12 Vegan Sandwiches to Pack for Lunch

These simple vegan sandwiches taste just as good as meat or cheese sandwiches. They’re all fresh, healthy, and delicious, making them ideal for lunch.

If you eat mostly plant-based foods, you’ve probably had some bad vegan sandwiches. I’m sure I have! Lettuce that is soggy. Bread that is soggy. There is no flavor. No, thank you.

But, thankfully, vegan sandwiches don’t have to be that way. They’re not made with meat or cheese, but that doesn’t mean they’re lacking in flavor. Make vegan sandwiches with various sauces and spreads, roasted or pickled vegetables, and/or fresh herbs, and you’ll discover that they’re just as tasty as their traditional counterparts.

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

In this video, I share 12 vegan sandwich ideas to get you started. They’re all delicious, but almost as importantly, they’re all portable. If you’re looking for new lunch recipes to try this fall, any of these vegan sandwiches would be a good choice.

Vegan Sandwiches With Lots of Veggies
If you like to eat a lot of vegetables for lunch, these vegan sandwiches are for you. They feature tomatoes, cauliflower, avocado, artichokes, and other vegetables!

1 – Heirloom Tomato vegan sandwiches

This sandwich is great in the summer and early fall. The creamy avocado and tangy white bean spread complement the juicy tomato slices perfectly.

Ingredients
Pureed white beans:
12 cup drained and rinsed cooked cannellini beans
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
three tbsp lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

to make the sandwiches:
8 toasted bread slices
4 leaves butter lettuce
3 sliced heirloom tomatoes
2 sliced avocados, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
8 basil leaves, fresh
optional pinch of smoked paprika, optional sprinkle of hemp seeds

Instructions
Puree the cannellini beans, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and capers in a blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the sandwiches with the toasted bread, white bean puree, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, fresh basil, sea salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and hemp seeds, if using.

2 – Avocado Sandwich

Ingredients
Lemon-edamame sandwich filling:
112 cup edamame 14 cup cilantro
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon scallions, chopped
12 garlic cloves or a pinch garlic powder
2 tbsp of olive oil
1–3 tablespoons of water
12 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
8 slices for the sandwiches eureka! Cucumber slices made from organic Top Seed Bread
1 sliced small avocado
Onions pickled
2 cups arugula (or micro greens)

Instructions

1 – In a food processor, combine the edamame, cilantro, lemon juice, scallions, garlic, and sea salt. Pulse until finely chopped. Blend in the olive oil until smooth. To make a smooth, spreadable consistency, add up to 3 tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then chill until ready to use. The filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

2 – Spread 4 slices of bread with the edamame sandwich filling. Top with the remaining cucumber and avocado slices, pickled onions, arugula, and bread slices.

3 – Romesco Cauliflower Sandwiches

Ingredients

1 small cauliflower head
8 ciabatta or sourdough bread slices
Salad greens, a handful
a couple of thinly sliced red onions
2 sliced tomatoes, seasoned with sea salt and pepper
14 cup parsley, fresh
Olive oil (extra virgin)
Black pepper, freshly ground, and sea salt

Romesco Sauce with Almond Milk
1 tomato, peeled and halved
1 roasted red pepper, fresh or jarred
14 cup almonds, toasted
14 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp Almond Breeze Original Unsweetened Almondmilk
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
18 tsp red pepper flakes
Black pepper, freshly ground, and sea salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and cut it into 12-inch slabs. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until tender in the center and golden around the edges.

To prepare the Romesco sauce, Combine the tomato, roasted red pepper, almonds, garlic, olive oil, almond milk, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Seasonings should be tasted and adjusted.

Assemble the sandwiches with romesco sauce, salad greens, red onions, tomato slices, roasted cauliflower, and parsley sprigs.

4 – Tomato, Basil & Artichoke Picnic Sandwich

The beauty of this hearty sandwich is that it actually tastes better (!!) the next day. It’s ideal for summer picnics or a gourmet weekday lunch.

Ingredients
Basil-Edamame 1 12 cup edamame 14 cup basil
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon scallions, chopped
12 garlic cloves, small
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 to 3 tbsp water 12 teaspoon sea salt, to taste

to make the sandwiches:
1 baguette, 1 handful baby salad greens
2-3 medium sliced tomatoes
10 leaves basil
Optional: 10 jarred roasted artichokes, cut into quarters or roughly chopped pine nuts

Instructions

To make the basil-edamame spread, combine the edamame, basil, lemon juice, scallions, garlic, and sea salt in a food processor bowl. Pulse until finely chopped. Blend in the olive oil until smooth. To make a smooth, spreadable consistency, add up to 3 tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then chill until ready to use. The filling can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for 3 to 4 days.

