Anthony Bourdain’s 5-Ingredient Sandwich That Never Fails

Anthony Bourdain’s Sandwich: A Homage to Simplicity in Cooking

This now-iconic dish will never disappoint. By Merlyn Miller, published on November 28, 2025, Food & Wine.

Anthony Bourdain’s favorite sandwich recipe has been online for years and it’s a simple, comforting dish that everyone should know how to make. The recipe was first published in his 2016 cookbook, Appetites.

A Recipe Inspired by Travel

Bourdain’s version of the sandwich is inspired by a similar dish at Bar do Mané in São Paulo, Brazil. This casual eatery is known for its signature sandwich starring roughly half a pound of crispy, pan-fried mortadella and slices of melty, yellow cheese all inside a soft Portuguese bun.

However, the recipe has been adapted to be more accessible for home cooks. The late chef’s ultimate sandwich requires only five ingredients: thinly sliced mortadella, provolone cheese, a roll (Bourdain suggests using either a sourdough or Kaiser roll), your mustard of choice, and mayonnaise.

The Five-Minute Sandwich

To start, heat a small pan over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add a little neutral oil, like avocado or canola. Place three small piles of mortadella into the pan.

You’re looking to use around five to six slices of mortadella, and they should be clustered into little mounds of two or three slices each.

Let the piles of mortadella sit until the edges are crisp and the bottoms turn golden brown. The small heaps of deli meat help the edges get crispy while the interior remains soft and tender. Flip the stacks of mortadella and place a slice of cheese on each.

Once the other side has browned as well, remove the meat from the pan and stack the piles on a plate.

Now it’s time to toast the buns, and you’re almost finished with the sandwich. Slice the roll in half, then place the cut sides down on the pan used to cook the mortadella. Optionally, spread a little mayonnaise on each half of the bun before toasting to help them turn golden brown.

Let the buns toast until they’ve taken on some color, then turn off the heat.

Spread mayonnaise on one half of the roll and mustard on the other. Then, assemble everything with the melty cheese and piles of mortadella sandwiched between the pieces of bread. You’re all set to dine like Anthony Bourdain without needing to hop on a plane.

Where Does This Sandwich Come From?

This delicacy draws on Bourdain’s travels. His simple recipe is inspired by the signature sandwich at Bar do Mané in São Paulo, Brazil. The casual eatery is known for its sandwich starring roughly half a pound of crispy, pan-fried mortadella and slices of melty, yellow cheese all inside a soft Portuguese bun.

Anthony Bourdain once said this restaurant in Paris was a must-visit, second only to the Eiffel Tower.

While the cheese on Bar do Mané’s sandwich is usually described simply as “yellow cheese,” it looks strikingly similar to American cheese. If you’re making this dish at home, feel free to swap Bourdain’s choice of provolone for any other cheese that melts easily, such as American cheese or fontina.

You can even use piles of bologna instead of mortadella if you prefer. As long as you have a sky-high sandwich made with crispy, savory meat that’s been thinly sliced and stacked with melted cheese, you’re close enough to perfection.

Anthony Bourdain’s favorite sandwich is a perfect lesson in simplicity.

It’s far from new, but it deserves another round of applause every few years. If you don’t already know how to make it, I think it’s essential that every home cook keep this recipe in their back pocket.

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