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Satisfy your cravings with this epic veggie and white bean spread sandwich. It’s bursting with color, flavor, nutrients, and whimsy.
Why we love this recipe
My fondness for sandwiches packed with veggies and a spread or sauce that really pulls its weight dates all the way back to a family trip to Block Island, Rhode Island during high school. In a move that I now recognize as classic Carolyn Gratzer Cope, I’d recently gotten so fast at power walking that I had to choose between blowing out my shins and taking up running, so I took up running.
One day during our Block Island week I ran eight miles for the first time ever, and between that and being sixteen, I was HUNGRY afterward. At a little seaside sandwich shop I ordered a magical veggie-filled pita with a super-savory, garlicky white sauce, and I’ve never forgotten it.
This epic veggie and white bean spread sandwich channels all that energy. It’s:
- Built on a foundation of really good bread
- Packed with as much super-savory, garlicky, tangy white bean spread as you like
- Layered with all manner of crisp, fresh raw veggies that you can customize to your liking
- Big enough to share, but balanced enough to hoard if you’d rather
- A little bit chaotic, arguably in a very good way
I first published this recipe here back in 2018. I’ve since updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Start with a nice, hearty bread of your choice. I typically buy a seven-grain boule and slice it nice and thick myself. You don’t need to toast it, but you can if you like. This sandwich would also work well tucked into really good pita or made as a wrap.
- This sandwich uses our fabulous white bean spread, which is quick and easy to make from ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Slather it onto one or both slices of bread — mostly for its savory, satisfying vibes, but also to help keep the veggie layers under some semblance of control. You can make this element well in advance if you like. Or substitute hummus if that’s what you’ve got.
- You can pile on any thinly sliced raw vegetables that you like. I’ve chosen practically the whole rainbow here, with red bell pepper, carrots, and cucumber in quantity. Layering in some radishes, parsley, and impeccably fresh alfalfa sprouts keeps things light and vibrant.
How to make it
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make an epic veggie and white bean spread sandwich. You can see the spread-making steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- First you’ll add all the ingredients for the white bean spread to a food processor.
- Process until beautifully smooth and creamy. You can do this part in advance.
- Spread some onto one or both slices of bread and pile high with thinly sliced vegetables.
- Cut in half and serve right away. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
Sure! If you like, you can take a cue from your favorite deli and wrap the sandwich in paper before cutting in half and serving.
You can make the white bean spread in advance. It keeps well in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to a year. Bring to room temperature before using. Assemble sandwich at serving time. Tightly wrapped leftovers will keep, somewhat grudgingly, in the fridge for a day or so if necessary.
More favorite vegan sandwiches
- Chickpea tuna salad sandwich
- Falafel pitas
- Crispy tofu sandwich
- Vegan Philly cheesesteak
- Vegan Banh Mi
Hungry for more?
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Epic Veggie and White Bean Spread Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices hearty bread
- 1 batch white bean spread
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, including thin stems
- 10 thin slices cucumber
- 10 long, thin slices red bell pepper
- 10 long, thin slices carrot
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced
- ½ cup alfalfa sprouts
Instructions
- You guys know how to make a sandwich, but I’ll tell you anyway, okay?
- Spread some of the bean dip onto each slice of bread, reserving the rest for another use. I like to put most of it on the bottom slice and just enough on the top slice to give everything a fighting chance of sticking together.
- Evenly layer the vegetables onto one of the slices in the order listed.
- Top with the other slice of bread and press gently.
- Slice in half if you like and serve immediately.
Notes
- Start with a nice, hearty bread of your choice. I typically buy a seven-grain boule and slice it nice and thick myself. You don't need to toast it, but you can if you like. This sandwich would also work well tucked into really good pita or made as a wrap.
- This sandwich uses our fabulous white bean spread, which is quick and easy to make from ingredients that are easy to keep on hand. Slather it onto one or both slices of bread — mostly for its savory, satisfying vibes, but also to help keep the veggie layers under some semblance of control. You can make this element well in advance if you like. Or substitute hummus if that's what you've got.
- You can pile on any thinly sliced raw vegetables that you like. I've chosen practically the whole rainbow here, with red bell pepper, carrots, and cucumber in quantity. Layering in some radishes, parsley, and impeccably fresh alfalfa sprouts keeps things light and vibrant.
- You can make the white bean spread in advance. It keeps well in the fridge for a week or in the freezer for up to a year. Bring to room temperature before using. Assemble sandwich at serving time. Tightly wrapped leftovers will keep, somewhat grudgingly, in the fridge for a day or so if necessary.
- If you like, you can take a cue from your favorite deli and wrap the sandwich in paper before cutting in half and serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hungry for more?
Subscribe to Umami Girl’s email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
Where are the reviews for your recipes? I looked at this one and the cilantro sauce for veggie nachos and no reviews to be found.
Hi Maria, what the recipe cards call “reviews” are really star ratings that people have left and not narrative reviews. Many recipes — including cilantro sauce — have narrative reviews in the comments section, but more often people just leave star ratings.