19 Vegetarian Sandwiches for Healthy, Filling Lunches
What makes a good vegetarian sandwich? Unlike meat-based sandwiches, which can be as simple as tossing cold cuts between mustard-slicked bread, vegetarian sandwich recipes require a little more thought. A truly great meatless sandwich needs tons of flavor, a range of textures, and a good amount of fat and protein while you’re at it. Condiments like hummus, pesto, or tahini sauce are great jumping off points when considering which direction your sandwich will take.
Am I craving a hummus sandwich with tons of crunchy veg, avocado, and a thick layer of sprouts? Should it be on whole wheat bread? Focaccia? Maybe a baguette? Or maybe I want a falafel sandwich tucked inside a pita pocket? For something simple, perhaps an egg salad sandwich (or chickpea salad sandwich if I don’t want to boil eggs, or happen to be sharing with a vegan). And wait, is a veggie burger a sandwich? (The jury’s out, but I still recommend making these lentil burgers, or the ultimate black bean smash burger.)
Ultimately, vegetarian sandwiches take a little more thought than your average ham and cheese, but I prefer to see that as a win. On a slower afternoon, I like to take myself on a leisurely walk to the farmers market (or whichever supermarket has the nicest produce), gather my bits and bobs, and a great loaf of bread of course. I head back to the kitchen and it’s time to get creative. For a little more inspiration, check out these 19 vegetarian sandwich recipes. (Note: Some of these include Parmesan, which is technically not vegetarian—make a mental note if that’s important to you or someone you’re eating with!)
1/19Veggie Club Sandwich
My latest Good for You column is about (what else!) a vegetarian sandwich. It’s a double-decker number on whole grain bread, with crunchy veg, giardiniera-spiked mayo, sharp cheddar, and a good swipe of hummus.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton, Prop Styling by Christine Keely2/19Artichoke Beurre
From our series It’s That Simple: A slightly unhinged vegetarian version of the classic Parisian sandwich, a jambon beurre (or, ham and butter).
Photo by Isa Zapata4/19Curried Tomato Sandwich
To me, juicy tomato slices on thick fried sourdough is better than a slice of pie in peak summer. Here it’s even more exciting thanks to a good spoonful of Madras curry powder in the mayo, and a few capers for punch.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Dayna Seman6/19Eggplant Tortas Milanesa
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca9/19Vada Pav With Dry Coconut-Garlic Chutney
Photograph by Frank Frances, food styling by Lillian Chou, prop styling by Sophia Pappas13/19Mushroom Sloppy
Just like a good ol’ ground beef sloppy joe, but it’s vegan (thank you, mushrooms and tofu!) with a powerfully seasoned five-spice powder and gochujang sauce. So maybe it’s not like the classic joe at all…and maybe that’s a good thing.
Photograph by Heami Lee, food styling by Frances Boswell, prop styling by Sophie Strangio14/19Bombay Sandwich
Photograph by Isa Zapata15/19Cucumber Sandwich With Green Chutney
You don’t have to host afternoon tea to enjoy this delicate sandwich. A lemony cilantro chutney keeps things bright, playing very nicely with the rich cream cheese and pillowy white bread (crusts off, of course!).
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Emma Fishman16/19Panini Alla Norma
