9 Simple Sliced Bologna Hacks You Need In Your Life

People tend to have a love-hate relationship with bologna, being either fans of the deli meat or having sworn it off completely. Maybe it stems from the constant wondering of what type of meat bologna is or bemoaning how bologna is a lunchtime staple for school kids. But the fact is that bologna has earned its right to grocery store real estate.

Bologna has Italian roots, most likely having evolved from the country's famous mortadella (though there are ample differences between the two meats), and is named after the Italian city of Bologna. But bologna has German roots, as it's thought that German immigrants made their spin on mortadella, since most bologna eating traditions can be mapped to areas that German immigrants settled in across the U.S.

Over time, popularity rose, especially since bologna has long been an affordable, easy-to-keep protein source, making it a great choice during the Great Depression and other rationing eras.And after the rise of prepackaged meat — where you didn't have to wait endlessly at the deli counter — bologna continued to take off.But we know some people still aren't convinced of the versatility of the meat, thinking back to the basic white bread sandwiches they grew up on. Have no fear, because we've got nine simple sliced bologna recipes you need to try that may just change your mind.

Stick with us here, but if you can have turkey roll-ups and salami roll-ups, then why can't you have bologna roll-ups? The thinking is the same: take deli meat and slather some sort of spreadable cheese on it (perhaps adding a vegetable or herb of choice), then roll it up. Eat as is or cut into pinwheels and share — or keep for yourself. We're not here to judge!

Different bolognas have different flavor profiles, with many having pork-forward flavors and oscillating between smokier or sweeter, depending on the brand. So when choosing a spread, try to match flavors as closely as possible. For us, an herbed cream cheese can never be wrong. Take whipped cream cheese and doll it up. You can use garlic, spices, and other seasonings (try Italian) to make an at-home herb cream cheese that suits your specific tastes.For an upgraded version, wrap crescent roll dough around the rollups and bake as directed. Melt some butter with seasonings to coat the crispy, lightly browned exterior.

Admittedly, this is a unique one, but sometimes the best foods come from the strangest ideas. Tacos hail from Mexico, coming about most likely sometime during the 18th century, though references to tacos in documents only surfaced during the 19th century. And while today we eat a ton of tacos — a study by the Food Surveys Research Group shows that "13% of U.S. adults consume one or more Mexican foods on any given day" — they didn't become popular in the mainstream United States until post-World War II.

And as cultures have adopted their own versions of tacos, like "Arab tacos" adapted from traditional shawarma or Korean BBQ tacos taken from bulgogi influences, people have made tacos their own. It's why something like a bologna taco isn't actually so far-fetched. Take sliced bologna and pan fry it to get each slice crispy and just curling at the edges. Add melted cheese, vegetables, spices, or other traditional taco toppings like onion, cilantro, and salsa. It's merely another filling to the always beloved taco!

Who says bacon has to have all the fun in a BLT? A bologna BLT might just be your new go-to sandwich. While a traditional BLT has bacon, lettuce, and juicy tomato, the bologna BLT boots bacon in favor of fried slices of bologna with the crispiest of edges. All it takes is a skillet, and suddenly the boring lunch meat of your youth is transformed into something a little higher end and undeniably delicious.

Now, there's always room for more meat in a BLT, so if you want to keep the bacon, we won't say no. And what makes sandwiches so great is the bite and mouthfeel of the ingredients melding together, and a BLT with fried bologna slices achieves that every time. Juicy tomato, crispy bologna, smoky, rich bacon, and crisp lettuce create a combo that puts a basic bologna sandwich to shame. And since it's a sandwich, there are endless ways of making it your own, whether it's by adding different sauces and spreads or even a fried egg or some other fresh veggies.

What ingredient hasn't been used in fried rice at some point? Originally from China, fried rice was created as an affordable, delicious way to use leftover ingredients without waste. Even back in the Sui Dynasty (during the 6th and 7th centuries), when fried rice was thought to have been created and popularized, people made do with what they had by using day-old rice, eggs, and whatever sauces and proteins they had on hand. The dish spread across Asia, and today there are an endless number of regional variations, with many having been created and eaten across the U.S.

