.

Russian Tea Sandwiches pair beautifully with a warm cup of tea, especially when complemented by a sweet pastry or dessert. They create a perfect balance for an afternoon tea spread. Here are some delicious Russian tea pastries and cakes that would be wonderful accompaniments:

Russian Tea Pastries:

• Nutella Rogaliki (Russian Rugelach Recipe): Flaky, crescent-shaped pastries filled with a sweet Nutella swirl.
• Oreshki Recipe (Russian Walnut Cookies): Adorable shell-shaped cookies filled with creamy dulce de leche, resembling walnuts.
• Russian Peach Cookies (Persiki): Soft, peach-shaped cookies dyed and filled, mimicking the look and taste of real peaches.
• Cream Filled Pizzelles Recipe (Trubochki): Crispy, rolled wafer cookies generously filled with a delightful cream.

Classic Russian Cakes:

• Super Moist Smetannik Cake (Sour Cream Cake): A tender and moist cake, rich with sour cream, offering a subtle tang.
• Honey Cake Recipe (Medovik) Russian-Store CopyCat: Layered with thin, honey-infused cakes and a luscious cream filling, a true Russian classic.
• Chocolate Cherry Cake with Super-Moist Crumb!: A decadent cake combining rich chocolate with tart cherries for a delightful contrast.
• Easy Volcano Cake: A dramatic and delicious cake, often with a molten chocolate center or a rich, flowing topping.
• Chocolate Dulce de leche Cake (Cake Jeremiah): A heavenly blend of chocolate and sweet, caramelized dulce de leche in a moist cake.

For Russian Tea Sandwiches, the ideal cheese should be mild, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth, often resembling a yogurt cheese with small, characteristic holes. These types of cheeses complement the strong flavors of European cold cuts without overpowering them. Here’s a list of excellent choices:

• Salami Cheese: This is one of my personal favorites! It’s a mild, semi-hard cheese typically cylinder-shaped, offering a creamy texture and a flavor profile very similar to Havarti. (Pictured in the earlier image, you can spot its distinctive form.)
• Edamski Cheese: A mild, yellow cheese that comes in a large rectangular block. Edamski is known for its smooth texture and subtle, nutty flavor, making it another excellent Havarti-like option.
• Yogurt Cheese: This is a plain, mild, and often slightly tangy cheese with a soft, spreadable consistency. It’s perfect for adding a creamy element that balances the richness of the meats. It also shares many characteristics with Havarti.
• Havarti Cheese: A readily available and popular choice, Havarti can be found in most grocery stores. Its buttery, mild flavor and semi-soft texture make it an ideal cheese for these sandwiches, easily substituting for the more specialized European varieties if needed.

While Russian Tea Sandwiches are undoubtedly at their best when freshly made – especially with lightly toasted bread and crisp cucumbers – their quick assembly generally means preparing them fresh isn’t a significant hassle. The slight toast on the bread provides a delightful texture, and cucumbers, if left on too long, can release moisture and make the cheese or bread soggy. However, if you’re planning to serve a larger crowd and need to prepare them in advance, here’s how to do it without compromising quality:

How to Make Tea Sandwiches Ahead of Time:

• Hold the Cucumbers: The simplest method is to prepare all components (toasted bread, spread, meat, and cheese) and assemble the sandwiches, but leave out the cucumber slices. Store the assembled sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just before serving, thinly slice your fresh cucumbers and add them to each sandwich.
• Layer Strategically: If you absolutely must include cucumbers ahead of time, a smart layering technique can help. Ensure the bread is properly toasted to create a barrier. Then, layer the cheese first, followed by the kielbasa, and finally, the cucumbers on top. This way, the cheese and meat act as a buffer, preventing the cucumber’s moisture from directly saturating the bread and keeping it fresher for longer. Regardless of the method, always keep the sandwiches cold until they are ready to be enjoyed.

Once you’ve selected your ideal hearty bread, flavorful European cold cuts, and mild cheese, the right spread can truly tie all the flavors together. Here are three popular and delicious options for Russian tea sandwiches:

• Mayonnaise: A classic and versatile choice, mayonnaise adds a rich, creamy, and slightly tangy base that complements almost any type of deli meat and cheese. It provides a familiar comfort and helps bind the ingredients together.
• Butter: For a simpler, more traditional approach, a thin layer of soft or cold butter spread over each slice of bread is excellent. Butter offers a subtle richness and a delicate, creamy texture that highlights the natural flavors of the meat and bread without overpowering them.
• Cream Cheese: If you’re looking for a tangier and thicker spread, cream cheese is an exceptional option, particularly with darker, more intensely flavored cold cuts like Osobaya Salami. Its creamy texture and mild tartness create a wonderful contrast that brightens the sandwich’s overall profile.

The perfect tea to accompany your Russian Tea Sandwiches often depends on personal preference and the time of day. While I personally lean towards green tea throughout the day for its refreshing qualities, I frequently enjoy black tea, especially when I choose tea over coffee in the morning. When visiting my local Polish Deli, I often pick up these varieties:

• Earl Grey Tea: A classic black tea infused with bergamot oil, offering a distinctive citrusy and floral aroma. It’s elegant and a popular choice for any tea ceremony.
• English Tea No.1: Often a robust and full-bodied black tea blend, perfect for those who prefer a strong, traditional cup. It pairs well with savory snacks.
• Raspberry Tea: A delightful and often fruity blend, raspberry tea can be either black or herbal. Its sweet and slightly tart notes provide a lovely contrast to savory sandwiches and can be a refreshing option.