Veggie Loaded Sandwich

Sandwiches satisfy something intense for me. I remember when I was in college, I would head to the local bagel shop almost every day for lunch where I would build a massive bagel sandwich. Mmmm, my mouth waters thinking about it.

With my love for vegetables and love for sandwiches, I created this mouth-watering, veggie-loaded, plant-based sandwich. Perfect for a little picnic lunch to an easy-to-throw-together dinner. Even if you are a meat lover, you will love this sandwich. It’s got all of the right flavors, from marinated artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes to thinly sliced red onion and homemade honey mustard sauce. You will forget that you are eating a veggie-loaded sandwich, it’s that delicious!

The History

Recently, my husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with a trip to a quaint, little Danish town about four hours northwest of our home in California. As a major foodie and wine lover, I fell in love with all this town had to offer.

For lunch one day, we stopped by a little cafe that served over 40 sandwich options. That’s it and I am not complaining. I was in sandwich heaven. Nevertheless, one of their vegetable sandwiches changed my (food) life. I knew the moment I arrived home that I had to recreate my own version. That is when this Loaded Veggie Sandwich was created.

Why It’s So Good

I am not sure I can explain it well enough but this sandwich is an explosion of flavor in your mouth. Anyone who thought plant-based food was boring, hasn’t tried this veggie sandwich. It’s that good!

It’s loaded with veggies. You know you are doing well at mealtime if you can count at least five vegetables within your meal. This sandwich is packed with healthy and flavorful vegetables. What a healthy lunch we have here.

It’s mouth-watering. Have you ever eaten a sandwich and loved it so much that you ate it every day for lunch until you got sick of it? This is that sandwich. Before I left my trip, I had to get my hands on another sandwich for the road!

It’s fun to make. Who knew that making a sandwich could be fun? Well, this one definitely is. I love arranging the variety of ingredients onto the sandwich bread.

It’s so filling. This sandwich, even though missing meat or dairy, is a hearty lunch choice. In fact, you could probably be satisfied with only one half! You won’t even need a side of chips or pickles, I promise.

It’s simple to make. I love this sandwich because though it looks like it took an hour to put it together, I actually only spent ten minutes or so. You could definitely impress some guests with this gourmet sandwich.

It’s a crowd-pleaser. I have also had the chance to lay out all of these ingredients and allow my guests to build their own sandwiches. In this case, when I am the only vegan, I can leave out slices of fresh mozzarella cheese for guests to add to their sandwiches. They usually rant and rave about this meal.

Ingredients

Bread-This is all up to you. Go big or go home, right? I recommend using your favorite sandwich bread from sourdough to whole wheat baguette style. The thicker, the better.

Mustard-I recommend using honey mustard however, if you are a vegan, go ahead and use Dijon mustard instead. You can make it hassle-free and purchase a jar from the store or use my quick, homemade honey mustard sauce. If you are going to make my version, you will need Dijon and yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, honey, salt, and pepper.

Red bell pepper-I like to use jarred and roasted red bell pepper. I like to purchase mine from Trader Joe’s or Sprouts. You should be able to find this product at any local supermarket.

Artichokes-Use the kind that comes in a jar. They typically are labeled as marinated artichokes. I just love the flavor of these.

Red onion-I like to slice my onion very thin. Red onion is probably the best choice as I do not think white onion would be a good alternative. I am sure that pickled or grilled onion would be a delicious alternative to raw onion.

Sundried tomatoes-I am talking about the marinated kind. You can find this product in a jar at most grocery stores. There are also many recipes online for marinated sundried tomatoes.

Basil-Only the fresh kind will work for this sandwich. If you do not have fresh basil, go ahead and leave it out of the recipe.

Arugula-I always try to get in as many greens as possible with my meals. You could use arugula, spinach, or romaine for this recipe.

How to Make It

Step one: Start by slicing the bread into two slices and toast them. Then, set them aside.

Step two: Drain all of the jarred ingredients including the bell peppers, artichokes, and sundried tomatoes. Do not rinse them off, as it is nice to keep the flavor.

Step three: Thinly slice the red onion and basil leaves.

Step four: Now it is time to build the sandwich.

Step five: Spread honey mustard over both pieces of the sandwich bread.

Step six: Layer everything on top of one slice of bread. I like to order it the following way: honey mustard, bell peppers, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, red onion, basil, and then arugula.

Step seven: Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy!

Tips + Modifications

Are you short on time? Use store-bought honey mustard instead of making it.

Save all of the ingredients in the fridge and make the sandwich again the next day.

How to Store

There should be plenty of leftovers. Keep everything in its original container and store it all in the fridge for the next day’s meal.

If you are prepping a sandwich in the morning for a later lunch, wrap the sandwich in a paper towel and then in an air-tight container or tin foil. Store it in the fridge until you are ready to eat it.

Did You Love It?

Please comment below and let me know how much you enjoyed it! I would really appreciate it!

If you loved this sandwich, I know you will also like Lemon Mediterranean Vegetable Dip and this Cherry Tomato Salad.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Michelle