Open Faced Prosciutto Sandwich with Cherries

A summery and satisfying lunch, this open faced prosciutto sandwich with tart cherries will not disappoint with its salty-sweet combo. It takes just a few minutes to throw together, and is packed with delicious flavor!

Thank you to the Cherry Marketing Institute for sponsoring this post, originally published in 2015!

Prosciutto Sandwich with Arugula & White Bean Mash

I’m always on the lookout for new easy lunch ideas – anyone else? Anything I make at lunch needs to come together quickly, as I’m either packing it while rushing out the door or making it when already hungry. As a result, I can tend to get into ruts and make the same things over and over just because it’s easy. So I decided I would challenge myself to mix up my lunchbox with something creative and tasty but easy, too. The result ended up being as delicious as I’d hoped! The rest of my tart cherry recipes, with the exception of my Tart Cherry Kale and Feta Stuffed Chicken, have been on the sweeter side. (See also: Tart Cherry Pie Snack Balls, Microwave Tart Cherry Oatmeal, Tart Cherry Sports Drink). So I decided I should throw another savory one into the mix!

Recipe Ingredients

To make this tart cherry prosciutto sandwich, you’ll need:

• prosciutto
• tart cherries
• canned white beans (I used cannellini beans)
• goat cheese
• arugula
• bread
• optional: olive oil and garlic (or garlic powder)

I love the salty sweet combo for meals and snacks, so I decided I’d incorporate dried tart cherries into an open-faced sandwich of sorts involving prosciutto. It’s a sort of play on prosciutto and melon, another of my fave combos. To amp up the protein, I added some white beans to the mix. To turn them into a spreadable (and even more delicious) sandwich topper, I mixed them with goat cheese. Arugula, my favorite green, rounded things out with a pop of color – and some bonus nutrients. Looking for another healthy sandwich recipe? Try this no mayo shredded chicken salad sandwich!

How to Make a Prosciutto Sandwich

Step 1 of this sandwich is simply to toast the bread, because as far as I’m concerned toasted bread is approximately 1.5 thousand times more delicious than non-toasted bread. (That’s a scientific figure.) To amp up the deliciousness, I drizzled a little garlic olive oil on top before toasting – highly recommend doing this. If you don’t have garlic olive oil, you can use normal olive oil and a little garlic powder. Next, mash together the white beans and goat cheese, then spread on the toasted bread. Then, sprinkle on some dried tart cherries! In addition to being delicious, they also add some inflammation-busting anthocyanins to the mix (as you already know from my sports nutrition-themed Tart Cherry Sports Drink recipe). So this is an especially great lunch to have after a morning workout as the tart cherries can help speed up your recovery and ease muscle soreness! Now it’s time to toss on your prosciutto: Next, follow it up with some arugula. And you’re ready to eat! That was easy. Matt loved this lunch so much that he immediately made himself another one – although when he finished making it he realized he was actually full. Lol! These are more filling than they look. 🙂 Lots of fiber and protein! You’ll find the full tart cherry prosciutto sandwich recipe at the end of this post. Enjoy it! Are you a salty-sweet fan? What salty or savory items have you paired tart cherries with before? Looking for more tasty & easy lunch recipes? Check these out:

• Healthy Tuna Salad with Avocado
• Zesty Italian Pasta Salad
• Healthy Egg Salad with Avocado
• Quinoa Taco Salad