28 Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes You'll Want To Make On Repeat

So many sandwich recipes out there call for layers upon layers of meat, cured or otherwise. But why should you be left out of the sandwich scene just because you choose not to eat meat? In reality, there are a lot of great vegetarian sandwich recipes out there — as long as you know where to look. That's why we've compiled this list of some of our absolute favorite vegetarian sandwich recipes. They're refreshing, hearty, and stacked full of different fillings that will leave you feeling satisfied with every bite.

From burgers to the lightest of finger food sandwiches to serve at a party, we've got you covered with the meat-free sandwich recipes you crave. Plus, most of these recipes are incredibly easy to make, and some require barely any cooking at all — perfect for those who just want to put together a quick sandwich and get on with their day. Try a few out the next time you're craving bread, and you'll see that sandwiches really don't need any meat at all to taste incredible.

There's a time and a place for a big, thick burger, but most of the time, we prefer smash burgers for their crispness and multiple-patty capabilities. But did you know that it's easy to make a vegan smash burger? This recipe for The Ultimate Vegan Smash Burgers comes together in less than 35 minutes, so you can get a decadent dinner on the table quickly. Feel free to customize your burger toppings according to your favorite veggies and condiments.

Recipe: The Ultimate Vegan Smash Burgers

There's nothing like a lobster roll on a hot summer's day, especially if you're lucky enough to be eating it by the coast. But don't think you have to forgo the lobster roll just because you don't eat seafood. That's where this Vegan Hearts of Palm "Lobster" roll comes in. The texture of hearts of palm tastes shockingly like lobster, especially after it's been marinated in a flavorful, creamy, Old Bay-spiked dressing. Pile it all onto a roll, and you have a lobster roll that's meat-free (and way cheaper than actual lobster).

Recipe: Vegan Hearts of Palm "Lobster" Roll

If you've ever been to Sicily before (or you've spent much time with Sicilians), then you may have tried panelle, which are fried fritters made with chickpea flour. They make for an especially crispy sandwich filling, which is why you might want to try making this Baked Panelle Sandwich. Baking instead of frying the panelle makes the process much easier and less messy to do at home. Then, all you have to do is put them in a simple bun and enjoy.

Recipe: Baked Panelle Sandwich

Eggplant is too often treated as a forgettable side dish vegetable and relegated to the edges of our plates. But that mindset doesn't capture just how flavorful eggplant can really be when it's prepared the right way. Enter this recipe for a Mediterranean Eggplant Panini. In this recipe, eggplant is the star of the show, and it really shines between two slices of baguette and adorned with roasted red peppers, olives, cheese, and other flavorful Mediterranean ingredients.

Recipe: Mediterranean Eggplant Panini

You don't have to take a trip all the way to Mumbai to get a taste of one of the Indian city's beloved sandwiches. This recipe for a Golden Bombay Sandwich with Cilantro-Mint Chutney features potato as the star ingredient, but the flavorful, herb-infused chutney is what really shines when it all comes together. This herbal and super refreshing sandwich feels like you're eating a salad in between two slices of bread, and it's an absolute must-make for any vegetarian sandwich lover.

Recipe: Golden Bombay Sandwich with Cilantro-Mint Chutney

Who said that a sandwich had to include bread? These Watermelon and Feta Tea sandwiches replace bread with juicy watermelon squares, and cucumber, mint, feta cheese, and arugula all add even more freshness and flavor to this simple dish. These tea sandwiches are perfect for serving at parties or serving as appetizers — or just turning into an especially light and refreshing summer meal when it's too hot out to actually cook. Don't forget to add that final drizzle of balsamic glaze for an extra touch of acidity and fruitiness.

Recipe: Watermelon and Feta Tea Sandwiches

You may not think of asparagus as a sandwich filling — much less the most important filling in a sandwich — but this Asparagus and Goat Cheese Panini may just change the way you think about veggie-forward sandwiches. Other vegetables, like roasted red pepper and arugula make for a more nutrient-packed dish, while the ciabatta provides enough structure to hold all of these ingredients together. With the addition of goat cheese, it's quite filling and will ensure that you feel amazing until your next meal.

Recipe: Asparagus and Goat Cheese Panini

Why go out to the grocery store and buy an expensive and ultra-processed plant-based burger when you can easily make one with an ingredient as simple as tofu at home? These Tofu Burgers with Grilled Pineapple Salsa will turn the idea that tofu is boring on its head. These burgers are packed with flavor all on their own, but once you add on that sweet and tart pineapple salsa, the dish comes together perfectly. We love serving this dish on hot summer nights when you're craving something both hearty and refreshing.

