Brussels-Style Smoked Beef Sandwich with House-Pickled Cucumbers

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-03 · Updated 2026-04-03

A hearty, authentic street food sandwich featuring smoked beef, tangy pickled cucumbers, and mustard on toasted sourdough, capturing Brussels' culinary spirit. This Belgian-inspired quick recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs smoked beef (pastrami style), sourdough bread, dijon mustard for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 410 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 oz smoked beef (pastrami style)
• 2 slices sourdough bread
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup, thinly sliced cucumber
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp, chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp olive oil

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: For pickled cucumbers, combine 1/4 cup thinly sliced cucumber, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 1 tsp fresh dill in a small bowl; let sit for 15 minutes until cucumbers are tender and slightly translucent.
2. Step 2: Toast 2 slices sourdough bread until golden and crisp on both sides in a dry skillet over medium heat.
3. Step 3: Spread 1 tbsp Dijon mustard evenly on one side of each toasted bread slice.
4. Step 4: Layer 3 oz smoked beef evenly on one slice of mustard-coated bread, then top with the pickled cucumber mixture, spreading it to cover the beef completely.
5. Step 5: Place the second slice of bread on top, mustard-side down, pressing gently to secure. Slice diagonally and serve immediately.