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This Roasted Zucchini Sandwich is the best way to enjoy fresh summer zucchini. Made with roasted zucchini, red bell peppers, and sun-dried tomato whipped tofu on ciabatta bread, it’s so simple yet so flavorful. Vegan, Gluten-Free and Oil-Free options.
Got extra zucchini? Use it up in this Vegan Roasted Zucchini Sandwich! Tender slices of roasted zucchini and red bell peppers are layered on toasted ciabatta with a creamy sun-dried tomato whipped tofu and balsamic drizzle. It’s a garden-fresh summer lunch you’ll want to make again and again (and again).
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The Ultimate Easy Summer Sandwich
Summer is that special time of year when zucchini completely takes over my garden. Luckily, this is just an excuse I use to make batch after batch of zucchini muffins, smoothies, noodle salads, and more. It’s gotta get used somehow, right?
One of the simplest ways to put it to use is in this easy Vegan Roasted Zucchini Sandwich. Thinly sliced zucchini and red bell peppers are roasted until tender and melt in your mouth with each bite. The sun-dried tomato whipped tofu spread, AKA the best tofu ricotta ever, adds the perfect creamy element plus a boost of protein to help keep you full.
Put ‘em all together on crusty bread, bring the sandwich to the picnic, or save it all for yourself—I won’t judge! Even if you don’t have a garden, this sandwich is the perfect way to enjoy in-season summer produce 🙂
What You Need for this Zucchini Sandwich
This summer sandwich requires only 6 simple ingredients, plus a handful of staples for the whipped tofu spread:
- Zucchini: you can use green zucchini, yellow zucchini, or a mix of the two! Whatever’s in your garden or at the farmer’s market works. The best zucchini pops up during summer, so stock up to keep this sandwich on repeat or to use in this Zucchini Noodle Salad or this Vegetable-Stuffed Zucchini.
- Red Bell Peppers: the other roasted veggie in this sandwich. No red peppers on hand? Use orange or yellow bell peppers instead.
- Tofu: extra-firm tofu is whipped together with simple seasonings and sun-dried tomatoes to make a light and flavorful yet surprisingly protein-packed tofu ricotta. You can use firm or super firm tofu as a substitute but softer varieties, like medium or soft tofu, won’t work as well.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes: opt for sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. Or, if sun-dried tomatoes aren’t your thing, make my plain Vegan Ricotta instead for a just-as-creamy spread.
- Seasonings: a blend of nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder gives the whipped tofu an irresistible Mediterranean-like flavor.
- Crusty Sandwich Bread: a ciabatta loaf is my bread of choice for this sandwich because it’s crusty on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and its big air pockets trap the whipped tofu. Ciabatta rolls, crusty sourdough, toasted focaccia, or a French loaf are also great choices.
How to Make this Roasted Zucchini Sandwich
- Slice the zucchini and red bell peppers into strips and place them on a baking sheet. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables until they’re tender.
- Meanwhile, process the tofu, tomatoes, nutritional yeast, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a food processor until smooth.
- To assemble the sandwiches, spread the tofu ricotta on both slices of toasted bread, place the roasted vegetables on the bottom slice, and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Finish by placing the second slice of bread on top.
- Serve the sandwiches right away and enjoy.
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Slice the zucchini with a mandoline: A mandoline will give you the most consistent zucchini slices, which helps them cook evenly and in the same amount of time.
- Don’t overcrowd the vegetables: The veggie slices should be spread in a single layer on one or two sheet pans, with about an inch of space in between each one. This way, the heat of the oven can circulate around each piece and tenderize and caramelize them perfectly.
Serving Suggestions
Roasted vegetable sandwiches are best served as soon as they’re assembled or else the veggies will get cold and the bread will become soggy. This roasted zucchini and pepper sandwich is no different. It’s great for everyday lunches but would also be perfect at picnics paired with other summer classics, like this Crunchy Cucumber Dill Salad and this Vegan Macaroni Salad.