While the fried rice we often make at home may not be traditional to the fried rice that was first seen in the 7th century, it still has that same scrappiness. The addition of bologna to fried rice creates a quick and easy meal that harkens back to that tradition of using whatever is on hand to make do. Fried bologna has a distinctly salty flavor that pairs great with the umami of soy sauce. Once added to the skillet with rice (day-old is preferred) and whatever other ingredients, it becomes a dinner that exemplifies what a delicious amalgamation of cultures can be and may turn out to be the best fried rice you've ever eaten.

If pineapple can go on pizza, so too can bologna. In fact, bologna operates on pizza much in the same way that ham does as a salty, savory protein addition. Another recipe that leans on the "just make do" ideology, bologna pizza is affordable, and the lunch meat may be on hand more often than fancy cured meats like salami or pancetta. While you can, of course, swap in bologna the way that you would pepperoni — atop (or under) the cheese — there are also other ways to spice up your pizza beyond a basic meat swap.

Some recipes have turned a sandwich, in which bologna is often used, into a pizza. The base of a high-quality dough stays the same, but the sauce is up for debate. Traditional pizzas use a tomato base, but some recipes opt for dressings (like honey mustard) before adding a multitude of cheeses and tossing them in the oven to crisp up and bubble.Since bologna is on the saltier side, it may be beneficial to add plenty of vegetables, cooked or fresh, to offset the flavor a little.

You may be wondering how it's possible to make a hot dog even better than it already is. Try wrapping it in bologna. It's certainly not gourmet, and you probably won't ever see it on restaurant menus, but in this case, bologna operates like bacon to add an extra layer of flavor and texture to the meal. As an almost second skin, the bologna helps to lock in that juicy bite we all expect from a hot dog.

And serving it is just as customizable (and fun) as it would be for a regular hot dog. Consider using spicy mustard, onion, peppers, pickles, cheese, chili, or even your favorite potato chip for even more texture. It's also easy to whip up wherever makes sense, be that indoors on the skillet or outdoors on the grill. The dish certainly won't be winning any awards for health, but it's a simple upgrade to a classic food that Americans can't get enough of.

Eggs for breakfast are a given. They're full of nutrients, contain protein to kick start your day, and are found at most, if not every, grocery store around. But even the best foods can get old pretty fast, especially if you're eating them regularly with little variation. That's why shaking things up a bit can add variety (and hopefully help you avoid the "egg ick" we can sometimes get), and it all starts with a slice of bologna.

As with many of the other hacks we've shared, this one requires frying up a slice of bologna. While a curled piece of bologna isn't super helpful in a sandwich, we want it to curl for this since it'll act as a cup for the egg to cook in. Place in a muffin tin and then pour your egg mixture (or whole egg) into each cup (or bowl). Add whatever you may need to further enrich the flavor, be it salt and pepper, cheese, or milk.The result is sort of like a quiche without the carbs (though we're all hard-wired to love carbs, so add a slice of sourdough on the side to satiate that craving) and may very well be a new part of your breakfast routine.

When it comes to ramen, anything goes. We're not talking about high-quality ramen you might see at a noodle shop, but rather the kind of ramen you make late at night for a filling, savory snack. It all starts with instant noodles, and bologna takes it to the next level. Fried bologna really is as versatile as we're telling you it is, and the smokiness and crispness that it embodies go amazingly with springy noodles.

Now, you most certainly won't find bologna as a ramen ingredient in pretty much any cookbook, but it doesn't mean it's not worth a try. After all, it's not only going to satisfy whatever craving you have, but bologna actually has more protein by weight than eggs, making it a satiating addition. With an egg (jammy or fried) and a topping of scallions, bologna can be the thing that takes your basic ramen to an unforgettable level.

Anytime is a good time for a pasta salad, though summer always seems to come with a big bowl set out on the table during a cookout. Like most foods, pasta salad is one that has no one correct recipe. Instead, it lives as a monument to all the different flavors and preferences people have, whether they got those tastes from their childhoods or travels. So while some may lean heavily on Greek influences, others add Tex-Mex flavors. In this case, bologna is just one ingredient given new life in pasta salad.

German pasta salad specifically uses bologna as the star of the show. Unlike in many other recipes, the bologna here is not fried, but rather cubed into bite-sized pieces about the same size as the vegetables and cheese.Once mixed in, the dressing is absorbed into the pasta as it chills, further amplifying the flavors and making it a great make-ahead dish.