This vegetarian sandwich recipe is going to change the way you think about vegetarian meals. The sandwich is super fresh, delicious, and is going to have you craving it for an easy lunch or dinner recipe.

Sandwiches are a great way to enjoy a whole variety of fillings, they’re super versatile, and all-around really great, don’t you think? I was lamenting wanting different dinner options, and my husband mentioned sandwiches, genius!

Being pregnant, one thing I can’t have is lunch meat. I mean, technically I “could” have lunch meat, but I’d have to heat it up, and I’m sorry, but the thought of microwaving lunch meat grosses me out. Also, being pregnant has made meat really unappealing to me. Just the thought or smell sometimes makes me not want to even consider it as a meal option, let alone wanting to cook it or have it in my house. But I still need good protein options, so I thought about a vegetarian source of protein: tofu!

Did you know that I have three sisters? Well, I do, and one of them has been vegetarian since birth. For some reason, in a family of six, she just never ate meat, and it was never even an issue at meal times. It taught me to love all sorts of vegetarian meal options, especially tofu (there’s even a peanut tofu stir fry recipe in my cookbook)!

Tofu is a great source of protein; it is made of soybeans, and is super versatile because it takes up flavors (like seasonings and marinades) really well. Whenever I’m talking about tofu, you should know that I use one brand in particular: Nasoya. Nasoya tofu is and has been the brand of tofu that me and my family have used for years, and is super high quality. Nasoya is non-GMO, USDA organic, gluten-free and vegan. There are many varying firmness levels of tofu (some are soft and go great in things like smoothies) while others are firm or extra firm and go really well when used in things like making these sandwiches, or in things where you’re using tofu like a meat alternative like in chili.

With spring and summertime seasons, I love all the fresh veggies that are available. With this vegetarian sandwich, extra firm tofu is sliced super thin, and is then marinated in a super flavorful blend of ingredients and then pan fried to a crispy exterior finish. The sandwich is then piled high with veggies and all topped off with a homemade oil and vinegar mix.

The end result is truly amazing. The sandwich has a great texture combination between the tofu and vegetables, and the flavors are so good. This sandwich can easily be made as vegan and gluten-free. I do have to tell you that my husband loved this sandwich too. I wanted to make sure it passed his taste test, and he said he’d have these sandwiches any day. He even went so far as to say they had a great “umami” flavor (which I giggled at because that’s one of those words that I have only heard on cooking shows and had to look up – Umami (/uˈmɑːmi/), or savory taste, is one of the five basic tastes (together with sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness). It has been described as brothy or meaty.) What a great descriptor of these sandwiches is that?

Next time you’re looking for a filling, fresh and delicious sandwich, look no further than these vegetarian sandwiches made with Nasoya tofu and piled high with fresh vegetables!

Yield: 1-4 sandwiches

Vegetarian Sandwich Recipe

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Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• For the tofu:
• 7 oz Nasoya extra-firm tofu, drained
• ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari if gluten-free)
• ¼ cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• For the sandwich:
• Grain/wheat sandwich bread (or a gluten free sandwich bread), toasted, 2 slices per sandwich
• Avocado slices, ¼ avocado per sandwich
• Spinach or lettuce, ¼ cup per sandwich
• Red onion, finely sliced, about 4 slices per sandwich
• Tomato, finely sliced, 3 slices per sandwich
• Mayonnaise (or vegan-mayo if vegan), ½ tablespoon per sandwich
• For the olive oil and vinegar mix (makes enough for 4-6 sandwiches):
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

To make the tofu: start by draining the tofu and setting it on a cutting board. Cut the block into very thin slices (about 1/8-1/4 of an inch), I use about 2-3 slices per sandwich, so depending on how many sandwiches you are making, that’s how many slices you should cut. I was making 4 sandwiches, so I cut 8-10 slices which was about ½ of the block of tofu. Pat each slice of tofu dry with a piece of paper towel.

In a bowl combine soy sauce, vegetable broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Whisk until combined. Put tofu in the marinade and let sit for 10 minutes – or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

While the tofu is marinating, prep other ingredients for the sandwiches – toast the bread, slice the veggies, whisk all the ingredients for the olive oil and vinegar mix together in a small bowl and set aside.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat and add in 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, add slices of tofu into the pan (making sure not to overcrowd them, and gently tapping off excess marinade.) Let tofu cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until a nice golden brown crust has formed, then flip and cook for another 3 minutes. Repeat until all the tofu is cooked.

To assemble the sandwiches, on one side of bread smash the avocado slices using a fork to make it like a spread. Top with onion slices, spinach or lettuce, tomato slices, and then place 2-3 pieces of tofu on top of the tomatoes. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil and vinegar mix onto the tofu. Spread mayonnaise on the top piece of bread and place it on top of the tofu side of the sandwich. Cut in half, then enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 623Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 2039mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 10gSugar: 12gProtein: 21g