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I think we can all agree that the best veggie sandwich is one that bursts with color, flavor, and texture. It's filling, refreshing, and customizable with your favorite ingredients. Here is the ultimate vegetarian sandwich guide!
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The key to building a truly loveable veggie sandwich is to use fresh, minimally processed ingredients that you actually love! Here’s a simple guide to walk you through every step so you can create your perfect vegetarian sandwich with your most favorite ingredients!
Start with Your Bread Base
The bread you choose sets the stage for the entire sandwich, so pick one that will work with the ingredients you have in mind.
- Types of Bread: Whole grain, sourdough, French bread, focaccia, ciabatta, pita or tortilla, and baguette are popular options. I always recommend picking your favorite bread, and you'll probably love your veggie sandwich.
- Bread Texture: Toasting your bread adds a nice crunch and holds up better to spreads, while a softer bread provides a more delicate bite. You can even warm your bread for a cozy, melty sandwich feel.
Pick a Protein-Rich Filling
Protein makes your sandwich more satisfying and can add extra flavor.
- Plant-Based Proteins: Hummus, chickpea salad, black bean spread, marinated tempeh, or grilled tofu are great options for a plant-based punch. Red pepper hummus brings a mild kick, while chickpea salad gives a nice texture similar to tuna salad.
- Avocado: Sliced avocado adds rich creaminess, nutty flavor, and healthy fats to your vegetarian sandwich.
- Cheese: For cheese lovers, add slices or crumbles of feta, mozzarella, cheddar, or goat cheese. Pimento cheese spread offers a Southern twist, and vegan cheeses like cashew cheese add a creamy, dairy-free option.
Add Fresh Veggies for Crunch and Flavor
Vegetables bring the sandwich to life with bright colors, flavors, and satisfying crunch.
- Leafy Greens: Arugula, spinach, or romaine add lots of nutrition and lovely green color.
- Crisp Vegetables: Cucumber slices, bell peppers, radishes, shredded carrots, or sliced red onions give a crisp bite and vibrant color.
- Pickled or Marinated Veggies: Pickled beets, pickled onions, or dill pickles add a tangy, crunchy surprise with a pop of color.
Go All In With Condiments and Sauces
Condiments can make or break a sandwich, adding moisture and a punch of flavor.
- Classic Condiments: You can’t go wrong with mustard (try regular, spicy, or Dijon) or a little mayonnaise, vegan mayo, or garlic aioli.
- Flavorful Sauces: Pesto is always a win—try basil pesto or arugula pesto for a bold herb flavor. Olive tapenade brings a Mediterranean twist, while dips like French onion dip or spinach artichoke dip add an extra layer of creamy comfort.
- Dressing Options: Avocado ranch or Greek yogurt ranch add a nutritious, creamy texture.
- Zesty Additions: Want a bit of zing? Try balsamic glaze, red wine vinegar, hot sauce, sriracha, or a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to brighten the whole sandwich.
Add Extra Flavor and Texture
A little crunch or tangy addition can make every bite more exciting.
- Pickles & Fermented Additions: Dill pickles, pickled jalapeños, sauerkraut, or kimchi give your sandwich a tangy, crunchy surprise. These also add a bit of saltiness to balance other flavors.
- Crunchy Toppings: For even more texture, toss in roasted chickpeas, or add a sprinkle everything bagel seasoning for that extra pop of savory flavor.
Take It On The go
Even a well-stacked veggie sandwich can be enjoyed on the go when wrapped in parchment. Mine was 4 inches tall before I wrapped it, and I ate it standup up, lol.
Vegetarian recipes we love
- Kale Sesame Noodles
- Vegetable Quinoa Salad
- Vegetarian Burrito Bowls
- Vegetarian Chili
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Vegetarian Mushroom Stroganoff
📖 Recipe
Ultimate Veggie Sandwich
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling (2x or 3x), the light gray ingredient amount doesn’t scale. Please adjust those accordingly.
Ingredients
- 2 slices Whole Grain Bread
- 1 tablespoon Hummus
- 1 tablespoon Pesto
- 1 tablespoon Carrots, shredded
- 4-6 slivers Red Onion, thinly sliced
- 4-6 slivers Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
- 4-6 slices Cucumber, or pickles
- ¼ cup Sprouts, or microgreens
- 2-4 leaves Romaine Lettuce
- ¼ medium Apple, thinly sliced
- ¼ medium Avocado, sliced
- 2 teaspoons Crunchy things: Pepitas, Sunflower Seeds, Roasted Chickpeas, etc
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Spread your condiments over the bread slices.
