Vegetarian Focaccia Sandwich

Name: Vegetarian Focaccia Sandwich
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 small eggplant (cut into rounds); 2 zucchinis (cut into long strips); 2-3 roasted bell peppers; focaccia; 3/4 cup traditional pesto; 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta; 4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil and rosemary are great); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 4 tbsp honey; juice of half a lemon; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp pepper

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Whether you’re a meat-eater or not, you’ll love this vegetarian focaccia sandwich! It’s loaded with layers of marinated eggplant and zucchini as well as roasted bell peppers, basil pesto and herby ricotta. I mean common, how can anyone resist that combo? I don’t know about you but I’ll be enjoying this delicious sandwich all summer long!

Why you should make this focaccia sandwich recipe:

In my opinion, this vegetable sandwich is the epitome of the perfect summer meal. It doesn’t take a ton of time to make, doesn’t require you to turn on your oven and allows you to use some delicious produce that’s in season too! Another thing I love about this recipe is that you don’t have to spend a bunch of time building individual sandwiches. With this, you can easily feed a large crowd because all you have to do is throw everything on the grill, make one massive sandwich and slice it up into individual servings!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Eggplant: cut into rounds
Zucchini: cut into long strips
Roasted bell peppers: you can grill raw peppers as well
Focaccia
Traditional basil pesto: sun-dried tomato pesto or an olive tapenade would be delicious on this too!
Whole milk ricotta
Chopped fresh herbs: parsley, basil and rosemary are great
Salt and pepper

For the optional marinade:

Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Honey
Lemon
Salt and pepper

How to make this delicious focaccia sandwich:

Slice whatever vegetables you’re using and add them to the marinade I’ve listed in this recipe.
Let the vegetables marinate for at least 30 minutes then grill or roast them up to your liking.
Slice a large loaf of focaccia bread in half to form a top and bottom to the sandwich.
Warm the focaccia on the grill and spread the pesto on one side and herby ricotta on the other half of bread.
Add the cooked vegetables to the bottom of the bread and flip over the top to form a sandwich.
Slice into individual servings and enjoy!

FAQ:

What vegetables are on this sandwich?

I went with eggplant and zucchini slices as well as some roasted bell peppers I already had on hand! You can use whatever vegetables you have laying around though. Things like broccoli, portobello mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and squash would all be great options to think about adding too. I’ve included a quick marinade recipe below that will level up whatever vegetables you decide to go with!

Do I have to grill the vegetables?

Nope! I really enjoy grilling in the summer but you can definitely roast your vegetables in the oven (I’d say 425 degrees F for 25 minutes) and they will be equally delicious!

Where do you find focaccia?

I am lucky enough to live close to an Eataly location that has good quality focaccia and makes my job so much easier but you can find focaccia at tons of Italian markets and probably even your local bakery. If not, places like Trader Joes, Walmart and many other well-known grocery stores have focaccia in their bakery section. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even make your own!

Is this sandwich served best hot or cold?

Hot sandwiches tend to be my favorite so that’s what I always gravitate toward but you can serve this either way. If you are wanting a cold sandwich, I would recommend not toasting the focaccia and allowing the vegetables to cool completely before assembling rather than assembling the whole thing and sticking it in the fridge to cool down. This way you won’t end up with soggy bread!

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