Ok, I admit it. I’m a girl who loves her bacon sandwiches. BLT’s, turkey clubs and, of course, guacamole bacon sandwiches. Who would have guessed that I would be the one to crave a roasted vegetable sandwich with chipotle mayonnaise? No bacon.
Vegetable sandwiches have become my obsession this summer. I just had the most delicious tomato sandwich in San Jose. The tomatoes were sweet and juicy; without a hint of acid. They must have been picked minutes before becoming a sandwich. I’ve been craving them ever since. The only thing that would have made them better was my Chipotle Mayonnaise recipe. So, I decided to update my Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Chipotle Mayonnaise post for everyone who is buried under a mountain of summer vegetables. Who said zucchinni?
The key to a great veggie sandwich is in the spread or pesto. So, to update my earlier post, I’ve included my recipe for spinach pesto as well as the Chipotle Mayonnaise recipe. Either one is terrific with the veggies or, you can use them both. A balsamic reduction drizzled over the vegetables can be nice if you like a little sweetness on your vegetables. Tomatoes, especially.
This recipe has been added to the-
“Get Grillin” with Family Fresh Cooking and Cookin’ Canuck, sponsored by Ile de France Cheese, Rösle, Emile Henry, Rouxbe and ManPans.
This is still the best method for grilling the veggies, just be sure to not to over cook them. Take advantage of their freshness by keeping them al dente.
Read more for the recipe…
Roasted Vegetable Sandwich with Chipotle Mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of chipotles in adobo, finely minced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 Ciabatta rolls
2 japanese eggplants
2 zucchini
2 red bell peppers, the bottled type will do just fine
canola oil
1 bunch spinach
8 oz queso panela or fresh mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Directions for Vegetable Sandwich with Chipotle Mayonnaise
Mince chipotle pepper and mix it into the mayonnaise. Let the chipotle mayonnaise chill in the refrigerator to blend the flavors together while you prepare the rest of the sandwich.
Slice the eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into long, 1/4 inch slices (a mandolin works well for this) . Cut off the stem of the red pepper, cut into quarters and remove the seeds.
Very lightly oil veggies with canola oil (save on calories by wiping off the excess oil, you will taste the real freshness of the vegetable if it is not covered in oil).
Place veggies on a medium high grill (a grill pan works great and isn’t as messy) and cook long enough for grill marks, but still al dente. Salt after they are taken off the grill so that they don’t let off too much of their juices. Remember, you want to keep the fresh crispness of the vegetable.
Dice the eggplant. Remove the skin of the red pepper if desired.
Cut rolls in half and toast lightly on the grill.
Spread chipotle mayonnaise on the bread and layer the vegetables; zucchini, then diced eggplant, red pepper and cheese.
Warm the cheese quickly on the grill and season with a little Mexican oregano and salt and pepper.
Top it off with fresh spinach and enjoy the summertime while you can!
Wilted Spinach Salad Pesto
2 1/2 cups leftover spinach greens
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
1/2 to 2/3 cups olive oil
Put spinach, garlic, walnuts, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times. Drizzle olive oil into food processor while pulsing until you reach the desired consistency.
I love to make pesto with unusual ingredients. It’s a great way to top sandwiches, pastas or cheesy dips. I’m inspired by these creative pestos and chipotle mayonnaises:
Homemade Chipotle Mayonnaise-Confections of a Foodie Bride
Cowboy Steak w/Chipotle Mayonnaise- Lobel’s Prime Time Grilling-Serious Eats
Chipotle Mayonnaise in a Wrap-Culinary in the Desert Country!
Mexican Hot Dogs w/ Pineapple Salsa and Chipotle Mayonnaise- Homesick Texan
– posted by Sandy
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for posting a vegetarian sandwich Sandy! This looks absolutely delicious and I plan on making it. Yummm!
Tegan, You’re welcome! If you’re not into the chipotle mayo, you can use a little balsamic reduction instead. It adds a touch of sweetness to the veggies.
Guacamole bacon? I am out of the loop! I must try that sandwich. This one looks dang good too!
Carri, You really should give the guacamole and bacon sandwiches a try. They are delish! You can add other veggies like tomato if you want, but let’s face it… it’s about the bacon!
The flavors in this are fantastic. I’m a big fan of chipotle peppers and can imagine that they take this sandwich to a whole new level.
Thanks so much for sharing this in our Get Grillin’ event, Sandy.
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