26 Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes You'll Want to Make for Lunch

From mouthwatering melts to light and healthy bites, these delicious meatless sandwiches are sure to become midday favorites.

Summer Veggie Melts with Caper Sauce
Photo: Con Poulos

Whether you're a vegetarian or trying to eat more plant-based meals, anyone can benefit from having a few meatless recipes up their sleeve. To help, we put together some of our favorite vegetarian sandwich ideas for lunch—but you can enjoy them for dinner, if you prefer. Some are served on special bread, such as pita or hoagie rolls, while others work on whatever sliced loaf you have on hand. Most come together fast (no cooking required!), but a select few call for baking sweet potato slices, roasting eggplant, or barbecuing tofu.

In addition to creative options layered with mushrooms, roasted vegetables, and cheeses, we've also included a couple of classics, like egg salad and grilled cheese—they're your favorites for good reason. The next time you need lunch inspiration, you'll be ready: Simply turn to these vegetarian sandwich ideas and get stacking.

01 of 26

Crispy Sweet Potato Cemitas

crispy sweet potato cemitas
Con Poulos


Golden, crispy slices of baked, panko-coated sweet potato are sandwiched in a toasted bun with refried beans and shredded cabbage.

02 of 26

Cauliflower-and-Chickpea Pitas with Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Cauliflower-and-Chickpea Pitas with Creamy Yogurt Sauce
Chris Simpson

This falafel-inspired pita sandwich gets its crunch from chickpeas that are roasted, not fried. A bright, zippy lime-jalapeño yogurt sauce is drizzled on right before digging in and complements both the crunchy chickpeas and spiced roasted cauliflower.

03 of 26

Roasted Eggplant Sandwich with Soy-Lime Glaze

eggplant banh mi topped with cilantro
Con Poulos

Inspired by the Vietnamese banh mi, this sandwich fills soft French bread with slices of roasted eggplant amped up with soy sauce, lime juice, and garlic. Quick-pickled carrots, radishes, and cucumber provide a fresh, crunchy counterpoint.

04 of 26

Vegetarian BLT with Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms

Roasted-Shiitake "B"LTs
Ren Fuller

This clever veggie sandwich draws on the umami power of mushrooms. Brushing with tamari sauce then roasting really brings out their savoriness and firms up the texture of the shiitakes. Use sliced sourdough bread and don't skip the sesame-lime mayo.

05 of 26

Stuffed-Mushroom Hoagie

Stuffed-Mushroom Hoagie
David Malosh

Broiled button and portobello mushrooms are combined with provolone cheese and a lively parsley salad for this hearty vegetarian sandwich.

06 of 26

California Veggie Sandwich

med105604_0610_vegguie_sand.jpg

Avocado and goat cheese provide a creamy complement to raw, crunchy vegetables. Pile the sandwich high with cucumber, red onion, alfalfa sprouts, grated carrots, and radishes.

07 of 26

Summer-Veggie Melts with Caper Sauce

Summer-Veggie Melts with Caper Sauce
Con Poulos

Grilled vegetables meet melty Provolone cheese in this colorful sandwich. The hoagie roll takes a turn on the grill too, so it's both toasty and soft. What brings this delicious lunch together is the zesty basil-caper sauce.

08 of 26

Avocado-and-Boursin Sandwiches

avocado and boursin sandwiches
Lennart Weibull

Flavors of lemon and garlicky Boursin ring throughout every bite of this delicious sandwich. Also featuring carrots, avocado, shredded red cabbage, and cucumbers, this hearty vegetarian-friendly stack is a must-make dish.

09 of 26

Grilled Taleggio Sandwich with Tomato and Basil

plated grilled cheese with tomato
Sidney Bensimon

Taleggio is an Italian semisoft cheese with a strong aroma and an enticing flavor. This take on the grilled cheese will instantly become a favorite, especially when you use a large heirloom or beefsteak tomato and fresh basil.

10 of 26

Hummus-Vegetable Sandwich

msledf_0503_humis_sand.jpg

Hummus and tapenade unite to pack a flavorful lunchtime punch in this vegetable-stuffed sandwich. In addition to cucumber and carrot, you might want to add tomatoes or avocado for added bulk.

11 of 26

Portobello, Broccoli, and Red-Pepper Melts

med103553_0308_portobelo.jpg

With these open-faced sandwiches, your broiler does the work for you, first roasting the broccoli, mushrooms, and peppers and then melting the Gouda cheese on top. Don't forget to spread the bread with garlic mayonnaise before piling on the vegetables for an extra pop of flavor.

