Brazilian

Serving

Brazilian Kid-friendly Quick & easy

Bauru Sandwich

Name: Bauru Sandwich
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 2 French bread rolls, split; 8 oz thinly sliced roast beef; 6 oz mozzarella cheese, sliced; 1 tomato, sliced; 1/4 cup sliced pickled cucumbers; 1 tbsp butter, softened

São Paulo's iconic melty sandwich of roast beef, tomato, pickled cucumber, and gooey mozzarella pressed inside crusty French bread.

15 minutes

Serves 2

Lunch

7 min prep

11 min cook

Contains common allergens

Dairy Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

6 steps

1
Butter the cut sides of the French bread rolls lightly.
2
Layer the roast beef, tomato slices, and pickled cucumbers on the bottom half of each roll.
3
Top generously with mozzarella slices.
4
Place the sandwiches, open-faced or assembled, in a panini press or hot skillet until the cheese melts and the bread is toasted, about 4-5 minutes.
5
Close the sandwiches and press together.
6
Slice in half and serve hot.

Bauru Sandwich — plated and served — Serving moment. How Bauru Sandwich looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

77/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 80

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 96

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 56

Pantry-friendly 47

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

675

Calories

51 g

Protein

19 g

Carbs

43 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

The Bauru was invented in 1937 at Ponto Chic, a bar in downtown São Paulo, when a law student named Casimiro Pinto Neto, nicknamed Bauru after his hometown, asked the kitchen to build him something specific: roast beef, cheese, tomato, and pickles on French bread. The sandwich caught on with other regulars and eventually became a defining São Paulo classic still served at Ponto Chic today.

Listahan note

This version melts the cheese under direct heat in a press or skillet rather than an oven, which is closer to how it's actually made at São Paulo lanchonetes and gives a more even, gooey melt in a fraction of the time.

Technique cues

The original Bauru used only roast beef, cheese, tomato, and pickled cucumbers - no lettuce, no mayo - and that restraint is part of what makes it distinct from a generic deli sandwich.
Pressing the sandwich while the cheese melts is what makes it a true Bauru rather than just an assembled cold sandwich; the heat is essential, not optional.
French bread rolls with a crisp crust and soft interior are traditional because they hold up to pressing without turning to mush, unlike a softer sandwich bread would.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Slice the tomato and pickles while the skillet or press heats, so assembly and cooking happen back to back
Make-ahead: Assemble the sandwiches cold up to a few hours ahead and refrigerate, then press just before serving
Leftover move: Leftover components are best eaten as a cold sandwich rather than reheated, since the pressed texture doesn't reheat well
Cleanup rhythm: Wipe the press or skillet down while still warm, before any melted cheese has a chance to harden onto the surface

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

French bread rolls

The sandwich's structural base

Purpose: A crisp crust holds up to pressing and toasting without collapsing, unlike a softer bread

Handling: Split and lightly butter the cut sides before assembling

Adaptation: A crusty baguette portion or ciabatta roll both work as reasonable substitutes

thinly sliced roast beef

Primary protein

Purpose: Thin slices of roast beef are the traditional filling that gives the sandwich its heartiness

Handling: Layer generously on the bottom half of the roll before adding the other fillings

Adaptation: Thinly sliced pastrami or turkey both work if roast beef isn't available, though the flavor shifts noticeably

mozzarella cheese

Melting layer

Purpose: Its stretchy, mild melt is what makes the sandwich gooey and rich under heat

Handling: Layer generously on top of the other fillings so it melts down over everything as it heats

Adaptation: Prato cheese, the traditional Brazilian choice, has a slightly firmer texture and more pronounced flavor if you can find it

tomato

Fresh, juicy contrast

Purpose: Cuts through the richness of the beef and melted cheese with acidity and moisture

Handling: Slice thick enough to hold its shape under the pressing but thin enough to not overwhelm a bite

Adaptation: A layer of thinly sliced red onion can stand in if tomato is out of season and bland

sliced pickled cucumbers

Tangy, crunchy counterpoint

Purpose: Their acidity and crunch balance the sandwich's otherwise rich, soft components

Handling: Slice thin and distribute evenly so every bite gets some

Adaptation: Dill pickle slices are a very close, easy substitute

Technique notes

Press the sandwich firmly but not so hard that the fillings squeeze out the sides - a gentle, steady weight melts the cheese without losing the tomato and pickles.
Toast just until the bread is golden and the cheese is fully melted through, not just melted on the surface - an underheated center leaves cold cheese in the middle.
Cut the sandwich right after pressing, while everything is still hot, so the cheese doesn't set up firm again before serving.

Ingredient swaps

Lower-fat direction: Use a leaner roast beef cut and a reduced-fat mozzarella to cut some richness while keeping the classic structure intact
Weeknight shortcut: Use deli-sliced roast beef instead of homemade, which turns this into a five-minute assembly-and-press sandwich
Vegetarian direction: Swap the roast beef for thick slices of grilled portobello mushroom, keeping the cheese, tomato, and pickles for the same flavor balance

Serve alongside

Mandioca Frita (Fried Cassava)
a simple green salad
potato chips
Guaraná soda
cold Brazilian lager
fresh lemonade

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten immediately while hot and pressed
Assembled but unpressed sandwiches keep refrigerated up to a day
Not recommended for freezing since the bread and fresh vegetables don't hold up well

Equipment

Panini press or heavy skillet
Sharp knife for slicing
Butter knife for spreading
Cutting board

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