Half a large baguette and layer with the basil-edamame spread, greens, tomatoes, basil, artichokes, and pine nuts. Wrap the baguette in foil and place it in the fridge until ready to divide into servings. Cut into 4 individual servings and either wrap or enjoy!

5 – Vegan Riffs on Classic Sandwiches

Do you want a BLT? Egg salad that’s creamy? A traditional club sandwich? These vegan sandwiches, in my opinion, are very close to the real thing.

6 – Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich

Turmeric gives it an egg-like color, vegan mayo adds richness and creaminess, and capers, chives, and dill add a delicious briny and bright flavor. For a knockout healthy lunch, layer it between slices of bread with fresh greens and pickled onions.

Ingredients

1 14 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon olive oil (extra virgin)
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 minced small garlic clove
1 tablespoon turmeric
14 teaspoon of sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
14-inch cubes of extra-firm tofu, 7.5 oz.
a few celery seeds
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped,

for serving:
6 slices whole-grain sandwich bread •
Optional watercress or spring greens
Optional pickled red onion
Optional radish slices

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, olive oil, mustard, capers, lemon juice, garlic, turmeric, salt, and black pepper to taste.

Mix in the tofu, then crumble it lightly with your hands, leaving some cubes intact. We’re going for an egg salad texture, not scrambled eggs.

Combine the celery seed, dill, and chives in a mixing bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assemble the sandwiches with watercress or spring greens, a scoop of egg salad, and, if desired, pickled onions and radish slices.

7 – Vegan Club Sandwich

Where do I even begin with this sandwich? I enjoy the marinated tempeh filling and the fresh vegetables, but my favorite part may be the spreads. One is a lemony white bean spread, and the other is a sun-dried tomato spread. Both add richness and delicious flavor to this dish.

Ingredients

8 slices of bread Toasted multigrain bread
a couple of handfuls of watercress
3 thinly sliced tomatoes 1 small cucumber 1 small avocado 2 small avocados 8 ounces Tempeh Strips Marinated

Sandwich spreads with white beans and sun-dried tomatoes
1 drained and rinsed 15-ounce can white beans
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
14 teaspoon of salt
black pepper, freshly ground
three to four sun-dried tomatoes

Instructions
Preparing the sandwich spreads Puree the white beans, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a blender or small food processor to make the White Bean spread. Blend until smooth, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Scoop half of the puree out. Blend the sun-dried tomatoes to make the Sun-Dried Tomato Spread. Blend once more, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if necessary.

Combine the bread, spreads, tempeh, watercress, tomato, cucumber, and avocado to make four sandwiches.

8 – Chickpea Salad Sandwich

It begins with a tuna-like chickpea salad flavored with tahini, Dijon mustard, lemon, and capers. You can add fresh vegetables, olives, basil, and a good-quality baguette to round it out.
This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is a delicious healthy lunch packed with protein and fiber! Make the chickpea mixture up to 3 days ahead of time and keep it on hand for lunches throughout the week.

Ingredients

Salad with Chickpeas
12 cup drained and rinsed cooked chickpeas
2 teaspoons tahini
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
12 clove garlic
1 tablespoon capers
1 chopped green onion
2 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

To make the sandwiches

trimmed handful of thin green beans

1 soft baguette (cut in half)

8 to 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved

rinsed and dried thinly sliced red onion

Vegan mayonnaise (or regular mayonnaise) for spreading

14 thinly sliced English cucumber

1 thinly sliced radish

6–8 basil leaves, fresh

freshly ground black pepper and sea salt

Instructions

To make the chickpea salad, combine the chickpeas, tahini, Dijon mustard, garlic, capers, green onions, cilantro, lemon juice, and pinches of salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until everything is combined, but don’t puree. Season with pepper to taste.

Green beans should be blanched. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil, and keep an ice water bowl nearby. Place the green beans in boiling water for 112 minutes, then transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process. When completely cool, drain, pat dry, and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Assemble the sandwiches as follows: On one side of the baguette, spread the chickpea salad. Top the chickpea salad with the chopped green beans, olives, and red onion slices. On the other half of the baguette, spread a layer of mayo and top with the sliced cucumbers, radishes, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Press together, then slice and serve!

9 – Vegan Sandwiches for PB&J Lovers

I understand what you’re thinking, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is already vegan. Nonetheless, this sophisticated take on a childhood favorite is well worth a shot.

10 – Healthy Lunch Wraps

Ingredients

Mustard Dijon Vinaigrette
a quarter cup extra-virgin olive oil
14 cup white wine vinegar 14 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
1 clove garlic
12 teaspoon of sea salt
14 cup optional Parmesan cheese

Regarding the Wraps
12 cup thinly sliced radicchio 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 3 curly kale leaves, stemmed and finely chopped 6 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
Optional shredded Parmesan cheese
4 extra-large tortillas 1 ripe avocado, sliced

Instructions

Prepare the dressing. Combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, and cheese, if using, in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

Make the fillings for the wraps. Mash the chickpeas with 14 cup of the dressing, 14 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of fresh black pepper in a small bowl.

Toss the kale, Brussels sprouts, and radicchio with 13 cup of the dressing in a medium bowl.

Assemble the wraps by dividing the chickpea mixture, salad mixture, avocado, and, if using, cheese among the tortillas. Fold the tortilla’s left and right sides over the filling. Roll the wrap closed by folding the bottom flap of the tortilla up and over the filling. Wrap in foil, cut in half crosswise, and serve with the remaining dressing for dipping on the side.

11 – Chickpea Shawarma Wraps

This recipe calls for a yogurt sauce, which you can easily leave out to make these wraps vegan. They’re still delicious, stuffed with spiced roasted chickpeas, hummus, zhoug, and various vegetables and herbs.

Ingredients

Shawarma Seasoning

1 tablespoon cilantro

1 teaspoon paprika

12 tablespoon cumin

12 teaspoon ground cinnamon

14 teaspoon ground ginger

18 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Black pepper, freshly ground, and sea salt

Regarding the Wraps

1 1/2 cups roasted chickpeas seasoned with shawarma

4 warmed pitas

Hummus

2 thinly sliced Persian cucumbers

12 quartered cherry tomatoes

Red onion slices or pickled onions

a sprig of fresh mint

Zhoug

1 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
one jalapeo
1 clove garlic
14 teaspoon cumin 14 teaspoon coriander
18 teaspoon of sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
12 cup plain yogurt (optional) Yogurt sauce
12 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 tbsp fresh lemon juice
14 teaspoon of salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the shawarma spice mix, combine the coriander, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, and pinches of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Season the chickpeas generously both before and after roasting.

Make the zhoug as follows: In a food processor, combine the cilantro, olive oil, jalapeo, garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper to make a pesto-like consistency.

To make the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and several grinds of black pepper in a small bowl.

Assemble the pitas with the hummus, chickpeas, cucumber, tomato, pickled onion, mint, zhoug dots, and yogurt sauce drizzles.

12 – Spinach Hummus Wrap

I pulse spinach into the hummus to add extra veggies to these simple wraps. They’re so tasty and fresh!
One of my favorite travel recipes is this Spinach Hummus Wrap. It has a delicious flavor and packs well for lunches because it is made with a lightened up hummus spread, peppers, and cucumbers.
Jeanine Donofrio is the author.
Type of recipe: main course, snack
4 people

Ingredients

4 large flour tortillas
Several handfuls of spinach leaves (approximately 8 per wrap)
2 cucumber slices, cut into long thin slices
2-3 mixed peppers – approximately 6 slices per wrap
Optional fresh parsley sprigs
Optional: Tofu or other protein of choice
Optional hemp seed sprinkling

Approximately 1 12 cup spinach hummus

1 (15-ounce) can rinsed and drained chickpeas
14 cup veggie broth (or water)
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons tahini
1 clove garlic
12 teaspoon of sea salt
14 cup parsley, fresh
a quarter teaspoon cumin
18 tsp smoked paprika
To taste, freshly ground black pepper
12 cup fresh spinach, packed

Instructions

To make the Spinach Hummus, combine the chickpeas, vegetable broth, lemon juice, tahini, garlic, salt, parsley, cumin, paprika, and black pepper in a food processor and blend well. Blend in the spinach again. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Spread about 14 cup of hummus on each wrap, leaving a 12-inch border around the edges. After the spinach leaves, add the cucumber and pepper slices. If using, garnish with fresh parsley, protein of choice, and hemp seeds. Wrap the wraps in foil after rolling them up. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.