Recipe: Tofu Burgers with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

So many sandwich recipes you'll find skew to the more savory end of the spectrum, but there's a lot to love about a sweet sandwich as well. This Trio of Colorful Japanese Fruit Sandwiches is an especially fun way to handle your craving for sweets. Three different sandwiches are packed with kiwi, strawberries, and mangoes, with cream making for a richer, more dessert-like filling. It's a fun way to switch up your dessert routine or a delicious way to make your breakfast a bit sweeter.

Recipe: Trio of Colorful Japanese Fruit Sandwiches

When berries, fruit preserves, peanut butter, and marshmallows come together, beautiful things can happen, and that's obvious when you make this Fruity Fluffernutter Dessert Panini. By using all of these sweet ingredients together, you'll create a sandwich with both a complex flavor profile and an ooey, gooey texture that's more interesting than a cake or a cookie ever could be. Just make sure to look for vegan marshmallows if you want to avoid gelatin, which contains animal products.

Recipe: Fruity Fluffernutter Dessert Panini

Avocado toast can be nice sometimes, but unless you pack it with a ton of toppings, it's usually not very filling. But what if you could harness those same textures and flavors in a more filling format? That's just what you'll do when you make this Avocado Toast-Inspired Veggie Burger. You'll use a generous serving of avocado, of course, but when it's joined by other filling and flavorful ingredients, like chickpeas, grated carrots, mushrooms, and more, you'll get an even more satisfying experience.

Recipe: Avocado Toast-Inspired Veggie Brunch Burger

There are so many incredible dishes you can make with one of the cheapest ingredients at the grocery store: lentils. This Red Lentil Falafel Pita Sandwich, though, may just be the most delicious. Instead of using chickpeas or fava beans to create your lentils, you'll use red lentils instead. Lentils have that subtle spiciness to them that really allows them to shine in this recipe. Stuff them inside a pita along with other veggies of your choosing, and you have a light meal you can serve with chips or a side of fruit.

Recipe: Red Lentil Falafel Pita Sandwich

Getting plenty of greens into your diet is important to help you feel your best, and this recipe for a Green Goddess Avocado Sandwich can help you do just that. In between two pieces of crusty bread, you'll place avocado, sprouts, cucumber slices, lettuce, and lots of herbs to create a deeply satisfying, all-green sandwich that will absolutely make you crave your veggies. After you've made your sandwich, you'll likely have some leftover green dressing to use on salads and other dishes that need a punch of flavor.

Recipe: Green Goddess Avocado Sandwich

A plain old grilled cheese sandwich is fine when you're short on time and groceries, but if you really want to make an outstanding grilled cheese, you should use a mix of different mushrooms. They all provide slightly different, meaty textures to your grilled cheese, and they offer a super savory, umami flavor that really plays well with the creamy cheese in this recipe. Sure, it takes more time than the average grilled cheese, but it pays off in the end when you take that first bite.

Recipe: Mixed Mushroom Grilled Cheese

You won't see many grilled cheese recipes that call for ricotta over more typical cheeses used in these sandwiches, like cheddar or American. But it really works in this recipe for Brown Butter Spinach and Ricotta Cheese, where ricotta provides a creamy base for that salty, complex spinach. Together, the ingredients come together beautifully, making a spinach and cheese sandwich sound better than it ever has before. Don't forget to use plenty of butter for extra crispness.

Recipe: Brown Butter Spinach and Ricotta Grilled Cheese

Shawarma doesn't exactly sound like the most vegetarian-friendly dish you could ever make, but it's actually surprisingly easy to make delicious vegetarian shawarma out of tofu. Once you do, you can make these incredible Plant-Based Tofu Shawarma Pitas, which calls for marinated tofu and plenty of fillings. Packed with veggies and that savory shawarma, you'll have an incredibly flavorful dinner that's surprisingly easy to make. Use the leftovers for lunch the next day for a serious workday treat.

Recipe: Plant-Based Tofu Shawarma Pitas

A purely vegetable-packed sandwich doesn't have to be boring, especially when you follow this recipe for an impressive Green Goddess Sandwich. With layers upon layers of green vegetables along with a creamy green goddess sauce that brings the whole recipe together, you have a bold sandwich that almost feels like a salad. Make sure to include a bit of mozzarella cheese to make the dish a bit heartier, then place the multiple layers of vegetables on top of each other one by one.

Recipe: Green Goddess Sandwich

Squash plays a starring role in this recipe for a Cumin-Roasted Squash and Feta Panini. When covered in a generous layer of cumin before roasting, the squash really takes on a bold, savory flavor, becoming a centerpiece that's way more exciting than a bland hunk of meat. Feta adds a sense of heartiness to the sandwich, but it's also there for creaminess and tang. As far as the bread goes, you can use any variety that's on the sturdier side — choose something like thick-cut sourdough, ciabatta, or focaccia for the best results.

Recipe: Cumin-Roasted Squash and Feta Panini

Who needs meat when you can just use mushrooms to harness those same flavors instead? This BBQ Mushroom Sandwich with Carrot-Apple Slaw and Homemade Aioli proves that vegetarian sandwiches are anything but boring. A store-bought BBQ sauce transforms basic mushrooms into the shining star of this recipe, and the carrot-apple slaw makes for a crisp and crunchy, super-fresh adornment to the sandwich. Stack it all on a bun, and you've got an impressive dinner to serve friends or savor all on your own.

Recipe: BBQ Mushroom Sandwich with Carrot-Apple Slaw and Homemade Aioli

Sabich is a sandwich packed into a pita that prominently features fried eggplant and egg, along with hummus and a host of other vegetables. And although this sandwich has a particularly lengthy list of ingredients, it's actually not difficult to put together once you have all the different components prepped. Definitely don't forget the tahini sauce, which is the element that provides the dish with a much-needed layer of richness and fattiness that makes every bite that much more delicious.

Recipe: Sabich (Middle Eastern Stuffed Sandwiches)

A French dip sandwich feels so decadent, so luxurious, that it would be a shame to miss out completely just because you don't eat meat. That's why you absolutely have to try this Vegetarian Mushroom French Dip Sandwich, which uses shiitake mushrooms for a rich, meat-like filling that harnesses that same savory flavor a classic French dip is known for. Yes, this recipe can get a bit messy once you sit down to eat it, but that's all a part of the appeal. Enjoy every last drop.

Recipe: Vegetarian Mushroom French Dip Sandwich

Sliced tempeh replaces actual steak in this recipe for a Vegetarian Tempeh Cheesesteak. If you've never cooked with tempeh before, this recipe is a great intro to the ingredient. It's nutty and savory but soaks up other flavors exceptionally well, which means you can use it in a variety of recipes. Here, though, it really shines, especially when it's covered in melted provolone cheese that adds a lovely creaminess to this dish. It may even be better than a classic cheesesteak.

Recipe: Vegetarian Tempeh Cheesesteak

When you're craving a burger packed with earthy, complex flavors that will leave you feeling full but not overly heavy, it's time to turn to this recipe for Hearty Beet and Bean Burgers. Kidney beans make up the bulk of the burger, while shredded beets give the patties their signature earthy flavors and bright, bold pink color. Oats hold the burger ingredients together, while walnuts add a nice extra bit of texture. Serve with the burger fillings of your choosing, and you have a healthy alternative to some of those processed (and expensive) plant-based options on the market.

Recipe: Hearty Beet and Bean Burgers

Mexico may just boast some of the world's best sandwiches, and the pambazo is no exception. Try it out yourself by making this recipe for a Fried Eggplant Pambazos (Mexican Guajillo-Soaked Sandwich). It's big, it's bold, and it puts fried eggplant at the front and center of this recipe, just where it belongs. Although this sandwich often contains chorizo, we think infusing the eggplant with a bold sauce to give it more flavor makes this recipe just as delicious in its vegetarian form.

Recipe: Fried Eggplant Pambazos (Mexican Guajillo-Soaked Sandwich)

Ratatouille is, frankly, kind of a pain to make, but that doesn't mean you have to forgo those flavors just because you don't want to take the time and effort to layer all of those tiny slices of vegetables. Instead, just make this recipe for a Ratatouilli-ish Eggplant Panini with Herb Aioli. By roasting a variety of vegetables and placing them all between two slices of bread, complete with a creamy dressing that adds even more flavor to the equation, you're making a simple vegetarian recipe that comes together in less than an hour.

Recipe: Ratatouille-ish Eggplant Panini with Herb Aioli

There are so many different types of vegetarian burgers out there, but we love the patties that are based on black beans the most. That's why this Hearty Black Bean Burger is one of our favorite recipes. It helps you create a black bean burger patty in the most efficient way possible, making burger night tastier (and less expensive) than ever before. Feel free to get creative with the other burger fillings so you can capture the burger flavors you love most.

Recipe: Hearty Black Bean Burger

There's nothing quite like a good banh mi. With its snap of fresh cucumber, the aroma of seemingly handfuls of fresh herbs, and its pop of spice from raw jalapeno, it truly is one of the world's best sandwiches. But most classic versions of the sandwich are layered with various types of meat, which you may want to avoid if you're trying to cut down on (or cut out) your meat consumption. This Tofu Banh Mi allows you to enjoy all those same flavors you know and love, no animal products required.

Recipe: Tofu Banh Mi

A Caprese salad always feels like a real treat, but sometimes, it's just a little lighter than what we're looking for. When you want to enjoy those flavors in a more filling package, make this Roasted Caprese Sandwich. By adding sourdough or ciabatta bread into the mix, you'll create a hearty backdrop for the necessary tomatoes, basil, and burrata. It has fresh elements and a creamy ingredient, all held together by (ideally) good-quality fresh bread.

Recipe: Roasted Caprese Sandwich