Burgers and sandwiches are popular types of food enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. Although they look nothing alike, a burger and a sandwich have a lot in common.
Whether you like burgers more than sandwiches or vice versa, you might be wondering if a burger is the same thing as a sandwich.
So, is a burger a sandwich? A sandwich is a food item consisting of two pieces of bread with a filling between them. A burger is a food consisting of a grilled meat patty placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. Technically speaking, a burger is a sandwich, because it has a filling between two pieces of bread or bun.
However, the answer to is a burger a sandwich debate isn’t as simple as it seems. Keep reading to learn more about burgers and sandwiches and the difference between these two popular foods.
What Is a Burger?
A burger is a popular dish consisting of a ground meat patty, usually made from ground beef, placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. Burgers usually consist of several other elements.
The beef patty is usually topped with cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles, bacon, and chiles. Furthermore, condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, or a special sauce are often spread over the sesame seed buns.
In addition to ground beef, burgers can be made from other types of meat or meat substitutes. Popular options include a turkey burger, bison burger, veggie burger, and portobello burger.
Burgers are most often sold at fast-food restaurants, diners, and high-end and specialty restaurants.
What Is a Sandwich?
A sandwich is also a popular type of food. It consists of sliced cheese, meat, and vegetables placed between two slices of bread. The bread used for sandwiches can be plain or covered with condiments such as mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, or butter to elevate the flavor and texture.
Sandwiches can be both sweet and savory. Some of the most popular savory sandwiches in the United States include the club sandwich and the Reuben sandwich.
A club sandwich consists of toasted bread, sliced cooked chicken or turkey meat, bacon, tomato, lettuce, and mayonnaise. The Reuben sandwich features corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, or Thousand Islands dressing placed between slices of rye bread.
In addition to being made at home, sandwiches are also sold in cafes, restaurants, pubs, and diners and can be served hot or cold.
What Is the Difference between a Burger and a Sandwich?
While a burger is technically a type of sandwich, these two dishes differ in many ways. Let’s take a look at the biggest differences between a burger and a sandwich.
1. Type of Bread
One of the most obvious differences between a burger and a sandwich is the type of bread used to make them.
A sandwich traditionally consists of two slices of bread that can be fresh or toasted. On the other hand, a burger is made using a sliced bun or bread roll.
2. Filling
Sandwiches and burgers are made using different types of fillings.
The most commonly used filling for burgers is a patty made of ground beef meat. However, the patty can also be made from other types of meat such as turkey, bison, chicken, venison, buffalo, kangaroo, salmon, or elk.
In addition to a meat patty, fillings for burgers usually include vegetables like tomatoes, lettuce, onion and pickles, and cheese. Burgers are typically served hot to increase the flavor of the filling.
A sandwich can be both savory and sweet and made using various types of fillings. Savory sandwiches consist of thin slices of cold-cooked meat and other fillings like cheese, vegetables, sauce, and spread.
Sweet sandwiches are made with peanut butter and jelly, whipped cream, bananas, strawberries, and many other types of fillings.
Shape
The shape is another difference between a burger and a sandwich.
Burgers are round in shape, allowing you to see all the different layers and fillings. On the other hand, sandwiches can come in many different shapes. Most sandwiches are square in shape, but many restaurants cut sandwiches in half, giving them a triangle shape.
Cooking Method
Sandwiches are made using slices of pre-cooked meats like turkey, chicken, or ham and are easy to put together when you’re in a pinch. While you might want to toast your sandwich before eating it, you can also eat it as it is.
The ground meat patty used to make burgers must be cooked, otherwise, you risk getting foodborne diseases from eating raw meat.
Are Burgers Considered Sandwiches?
Yes, a burger is considered a sandwich. Although they differ in many ways, burgers and sandwiches have one important thing in common – they both consist of a filling placed in between two slices of bread or inside a bun or a roll.
Technically speaking, anything can be a sandwich, as long as it is in between two slices of bread, inside a bread roll or a bun.
Why are Burgers not Sandwiches?
A burger is a type of sandwich. However, burgers and sandwiches differ in many ways.
For start, a burger consists of a grilled patty, and other fillings placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. Burgers are typically round in shape and must be cooked.
A sandwich is made using two slices of bread, slices of cold-cooked meat, cheese, and other fillings. Unlike burgers, sandwiches aren’t cooked and can be both sweet and savory.
Conclusion
Although a burger is technically a sandwich, these two popular foods are different on so many levels.
A sandwich is defined as two or more slices of bread or a split roll with a filling inside. Sandwiches typically consist of vegetables, slices of cold-cooked meat, and cheese placed in between two slices of bread.
A burger has a grilled patty and vegetables placed inside a sliced bun or bread roll. Unlike sandwiches, burgers are usually round in shape and must be cooked.
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