Roasted Portobello Mushroom Veggie Sandwich 

This is no ordinary veggie sandwich recipe! Loaded with creamy artichoke dip, roasted portobello mushrooms, zucchini, onions, and cheese, this sandwich will satisfy the heartiest of appetites.

Long ago, the Mr. and I decided if we ever started our own restaurant, it would be a sandwich shop. Fancy sandwiches are kind of our thing. When we were in college, the Mr. earned the name “sandwich crafter” because of the precision and thought he put into each layer of deli meat and spread of mayonnaise. In a world where ramen ruled, his gourmet sandwiches were something of a novelty.

To this day, we still house a tiny dream to one day open our own sandwich shop. We would serve Strawberry Bacon Goat Cheese Grilled Cheese and Swiss and Mushroom Melts. Occasionally, when we were feeling fancy, we might even throw in some Shrimp Sandwiches with Jalapeno Peach Salsa.

And always, always, we’d have Grilled Banana Fluffernutters for dessert.

Every time we craft a new sandwich, the Mr. and I decide whether it’s future-dream-restaurant worthy. To be honest, when I first made these Balsamic Roasted Portobello Mushroom Veggie Sandwiches, I didn’t have high hopes for them making the cut. Of course, I knew I would love them, but the Mr. usually prefers sandwiches with 2 inches of meat between the bread.

I was absolutely delighted to be wrong. The Mr. and I both loved these. In fact, I believe I heard him say, “Who needs meat when you’ve got portabello mushrooms like this?” I had to scoop my jaw off the floor after that one.

There are three things I’ve found to be key when making a vegetarian sandwich: An excellent spread, sturdy toasted bread, and super flavorful vegetables.

First, let’s talk about the spread. I like the sauce on a vegetarian sandwich to have a little more flavor and texture than your basic aioli. That’s where La Terra Fina’s Dips and Spreads come in. For this sandwich, I chose their Artichoke, Parmesan and Garlic Spread, which is rich, creamy, and has big hunks of artichoke strewn about it. Their dip is perfect for quickly adding oomph to sandwiches or crostini.

Second, the bread. While I might normally reach for sourdough or Italian bread for my sandwich crafting, these roasted veggie sandwiches called for the heartiness of a good, seedy whole wheat bread. I like to toast or grill it so it holds up to the veggies.

Third, really yummy vegetables with concentrated flavor. When vegetables are the star, you better make them fantastic! I do that by marinating them in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard, then roasting them until they’ve got deep, rich flavor. Portobellos are an obvious choice for a vegetarian sandwich because of their meaty texture and flavor, but I also love the addition of zucchini and sweet onion in this sandwich.

The finished sandwich is stacked three high with toasted bread, creamy artichoke spread, veggies, another slice of bread, Muenster cheese, more veggies, more spread, and the final piece of bread. It is a towering wonder of a sandwich, a thick hearty meal carnivores and vegetarians alike can appreciate.

Maybe one day I’ll be serving this at a little sandwich shop on the corner, but until then I’ll be serving it at dinner parties and on random Wednesday nights at home, enjoying a restaurant quality sandwich from the comfort of my couch.

This post was developed in partnership with La Terra Fina. As always, all opinions are my own.