12 of 26

Falafel

mh_1124_falafel.jpg

Season mashed chickpeas with cumin, coriander, sesame seeds, and fresh mint to make these pan-fried patties. Serve the falafel balls in pita pockets with tahini sauce.

13 of 26

Classic Egg Salad

egg salad
Minh + Wass

This classic, creamy egg salad combines mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and celery with chopped hard-cooked eggs. Mix in other ingredients according to your taste, such as pickle relish or fresh herbs.

14 of 26

Fig, Goat Cheese, and Caramelized Onion Sandwiches

med103596_1008_fig_sandw.jpg

Figs and goat cheese are a classic combination in salads, but here, the pair make a marvelous sandwich, joined by sweet caramelized onions.

15 of 26

Eggplant and Mozzarella Melt

mea101428hy_0705_eggplant.jpg

An oven-baked version of eggplant Parmesan tops crusty Italian bread to make a satisfying vegetarian sandwich. For an extra treat, brush the halved loaf of bread with garlic butter and brown under the broiler before adding the layers of tomato sauce, eggplant, and mozzarella.

16 of 26

Sort of a Hero Sandwich

sandwiches

Heroes can be vegetarian, too! This giant sandwich stacks grilled portobello mushrooms, roasted yellow peppers, tomatoes, and fresh fennel on a big loaf of bread spread with creamy tomato dressing. Our recipe serves eight but can be scaled down to serve one.

17 of 26

Roasted Eggplant, Zucchini, and Chickpea Wraps

la102071_0506_wrap.jpg
Yunhee Kim

Here, a roasted version of ratatouille (the classic Provençal stew of eggplant, zucchini, onion, and tomatoes) gets wrapped up with fresh mozzarella on whole-wheat lavash. Warm the assembled wraps under the broiler before rolling them up, or enjoy them cold as part of a picnic lunch.

18 of 26

Greek-Style Quinoa Burgers

ba_0508_quinoapatty.jpg

Mix nutty quinoa with great northern beans, scallions, carrot, and cumin to make these pan-fried veggie burgers. Serve in pita bread with lemony yogurt sauce and sliced cucumber for the ultimate lunch.

19 of 26

Greek Salad Sandwich

Greek Salad Sandwich

Create a portable version of your favorite summer salad. Spread olive bread with a purée of chickpeas, lemon juice, and parsley, then stack the sandwich with sliced cucumber, tomato, red onion, and feta cheese.

20 of 26

Barbecued Tofu

ba102151_0606_sandwich.jpg
Sang An

Marinate slabs of tofu in chile powder and your favorite barbecue sauce before broiling. Serve on toasted buns—topped with coleslaw if you like.

21 of 26

Carrot Sandwich with Avocado

carrot-sandwich-0305-mla101029.jpg

It's filled with crunchy grated carrots, smooth avocado, and a creamy lemony ricotta spread, this is a vegetarian sandwich you'll want to make every week.

22 of 26

Spinach and Artichoke Wrap

edf_jul06_lunchbox_wrap.jpg

Canned artichoke hearts, fresh red pepper strips, baby spinach, and provolone cheese make a colorful wrap that keeps well in a lunchbox or picnic basket. Jazz up the artichokes with lemon zest and fresh herbs for an even tastier meal.

23 of 26

Pressed Mozzarella and Tomato Sandwich

med102699_0307_mozzsandwich.jpg

You need to plan ahead for this sandwich but it's worth it. Layer mozzarella, tomatoes, and fresh parsley on ciabatta bread and weigh the sandwich down with heavy cans to meld the flavors for at least an hour before serving.

24 of 26

Fava Bean Sandwich

fava-bean-sandwich-0700-mla98230.jpg

Mashed fava beans, avocado, and pecorino are served on a crusty baguette for a fresh take on lunch.

25 of 26

Goat Cheese and Vegetable Sandwich

med106543_1110_spd_goat_cheese.jpg

Shredded beets, carrots, sliced pear, and arugula create a riot of flavor and color in this unique sandwich. Goat cheese adds a pleasant tang.

26 of 26

Grilled-Vegetable Panini

vegetable-panini-0711md106420.jpg

Grilled red peppers, zucchini, and yellow squash lend a sweet and smoky flavor to these vegetarian sandwiches. If you don't have a panini press, heat these in a cast-iron skillet with another heavy skillet on top.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles