The Best Veggie Sandwich with Cream Cheese
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No one will miss the meat in these satisfying Veggie Cream Cheese Sandwiches. Featuring an herbed cream cheese spread and a bright, crunchy, and flavorful assortment of vegetables, this is truly the best veggie sandwich I’ve ever had.
Summer is for Sandwiches
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You may think of summer as Blackberry Peach Cobbler Season or Strawberry Cake season or Cucumber Tomato Salad Season, but to me, summer will always be Sandwich Season.
Not only are sandwiches better in the summer (because fresh herbs! and juicy ripe tomatoes!), it’s also what I crave in the summer.
To be fair, I crave sandwiches year round, but in the summer I shift from hearty fare like Loaded Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes to lighter, veggie-heavy sandwiches that feel both refreshing and satisfying on a muggy day.
I fell in love with this veggie sandwich years ago, and it’s not hard to see why.
This isn’t some wimpy, wilty lettuce sandwich situation. No, this thing is packed with flavors and textures at every level, from the herby cream cheese all the way to the honey mustard that finishes it off.
Today, I’m sharing all my secrets for building the BEST Veggie Sandwich, and I bet you’ll be eating it all summer long!
Ingredients for a Veggie Cream Cheese Sandwich
- Cream cheese + Fresh Herbs– Listen, a good spread elevates a ho hum sandwich to a DARN good sandwich. I use whipped cream cheese because it’s easier to spread, and amp up the flavors with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon juice. Use any herbs you have on hand. I’m partial to dill, basil, and/or chives.
- The Veggies– You don’t have to use the same veggies as me, but I think I have the balance of crisp, juicy, and crunchy pretty well nailed down. I like a combination of tomato, thinly sliced radish, cucumber, and sprouts. Don’t sleep on sprouts, y’all! They add amazing crunch to sandwiches and salads!
- The Greens– A little leafy lettuce, arugula, or spinach–anything can work here.
- The Cheese– Yes, we’re adding more cheese. It’s PROTEIN, people. If you can get your hands on a dill havarti, please DO IT! Otherwise, I recommend muenster.
- The Sauce– Here’s where I fear I might lose some of you, but hang with me. Get yourself some tangy honey mustard sauce. I’m talking the thick stuff that has a good kick to it—Woebler’s or Dietz and Watson are both good options. That hint of sweet at the end is what makes this veggie sandwich something special.
- The Bread– I like a hearty, seedy bread, lightly toasted. Eggy breads like brioche might struggle to stand up to this sandwich, so get something that has a little heft.
Building the Best Veggie Sandwich
It might seem silly to put instructions for making a sandwich here, but the order of your ingredients really does make a difference, especially for a veggie sandwich.
The goal is to layer different flavors and textures so:
- You get a little bit of everything in every bite
- Nothing slides around or slips out the sides, and
- The bread stays nice and firm and doesn’t get soggy.
How to layer the veggie sandwiches:
- Smear the cream cheese on both sides of the bread. This protects it from the juicier, wetter ingredients.
- Add a piece of cheese on the bottom. Another layer of protection.
- Stack your veggies: Greens, cucumber, radish, tomato. Give them a sprinkle of Kosher salt and pepper.
- Add the sprouts on the second slice of bread. They’ll act as a nice crisp barrier to the juicy tomato.
- Sauce on top of the sprouts. Sandwich together. Swoon with pleasure.
Tips and Substitutions
Yes, of course you can play with the ingredients here, omit what you don’t like, or substitute what you have on hand.
- If you don’t like cream cheese, try using the herb mayo in these Avocado Burgers.
- The chipotle mayo on these Turkey Avocado Sandwiches is also lovely, but I would definitely omit the honey mustard if you go this route.
- If you want to make this vegan, use a veggie cream cheese spread, and omit the cheese and honey mustard. An avocado spread can also be a nice stand in for cream cheese.
- I cannot stress enough the importance of seasoning your veggies! Be sure to give them a good sprinkle of Kosher salt as you layer. It makes the flavors pop! And if you want to get really fancy, try using Everything Bagel Seasoning or adding a little garlic salt or red pepper flakes.
- The cream cheese mixture can be made ahead of time, and will keep for about a week in the fridge. Use it on other sandwiches or on your morning bagel!
More Veggie Sandwich Ideas
- I love making this Portobello Mushroom Sandwich on the grill in the summer.
- Take advantage of tomato season with this Caprese Panini. It uses a delicious homemade pesto!
- Nothing beats a Classic Scrambled Egg Sandwich. It’s one of my comfort foods!
- When I need something warm and gooey, these Apple Brie Grilled Cheese are my go-to.
- Is it a snack or is it lunch? The answer for me is both! I adore these quick and refreshing Cucumber Sandwiches.
- And of course, don’t forget my Ultimate Beet and Bean Veggie Burgers, perfect for summer cookouts!
The Best Veggie Sandwich with Herbed Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 slices whole grain or honey oat bread
- 4 ounces whipped cream cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs (I used chives, basil, and dill)
- 4 slices cheese (my favorite is butter dill)
- 1 cup spinach leaves (lettuce, or other greens)
- 1 cucumber (sliced in 1/4 inch slices)
- 2 ripe tomatoes (sliced)
- 2 radishes (sliced thin)
- 1 cup alfalfa or broccoli sprouts
- 1/4 cup Woeber’s honey mustard
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and fresh herbs. Toast the bread slices, if desired.
- To build the sandwiches, spread the cream cheese mixture on both sides of the bread. Top the bottom slice with cheese, then spinach, cucumber, radish, and tomato. Sprinkle the vegetables with Kosher salt and pepper.
- Press the sprouts into the top slice of bread, then drizzle with honey mustard. Sandwich together and enjoy.
Notes
- Swap in toppings you love if something on my list doesn’t strike your fancy!
Really great sandwich. One of the best I have had. One thing I left out on the second go around was the radishes. The bitter and harsh flavor took away from the rest of the sandwich.
So glad you liked the veggie sandwich! Thanks for coming back to let us know!
Two thumbs up over here! Looks great, Courtney!