I've Been Making This 5-Minute Lunch for 20 Years

In my early days as a food writer, I started making this lunch at work so often that it became known as “The Mackenzie Sandwich” by my coworkers. Though I must admit, I got a little help with the flavor combo from a nearby grocery store that carried a dill Havarti cheese in their deli. The freshness of the dill is so tasty with the Havarti cheese, which has a soft, creamy consistency.

From there, the sandwich really made itself. I’d encountered enough recipes on the job to know that tomatoes and cucumber pair deliciously with dill, and making the sandwich open-face allowed me to pile on lots of them. It also made it easy to melt the cheese under the broiler rather than taking the time to put it in a panini press or cook it grilled cheese-style. 

The recipe evolved a bit when we moved offices and I couldn’t find the dill Havarti at any of the new nearby stores, so I switched to using regular Havarti and fresh dill. I still make this sandwich all the time and hope you will, too! 

Tips for Making My Havarti and Dill Open-Face Sandwich

• Use fresh or dried dill: Fresh dill is great if you have it on hand, but if not, dried dill will work. Just use a bit less of it—dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
• Switch up the deli meat: I opt for sliced deli turkey here, but you can change it up. I would stick to something that is relatively neutral in flavor, like chicken or a lightly peppered turkey, versus ham or smoked turkey that bring strong, specific flavors. The dill is really the star of this sandwich, and you want it to come through without distraction.
• Make it vegetarian: Feel free to try tofu or tempeh instead of the turkey.
• Use your favorite bread: My preference for the bread in this sandwich is sourdough or a hearty white bread, but pick whatever is your fave.

How To Make My Havarti and Dill Open-Face Sandwich (aka The Mackenzie Sandwich)

To make two servings, you’ll need:

• 2 large or 4 small slices bread (Photo: use more standard looking wheat sandwich bread)
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, optional
• 8 ounces sliced deli turkey
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces Havarti cheese, sliced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

Lightly toast the bread in a toaster. Spread the mayonnaise evenly on the toasted bread slices, if using, then place the bread on a baking sheet. Divide the turkey, cucumber slices, tomato slices, and cheese between the bread, working in that order. 

Adjust the oven rack to the highest or second-highest position in the oven and turn on your broiler to high. Place the baking sheet with sandwiches underneath the broiler and broil until the cheese has melted, 1 to 2 minutes. I recommend watching these sandwiches the whole time—the cheese will melt very quickly and can burn if left unattended. 

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, sprinkle the sandwiches with the fresh dill, and serve right away.

More Quick Lunches

• Black Bean Toasts
• Ground Beef Hummus Bowls
• Smashed Bean and Cheese Quesadillas
• Tajín Egg Salad