These little treats show up whenever Czechs throw a family party! They are called Obložené chlebíčky, or in English, open-faced sandwiches.
➜ Open-faced sandwich definition
Czech open-faced sandwiches, or obložené chlebíčky, are slices of special white bread (known as "veka" in Czech) that are slathered with potato salad (bramborový salát) or simply smeared with butter and adorned with cold cuts, typically thin slices of ham, hard salami, cheese, and other toppings.
However, do not think you can just pile ingredients onto a slice of bread any which way—presentation matters! Czechs carefully arrange ham and cheese into creative shapes, turning each open-faced sandwich into a small work of art that looks fantastic on the serving platter.
Czech open-faced sandwiches are a perfect way to feed a crowd. They are enjoyed at all kinds of special occasions—birthdays, weddings, Christmas, New Year's Eve, and family gatherings.
➜ Pronunciation
I recorded a short audio clip to demonstrate how to pronounce "obložený chlebíček" in Czech. Since I am a native speaker, you will hear the authentic Czech pronunciation firsthand!
Read also: What do Czech eat at Christmas
➜ Chlebíčky: Czech specialty with a long history
The Czech open-faced sandwich was invented in Prague by Jan Paukert, the owner of a renowned deli.
He lived in Prague during the First Czechoslovak Republic (the interwar period, 1918–1938), and his shop was considered one of the three most famous delis in Europe.
The idea for the open-faced sandwich came from Jan Paukert’s desire to offer his customers something between finger food and a traditional sandwich—and these gourmet creations quickly became a hit!
TIP: A bite-size, open-faced sandwich is called jednohubka in the Czech language.
➜ Veka: Czech white bread
The base of an open-faced sandwich is a slice of white bread known in the Czech Republic as "veka." Think of Czech veka as similar to a French baguette.
Veka is a soft, elongated white bread made from leavened dough. To prepare it for sandwiches, slice it into half-inch-thick pieces. It is easy to cut—just grab a serrated knife and a little patience to get nice, even slices!
Find out how to make homemade Veka bread.
➜ How to top chlebíčky?
Once you have sliced the veka bread, start with the first layer—usually one of these classic Czech salads:
If you are using hard salami, skip the salad and spread only unsalted butter on the bread. Czechs love their spreadable "pomazánkové máslo" for this. Another option is to whip softened butter with freshly pressed garlic, yellow mustard, or a spice mix for extra flavor.
Once the slice is coated, it is time for the fun part—decorating! Use these ingredients to create the perfect looking chlebíčky:
- cold cuts of ham or hard salami
- hard-boiled eggs, slices or wedges
- dill pickles
- wedges of tomato
- canned peppers or fresh bell pepper cut into rings
- sprig of curly parsley
- hard cheese
- canned sardines
You can use various kinds of cheese, salami, ham, or vegetables. For a nice touch, sprinkle the egg slices with sweet ground paprika or chili flakes for a nice contrast—maybe not the most traditional, but it is a trick from my mom!
MY TIP: No time or patience to decorate sandwiches? No problem! Just spread one of my Czech bread spreads on the slice and top it with a few veggies.
Here are some great spreads for simple yet delicious chlebíčky sandwiches:
- Garlic cheese spread (česneková pomazánka)
- Farmer's cheese spread (tvarohová pomazánka)
- Sardine spread (rybičková pomazánka)
- Hermelín spread (hermelínová pomazánka)
As a final touch, place a piece of curly green parsley on top of the sandwich.
➜ How to assemble Czech chlebíček sandwich (video)
I put together a quick video showing how to assemble a chlebíček sandwich. Check it out—the link takes you straight to my YouTube channel! You can see the video HERE.
Also, check out this YouTube video where Janek Rubeš, also known as Honest Guide, talks in English about Czech chlebíčky!
Tried this recipe?
Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Czech Open-Faced Sandwiches (Obložené chlebíčky)
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 Czech veka bread or French baguette
- 2 cups potato salad or spreadable butter/ bread spread
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 12 thin slices ham and hard salami
- 6 thin slices hard cheese e. g., Edam, Gouda
- ½ red pepper fresh or canned
- curly parsley
Instructions
- Slice Czech veka bread or French baguette on a slight angle.
- Spread about two tablespoons of potato salad on each slice. Fold the ham or salami decoratively and place it on the edge of the sandwich. Put a small piece of hard cheese on the ham.
- Add one or two slices of the hard-boiled egg, then garnish with a piece of red pepper and a sprig of curly parsley to finish.
Notes
- Arrange the obložené chlebíčky on a tray and cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Store in the fridge and remove the wrap just before serving.
- These open-faced sandwiches are best enjoyed fresh, so they are usually made on the same day they are served.
- There is no strict rule for how the sandwiches should look—decorate them however you like, making them as tempting as possible!
Nutritional estimate pro serving
Interested in Czech cuisine? Discover more authentic Czech food!
Judy says
My parents come from the Czech Republic, and these sandwiches were a mainstay on our New Year's Eve parties. Even as a small girl, my favorite was the garlic one. Now I make them (my husband even helps sometimes!) for New Year's Eve, and they're usually eaten in the first hour of the party. This is a really good recipe!
Marils says
I usually make chlebíčky around Christmas or New Years. I don't know why. We like them so much, we could certainly enjoy them all year around.
Our usual spread used for the "glue" is mashed potato salad, because that's usually something I always have on hand for the holidays. and it already contains a generous amount of eggs
The tops are usually layered with salami or ham, grape tomatoes, Italian Parsley and sliced gherkins. The platter usually contains a bowl of mixed olives, feta, and I usually offer tomato juice along side.
Thank you for reminding me of this tasty treat.
Petra Kupská says
Thank you, Marils, for your lovely comment! We also make chlebicky on New Year's Eve and at family celebrations in our house. Potato salad as a base is a great choice, then just garnish with cheese, ham, boiled egg. Unbelievable goodness!
Franta says
Ahoj Petro!
I’m so glad to find your website. My high school class is having our collective 75th birthday party shortly. I promised to bring some goodies: chlebicky and babovka so they can experience Czech food. I was going to make chlebicky from memory—who knew there is an actual recipe! After 12 years of struggling to learn Czech, I can cook far better than I can speak.
Srdecni zdravi,
Franta
Petra Kupská says
Ahoj Frantisku, thank you very much for your lovely comment, it made me happy! First of all, big congratulations and wishes for such a wonderful anniversary, the 75th birthday must be celebrated properly! Babovka and chlebicky are worthy dishes from Czech cuisine that will stand out on a festively set table - an excellent choice 🙂 I wish you all an awesome celebration and may the goodies you bring be enjoyed by everyone.
Hodne stesti a zdravi vsem preje Petra! (My humble contribution in the Czech language)
William (Vacily) says
I will make these for our card party on Dec 15th.
William (Vacily) says
I will make these for our card party on Dec 15th. Made them a few times before for Czech Days at the Bohemian Hall in Cleveland. Delicious!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello William, thank you for your comment! Happy to hear that - hope you get positive feedback! Please, let me know it went afterwards - fingers crossed 🙂
William Miller says
I love these! We make them for Czech Days in Cleveland. I will make them for a card party for many NON BOHEMIANS!
Anicka Cooklikeczechs.com says
Hello William, thank you for your comment. I am happy to hear that - hope they will enjoy the recipes! 🙂
Greetings from the Czech Republic.
Dave R says
Thanks for that great recipe. You are an amazing and knowledgeable cook!👍
Petra Kupská says
Hi Dave, thank you for the kind words! 🙂