And as long as you weren’t too generous with the whipped tofu on the sandwich, you’ll probably have extras to use in even more crave-worthy dishes. It would be delicious in this Vegan Eggplant Lasagna and these Vegan Stuffed Shells, and can even be enjoyed as a dip with fresh veggies, pita bread, and crackers. Yum!
If you’re looking for more vegan summer meals, you’ll also love this Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwich, this Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad, and this Pan-Grilled Corn Salsa!
Or, if you’re like me and have too much zucchini in the garden, use it up in this Cheesy Vegan Zucchini Gratin, this Vegan Zucchini Bread, and these Vegan Zucchini Lasagna Roll Ups!
How to Store this Roasted Vegetable Sandwich
Try to eat the sandwiches right away to prevent the veggies from going cold or the bread from getting soggy. If you end up with leftover sandwiches, wrap them in a layer of parchment paper or keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
If you’re prepping these sandwiches ahead of time, store the roasted vegetables and whipped tofu in separate airtight containers. They’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days when stored in the refrigerator.
When it’s time to eat, either assemble the sandwiches with the cold veggies or reheat them quickly in the oven or a skillet over medium heat.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: Substitute the regular sandwich bread for your favorite gluten-free sandwich bread, rolls, or buns. The crustier, the better!
- Add More Vegetables: Turn this into a loaded vegetable sandwich with even more roasted veggies, like eggplant, mushrooms, summer squash, and/or broccoli. Leafy greens, like spinach, romaine, or arugula, will help bulk it up, too.
- Oil-Free Option: You can roast the vegetables without oil if you’d prefer an oil-free recipe but they may not be as flavorful when they’re done.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen when the zucchini slices are too thick. For meaty yet never-soggy roasted zucchini, slice them into 1/2 inch lengthwise strips. Also, keep an eye on it while it’s roasting, as overcooking zucchini can cause it to become soggy.
Absolutely! Grilling the veggies is a great way to bring the summer vibes up a notch. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and lay the seasoned slices of zucchini and peppers on the grates. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then flip and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the veggies are tender.
I haven’t personally tried it, but freezing the whipped tofu is totally possible! Just know that when you freeze tofu, the texture changes completely, and your sandwich spread may not be as creamy and smooth as it once was.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Roasted Zucchini Sandwich
Ingredients
For the Sandwich:
- 3 zucchini cut in half and then into ~½” lengthwise strips
- 2 red bell peppers quartered
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Balsamic Reduction optional
- 4 ciabatta rolls or 1 ciabatta loaf cut in half
For the Whipped Tofu:
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu drained
- 1/4 cup packed sun-dried tomatoes from oil
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 415” and set a large baking sheet aside. Cut the zucchini and red bell peppers into strips (Note: I recommend using a mandoline for the zucchini!)
- Roast the Vegetables: Place the zucchini and bell peppers (skin-side down) onto the baking sheet. If your veggies don’t fit on one sheet divide them into two. Brush the top side of the vegetables with olive oil, then flip the veggies over and brush again. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast on the top rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping the trays halfway through if using two.
- Tofu Ricotta: In the meantime add the drained tofu, tomatoes, nutritional yeast, italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt to a food processor with a S-blade attachment. Process until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds, scraping down the sides of the machine with a spatula as necessary. Set aside.
- Assemble: Slice and toast (optional) your bread. Spread the tofu ricotta on both sides of the bread. Place the roasted vegetables evenly across the bottom half of the bread and drizzle with balsamic, if desired. Place the sandwich top on top to finish assembly.
- Serve & Store: Enjoy immediately. Store the whipped tofu and roasted vegetables in separate containers in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- Olive-Oil: If you have an olive oil or avocado oil spray, you can also generously spray the vegetables on both sides instead of brushing with oil.
- Bread: I prefer to use ciabatta for this recipe, but sourdough, focaccia, or a french loaf would all be great choices as well!
Easy to make and SO delicious. I’m adding this recipe to the top of my “meals to make for company” list.
So happy to make it to the list! Thank you, Saskia! ♥