This post is sponsored by Krakus Foods in partnership with Square Enterprises. All opinions are my own.
My mom would set out a platter of Polish kanapki, and it was gone within minutes. These open-faced sandwiches are as simple as it gets: good bread, a generous layer of butter, smoked meats, cheese, fresh vegetables, and crunchy Krakus dill pickles. No cooking, no fuss, just fresh, colorful bites that taste like home. Every bite has that sweet-sour pickle crunch that makes kanapki so hard to stop eating.
In Poland, kanapki show up everywhere: at breakfast, packed for school and work, on the table at name day parties, and on nearly every holiday spread from Easter to Wigilia leftovers. They're the go-to when guests drop by, because you can build a whole platter in about 15 minutes with whatever's in the fridge. That makes them perfect for game days, baby showers, family get-togethers, or an easy no-cook dinner on a busy weeknight.
If you love Polish comfort food, these pair perfectly with a bowl of my Polish dill pickle soup or a crisp mizeria cucumber salad.
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Ingredients
Kanapki are all about quality ingredients, since there's nothing to hide behind. Start with fresh, sturdy bread that can hold its toppings, and use real European-style butter, which is richer and creamier than standard butter and acts as both the flavor base and a barrier that keeps the bread from getting soggy. I used a mix of smoked turkey, gypsy ham (szynka cygańska), and kielbasa so there's something for everyone on the platter. The star is Krakus Polish dill pickles: their sweet-sour flavor and snappy crunch cut through the richness of the butter and smoked meats and tie every bite together.
- Fresh bread (I used sourdough)
- European-style butter, softened
- Smoked turkey
- Gypsy ham
- Kielbasa
- Cheese
- Tomato
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Green onion
- Krakus Polish dill pickles
- Salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Building kanapki is more assembly than cooking. Prep all your toppings first so you can build the whole platter quickly and everything stays fresh.
- Step 1: Slice the bread about ½ inch thick. Slice the tomato into rounds, the hard-boiled eggs into rounds, the green onion thinly, and the Krakus dill pickles into coins.
- Step 2: Spread each slice of bread with a generous layer of softened butter, all the way to the edges.
- Step 3: Make three varieties: top some slices with smoked turkey, some with gypsy ham, and some with kielbasa.
- Step 4: Top with cheese, tomato, egg, or pickle coins, mixing and matching however you like.
- Step 5: Finish each kanapka with a sprinkle of green onion, salt, and pepper.
- Step 6: Arrange on a platter with a bowl of Krakus pickles on the side, and watch it disappear.
Hint: Pat the tomato slices and pickle coins dry with a paper towel before adding them. Extra moisture is the fastest way to a soggy kanapka, especially if the platter sits out for a while.
Substitutions
Kanapki are endlessly flexible, so it's easy to swap ingredients based on what you have or who you're feeding.
- Bread - instead of sourdough, use Polish rye, whole grain, or a crusty baguette sliced on the bias for smaller bite-size kanapki.
- Gluten free - use a sturdy gluten-free bread and toast it lightly so it holds up under the toppings.
- Meat - swap in any deli meat you like: roast pork loin (schab), salami, or sliced chicken breast.
- Cheese - use a mild Polish-style cheese like Gouda or Edam, or swap in twaróg (farmer's cheese) mixed with chives for a creamy spread.
- Vegetarian - skip the meat and load up on egg, cheese, tomato, cucumber, radish, and pickles.
Variations
Every Polish family has their own way of building kanapki. Here are a few ways to make them your own:
- Classic radish - add thin radish slices on top of buttered bread with a pinch of salt for a peppery crunch.
- Horseradish - spread a little prepared horseradish over the butter, especially on the ham kanapki.
- Mustard - a swipe of Polish mustard is perfect with kielbasa.
- Fresh dill - finish with chopped dill instead of (or with) green onion.
- Party bites - use a cocktail baguette or cut each slice into quarters for easy finger food at parties.
- High protein - double up on eggs and lean turkey for a satisfying no-cook lunch.
Equipment
You don't need anything special to make kanapki. A good serrated bread knife makes clean, even slices without squashing a soft loaf, and a sharp chef's knife gives you neat tomato rounds and pickle coins. A butter knife or small offset spatula makes it easy to spread butter all the way to the edges. An egg slicer is handy for perfectly even egg rounds, but a sharp knife works too.
For serving, a large platter or wooden board shows off all the colors. Here's the serving board I use (affiliate link).
Storage
Kanapki are best eaten fresh, within a couple of hours of assembling. Don't leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours, since they contain meat, eggs, and cheese.
To prep ahead, store the sliced toppings in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days (hard-boiled eggs keep up to a week unpeeled), then butter the bread and assemble right before serving. Assembled kanapki don't freeze well, as the bread gets soggy and the tomatoes and eggs turn watery once thawed.
Top Tip
Don't skimp on the butter and spread it all the way to the edges. It's not just for flavor: the butter creates a seal that keeps juicy toppings like tomato and pickles from soaking into the bread.
FAQ
Kanapki are Polish open-faced sandwiches made with a slice of buttered bread topped with things like deli meat, cheese, egg, tomato, pickles, and fresh herbs. They're served for breakfast, packed lunches, and on party and holiday platters.
Gypsy ham (szynka cygańska) is a smoked ham with a paprika-seasoned edge, popular in Polish and Eastern European delis. If you can't find it, any good smoked ham works.
Choose a sturdy, fresh loaf that holds its shape, such as sourdough, Polish rye, or a crusty country bread. Slice it about ½ inch thick so it can support the toppings.
Prep and slice all the toppings up to 2 days ahead and keep them refrigerated, then butter the bread and assemble just before serving so the bread stays fresh.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Polish Kanapki (Open-Faced Sandwiches)
Equipment
- Serrated bread knife
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Butter knife or small offset spatula
- Egg slicer (optional)
- Serving platter or board
Ingredients
- 12 slices fresh bread sliced about ½ inch thick (I used sourdough)
- 6 tablespoons European-style butter softened
- 4 oz smoked turkey thinly sliced
- 4 oz gypsy ham thinly sliced
- 4 oz kielbasa thinly sliced
- 4 oz cheese sliced
- 2 medium tomatoes sliced into rounds
- 3 hard-boiled eggs peeled and sliced
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 4 Krakus Polish dill pickles sliced into coins, plus extra for serving
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep the toppings. Slice the tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs into rounds, thinly slice the green onion, and slice the Krakus dill pickles into coins. Pat the tomato and pickle slices dry with a paper towel.
- Butter the bread. Spread each slice of bread with a generous layer of softened butter, all the way to the edges.
- Add the meat. Top 4 slices with smoked turkey, 4 with gypsy ham, and 4 with kielbasa.
- Add the toppings. Layer on cheese, tomato, egg, or pickle coins, mixing and matching however you like.
- Finish. Sprinkle each kanapka with green onion, salt, and pepper.
- Serve. Arrange on a platter with a bowl of Krakus pickles on the side, and serve right away.
Video
Notes
Butter to the edges: The butter seals the bread so juicy toppings don't make it soggy.
Food safety: Don't leave assembled kanapki at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Freezing: Assembled kanapki don't freeze well.
Variations: Try radish, horseradish, Polish mustard, or fresh dill.
