But I’m here to tell you that tea and sandwiches are always a nice treat, no matter where you live in the world. There’s nothing more pleasant on a beautiful day than setting up a table with tiny sandwiches, warm cups of tea, and a few sweets for after the sandwiches are gone. Additionally, tea and sandwiches make an excellent choice for a light brunch when you don’t want to go all out. And if you need something to calm your nerves and relieve stress after a particularly challenging week, a weekend tea and sandwich event could be just the thing for that, as well. So even if you don’t see a need for them right now, check out these tea sandwich recipes for later.
English Tea Sandwiches for the Perfect Afternoon Tea
1. Cucumber Sandwiches
I first tried cucumber sandwiches in the sixth grade. We had an assignment that required us to come in and “teach the class” about our favorite book. I wanted to teach my peers about Alice in Wonderland, and I decided to do it while having a tea party. My mom and I scoured the (then relatively new internet) for English tea party recipes. Cucumber sandwiches were one of the first things to come up, and I decided I just had to have them for my lesson/tea party. I can’t even remember now if they were a hit or not. What I do remember was that I adored them, and I have loved them ever since. They’re cool, light, and fresh, and to this day, they’re one of my favorite tea sandwiches.
2. Easy Smoked Salmon Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
If you like the idea of cucumber sandwiches but need more protein, add a bit of smoked salmon into the mix. It gives it a richer, earthier flavor, but there’s still that light freshness that makes cucumber sandwiches so good in the first place.
3. Tuna Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Tuna is another ingredient that pairs well with the typical cucumber sandwich. In truth, all three of these cucumber recipes are unbelievably incredible. It’s just a matter of picking which one suits your tastes best.
4. Easy Ham & Cheese Tea Sandwiches
These are simple ham and cheese sandwiches, but you’ll turn them into elegant tea sandwiches when you cut them in small, circular shapes that are the perfect finger foods for accompanying tea.
5. Easy Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
There are plenty of recipes out there for egg salad sandwiches, but for my money, you can’t beat this one. It’s simple; all you’ll need are eggs, mayonnaise, mustard, sea salt, parsley, and white bread. It’s creamy, a bit tangy, and very yummy. Don’t forget to cut them in a cute way for tea, though!
6. Mozzarella, Tomato, & Basil Tea Sandwiches
If you’re looking for something fresh with an almost Italian-like flavor, give these tiny circular sandwiches a try. You’ll layer them with white bread, a thick slice of mozzarella cheese, another piece of bread, a juicy piece of tomato, a third piece of bread, and a basil leaf on top. Skewer them with a toothpick or cocktail skewer and serve them to your hungry guests.
7. Tomato Twiddle
If you’re a fan of tomatoes and cheese, these tomato twiddle sandwiches are an excellent choice for any occasion. All you’ll need are tomatoes, sharp cheddar, and white onion. Mix them in a food processor until you get a lovely, zesty sandwich spread. Then, add it to your choice of bread.
8. BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato) Tea Sandwiches
Much like the ham and cheese sandwiches above, these are your typical BLTs with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and bread. However, the circular cut makes all the difference. They become immediately more formal and perfect for pairing with tea.
9. Butterfly Raspberry Fluff and Nutella Tea Sandwiches
If you’re in the mood for something sweeter, these butterfly sandwiches are the way to go. Of course, you can use whatever cookie cutter you like best, but the butterflies are precious. You’ll start with fluffy white bread and add a sweet, soft mixture of raspberry preserves and marshmallow fluff. Finally, you’ll spread Nutella over the opposite slices of bread and combine them for an upgrade on the typical PB&J. Add a few raspberries to your plate for aesthetics.
10. Radish and Herb Butter Tea Sandwiches
Radish and herbs may sound like an odd sandwich choice, but if you’re looking for something summery with plenty of garden freshness, these are ideal. Plus, they’re insanely easy to make and shouldn’t take longer than 5 or 10 minutes.
11. Summer Afternoon Tea Sandwiches
I cheated a bit here and added three sandwiches in one, but if you’re looking for more standard English tea sandwich recipes, these are hard to beat. Whether you go for the creamy and tangy egg salad chutney, the fresh and light watercress cucumber, or the sweetly tart apricot jam, jalapenos, and cheese, they’re sure to be a hit.
12. Herbed Avocado Egg Salad Tea Sandwiches
Kick your egg salad sandwiches up a notch by adding celery, sour cream, chives, parsley, avocado, lemon juice, onion sprouts, and more. Doing so gives them a much richer flavor that has more depth to it. It also makes the sandwiches heartier, so they’ll keep you fuller for longer.
13. Prosciutto, Apple and Brie Tea Sandwiches with Sage Butter
These 10-minute sandwiches combine a little bit of everything: radishes, prosciutto, brie, sage butter, arugula, and fresh apples. Choose your favorite bread and pile it high with these ingredients (and more if you like!) for a fresh, herby, slightly sweet summer sandwich that’s unlike any other you’ve tried.
14. Deviled Egg Ribbon Sandwiches
These sandwiches are basically a cheesy version of deviled eggs on bread, held together with fresh chives. And yes, they are every bit as mouth-watering and tasty as they sound.
15. Cheesy Shrimp Tea Sandwiches (Canapés)
If you’re a seafood lover looking to add a bit of umami flavor to tea time, try these phenomenal cheesy shrimp tea sandwiches. You’ll make an incredible spread from mayo, garlic, parsley, dill, and Mexican blend shredded cheese. Honestly, that’s tasty enough on a crusty baguette. When you add a piece of cooked shrimp to each one, though, they’ll go from tasty to terrific, and that’s always a good thing.
16. Crab Salad Tea Sandwiches
Here’s another umami-packed option for seafood lovers. It features crab meat, onions, celery, chili sauce, and more, and it’s delicious. It might not be as pretty as the shrimp canapes above, but it tastes just as amazing.
17. Roast Beef & Watercress Tea Sandwiches
These miniature finger sandwiches are nothing more than white bread, roast beef, watercress, mayo, and horseradish, with a dash of pepper thrown in for flavor. Give them that swanky circular cut, and they’ll be ready to serve in less than 10 minutes.
18. Gouda and Tomato Tea Sandwiches
Gouda is always a bit hit, and when you pair it with mozzarella, Italian baguettes, garlic, mayo, tomatoes, and parsley, it’s even better. These sandwiches are cheesy, lovely to look at, feature juicy tomatoes, and are entirely delicious. Everyone at your tea table will love them.
19. Carrot Tea Sandwiches with Garlic and Cheese
I don’t like carrot tea sandwiches as much as I like cucumber ones, but I still like them a lot, especially when you add a bit of garlic, tomatoes, and cheese to them. Plus, they’re bright, beautiful, and will draw the eye of anyone who happens to stroll by your tea table.
20. Triples
These adorable, refreshing sandwiches feature a delightful combo of eggs, mayo, onions, bell peppers, salt, avocados, plum tomatoes, vinegar, and bread. Skewer an olive on top for extra salty goodness, and enjoy! These are charming, refreshing, and full of flavor that’ll linger on your tongue for hours (in a good way).
21. Ham and Pimento Cheese Tea Sandwiches with Pickled Okra Garnish
If you’re already a big fan of pimento cheese sandwiches with your tea, give your typical treat a bit of glow-up with some black forest ham and a pickled okra garnish. You’ll still enjoy the creamy tanginess of pimento cheese, but you’ll also get extra protein (and salt) with the ham and a bright burst of flavor from the pickled okra.
22. Curried Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches
Speaking of glow-ups, this curried chicken salad takes “regular” chicken salad to a whole new level. Along with chicken and mayo, you’ll also add dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, scallions, curry powder, and half a Fuji apple. Spread the sweet and savory mixture over wheat bread, and you’ll have a fantastic sandwich on your hands. You’ll want to eat it all the time, not just for tea time.
23. Sandwich Sushi Rolls
These aren’t actual sushi rolls, but they look almost like sushi, and they’re just plain fun, whether you’re a kid or grown adult. You can make tuna sushi rolls, ham and cheese sushi rolls, or chicken avocado sushi rolls. In fact, you could pretty much turn almost any sandwich into these faux-sushi rolls. It’s just a matter of rolling up your bread and getting everything to stay in place. They’re very convenient to eat, as well, making them perfect for your next backyard tea.
24. Peanut Butter and Jelly Tea Sandwiches
Everyone knows how to make a PB&J, but if you want to create elegant, easy-to-eat PB&Js for tea time, you’ll want to do it a little differently. First, you’ll start with – you guessed it – the circular cookie cutters. Then, you’ll want to layer your sandwiches: bread, peanut butter, bread, jelly, and bread. Everything else is entirely up to you – crunchy or creamy, strawberry or grape.
25. Turkey Tarragon Tea Sandwiches
I started this list with one of my favorite tea sandwiches, so I decided to end it with a favorite, too: turkey tarragon tea sandwiches. They take mere moments to make, and the only equipment you’ll need is a mixing bowl and a big spoon. You can make these with nothing more than roasted turkey, smoked almonds, olive oil mayonnaise, shallots, tarragon, ground black pepper, and bread. Just give them a try, and I promise that you won’t be disappointed. Click on a star to rate it!
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