Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Pesto

Name: Roasted Vegetable Sandwich
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup olive oil; 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar; 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning; 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; ¾ teaspoon black pepper; 2 sweet bell peppers (sliced); 1 large red onion (sliced); 1 medium zucchini (sliced thick); 1 medium yellow squash (sliced thick); 12 ounces crimini mushrooms (sliced); 8 Tablespoons pesto; 4 ounces goat cheese; 4 fresh sandwich rolls

These Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches are stacked with caramelized mushrooms, onions, zucchini, and bell peppers then topped with creamy goat cheese and fresh pesto. Warm, comforting, creamy and packed with color and flavor, you’ll want to make these again and again!

Sliced roasted vegetable sandwich stacked on top of each other.

Table of Contents

Cafe-Worthy Roasted Veggie Sandwiches

Long ago,my husband 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, my husband was known fondly as “The Sandwich Crafter,” a man who took the time to carefully spread, stack, and grill every sandwich to perfection. In a dorm where instant ramen ruled, his gourmet sandwiches were something of a novelty.

To this day, we still love imagining what our ideal sandwich shop menu would include. We would serve classics like Turkey Avocado Sandwiches and Brie Cheese Sandwiches alongside more unusual favorites, like the Strawberry Bacon Grilled Cheese.

Every sandwich shop needs a veggies sandwich, and our would be crisp, fresh Cream Cheese Veggie Sandwiches in the summer, and warm, cheesy Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches in the winter.

We can’t get enough of this combo of seasoned roasted veggies, tangy goat cheese, and herby pesto. This is a supremely comforting, craveable sandwich that feels perfect for cooler days. We’ve included lots of substitutions and variations below so you can customize them to your tastes! We hope you love sinking your teeth into this roasted veggie sandwich!

Courtney

Key Ingredients + Substitutions

Sandwich rolls, chopped vegetables, seasonings, red wine vinegar, olive oil, pesto, and goat cheese arranged on a baking sheet.

If it feels like this recipe uses a TON of veggies, you’d be correct. Two sheet pans full of roasted vegetables might seem like a lot for four sandwiches, but the veggies shrink quite a bit when roasting, and you’ll want a lot of them to build a super satisfying sandwich.

The veggies:

Bell peppers- Red, orange, or yellow sweet bell peppers work well here.
Red onion- You can substitute a yellow onion here, but I absolutely love the caramelized flavor the red onion gets when roasted.
Zucchini- A great little veggie that soaks up the seasoning and red wine vinegar.
Yellow squash- Similar to zucchini, squash is a great flavor carrier. Feel free to double up on the zucchini or squash and use just one or the other.
Mushrooms– Mushrooms add a rich, meaty flavor to this meatless sandwich. I prefer to use sliced crimini mushrooms, but you could also substitute white or portobello mushrooms.
Other great options- Eggplant, cherry tomatoes, or sun dried tomatoes (used as-is, not roasted)

The seasoning:

Olive oil– Necessary for roasting.
Red wine vinegar– This provides just a hint of tang and deeper flavor. If you prefer, substitute balsamic vinegar.
Italian seasoning, Salt, Pepper, Garlic powder– The veggies are the star, and we need them to be FLAVORFUL. These seasonings bring out the best flavor in the veggies!

The finishing touches:

Goat cheese– I especially love an herbed goat cheese, but any variety will do. You can also substitute feta for a tangier, brighter flavor or havartior For easier spreading, purchase a block of goat cheese and slice it into rounds before spreading on the sandwiches.
Pesto– If you’ve got homemade pesto, that’s amazing. Otherwise, I recommend this Creamy Genovese Pesto. Need a dairy free option? Substitute with dairy free pesto and use your favorite vegan cheese.
Bread- Choose a bread with a sturdy crust but soft interior, like sourdough or a crusty French baguette. Sandwich rolls are also excellent. Try it with ciabatta or La Brea’s Take and Bake Sandwich Rolls (pictured here).
Optional toppings: Feel free to add fresh greens, like spinach, sprouts, or arugula, or sliced avocado to the finished sandwiches.

How to Make Roasted Vegetable Sandwiches

Sliced veggies on a sheet pan with a glass measuring cup filled with olive oil, red wine vinegar, and seasonings.

Step 1: Prep the vegetables. Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread the sliced vegetables over two baking sheets and pour the oil mixture evenly over all. Toss well to combine.

Sheet pan filled with roasted vegetables, including zucchini, squash, mushrooms, red pepper, and red onion.

Step 2: Roast the veggies. Roast at 425 degrees for 12 minutes, then rotate the pans and toss the veggies. Roast an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the edges of the vegetables are golden brown and a bit crisp.

Open faced veggie sandwich with goat cheese and pesto.

Step 3: Assemble the sandwiches. Spread the pesto on both slices of the sandwich rolls, then spread goat cheese on the top side. Stack the veggies evenly on the bottom slice of the sandwich roll, then sandwich with the top. Enjoy!

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Leftover veggies keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave before adding to the sandwiches.
Leftover roasted veggies are also excellent in Roasted Vegetable Pasta, stirred into scrambled eggs, or served as a side dish with Italian Dressing Chicken or Stuffed Pork Tenderloin.

Open face vegetable sandwich stacked with roasted zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and red onion.

FAQs

What spreads or sauces go with veggie sandwiches?

Feel free to swap the spreads based on your preferences. Try it with the herbed cream cheese from our best veggie sandwiches, an avocado mayo, or a drizzle of balsamic reduction.

What is the secret to roasting vegetables?

For perfect roasted vegetables, choose veggies that will cook in a similar amount of time and cut them into similar sized pieces so they cook evenly. You’ll notice our roasted veggie sandwich does not include root vegetables like sweet potatoes or butternut squash, as these typically take longer to roast. If you’d like to add these veggies, roast them for 7-10 minutes before adding the remaining veggies to the pan. For more awesome roasted veggie recipes, try this Roasted Zucchini and Peppers or Roasted Carrots and Parsnips.

What seasoning is good for roast vegetables?

We love using Italian seasoning on roasted vegetables, but fresh herbs like rosemary and oregano are also awesome. Veggies should also be tossed in some kind of oil, and we recommend adding some acid as well, either a red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar, or a few squeezes of lemon juice right after you remove them from the oven.

Roasted veggie sandwich with pesto and goat cheese on a blue plate.

More Vegetarian Sandwiches to Try

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