- Stack up your ingredients in layers. Use as many ingredients as you like.
- Wrap your veggie sandwich in parchment, cut in half, and enjoy!
Natalie says
This looks amazing and I cannot wait to try! But I prep the night before. How do you think I should handle the avocado not browning? Or should I try to stuff it in the next day?
Traci says
Glad you're excited about it 🙂 I always wait to cut and add the avocado until it's time to assemble and eat the sandwich. This ensures that it's bright green and not brown when serving. Hope you enjoy!
Jessie Poshepny Vallery says
Love this one!
Traci says
Yay!! Us too!! It's amazing how good you can make a veggie sandwich and not miss the meat. Thank you and enjoy! xoxo
JB says
12 out of 10 stars for this veggie sandwich! I’ve been enjoying one daily since all the ingredients are prepped. So convenient! Thank you for creating the ultimate guide too! I may not have thought of certain toppings.
Traci says
Yayy!!! Who knew a vegetarian sandwich could bring so much satisfaction?! Thank you for letting me know how this is working out for you. Enjoy! xoxo
Ruby says
Thank you
Traci says
My pleasure! Thank you for bringing my recipes into your kitchen and for leaving this review. Enjoy! xoxo
Ang says
I've never had a raw veggie sandwich before, this was really good!
Traci says
Yay!! One of my favs for sure! Glad you enjoyed 🙂 Thanks for the feedback!
Rachel says
Love this sandwich so much, and make it every other week or so! My vegetarian son and pescatarian girlfriend love it too!!
The Kitchen Girl says
Awww this is the best! I'm so glad you and your family love it as much as I do 🙂 Truly, I never miss the meat with this piled up vegetarian sandwich lol. Thank you for the feedback xoxo
Kdot says
Great sandwich, quick pickled the onions to add another flavor to the mix. Will make again.
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome! Pickled onions are always welcome on this veggie sandwich 😉 Thanks so much for taking the time to review!
Simi says
Excellent!
The Kitchen Girl says
Well, thank you kindly 🙂
Nancy says
So yummy!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay, Nancy! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Brandon says
So I just tried this recipe and it was soooo good!! A few concerns I had going into this recipe was cost and if I’d actually enjoy it. I’ll find a recipe online that ends up costing me $30-40 groceries and I end up hating it, so I wanted to avoid it with a simple sandwich recipe. AND THIS WAS IT ! all the ingredients were super cheap and easy to find at my local grocery store (Winco). It only cost about $24 total for everything with the hummus and spouts being the most expensive, but I still have plenty to make in the future.
As for taste, seriously yummy and refreshing. Perfect for lunches and to prevent that after lunch bloat I usually feel with other meals. I bought sourdough and garlic hummus for this recipe and chose tomatoes over red bell pepper and it still came out super tasty. Next time I might add more apple and take away some red onion because the apple was the best part I think. Overall, wonderful recipe ! Thanks for sharing 🙂
The Kitchen Girl says
Awesome, Brandon! I'm so glad you're enjoying this veggie sandwich 🙂 Yep, once you have the ingredients, you can make sandwiches for a few days, which is what we always do. Thanks for taking the time to leave such detailed feedback for everyone to appreciate Cheers!
Keri says
I just made this sandwich and it was phenomenal! One little caveat, if you make it on GF bread, you'll want to reduce the amounts by half or it'll be crazy messy. Ask me how I know.
Traci Antonovich says
Oh too funny! Def haven't had that problem but have never made it on GF bread. I'm SO glad you love this sandwich, Keri! Thanks for stopping by to let me know too
Kate says
I have made this a few times and it is very tasty and filling! My only issue is that when making it in the morning, it became soggy by lunch time with all the moist veggie and fruit ingredients. I think this works best on baguette, preferably a slightly stale one. Regular sliced bread was a soggy mess.
Traci Antonovich says
I understand. When we make this sandwich ahead like you're doing, we spread the hummus on the lettuce instead of the bread. Also, we remove any excess moisture from the veggies with a paper towel. And lastly, it's a sandwich, so customize it to your heart's content 🙂