Marinated Grilled Veggie Summer Sandwich Recipe

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Summer is the ideal season for all things grilling, and taking advantage of colorful seasonal produce is the perfect way to enjoy outdoor cooking. This marinated grilled veggie summer sandwich recipe, brought to us by developer Miriam Hahn, is the kind of meal that leaves you feeling energized and satisfied, all with a seasonal flair. We're using zucchini, yellow squash, and bell peppers for the grilling medley, and using a reverse marinade technique — a technique common when grilling meat, but one that works well for veggies too. Instead of marinating the raw veggies, this method calls for marinating them after they cook, allowing them to soak up the flavorful lemon herb dressing instead of it burning off while grilling. The sandwich is layered with the grilled veggies, homemade pesto, mozzarella, red onion, heirloom tomatoes, and arugula, making for a positively vibrant and hearty plant-based lunch or dinner.

While this recipe does require more steps than the average sandwich recipe due to the homemade pesto, grilling, and marinating, there are easy ways to break it down. "I usually make the pesto ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge until I am ready to serve," Hahn says. She adds, "You can also grill up the vegetables early in the day, and let them marinate for hours leading up to your gathering."

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and grab a lemon, garlic, fresh basil, zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, fresh chives, a red onion, heirloom tomatoes, and arugula. Feel free to use any color of bell peppers and heirloom tomatoes that you like. Then hit up the dairy case for grated Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Stop by the nut aisle to get toasted pine nuts, and the bakery section for ciabatta rolls. If you find a large ciabatta loaf instead of rolls, just make one large sandwich and slice it into sections. Then check your condiment cabinet for olive oil, salt, and black pepper.

Add the pesto ingredients to a food processor.

Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the grill to medium-high.

Add the zucchini, yellow squash, and bell peppers to a grill pan and place on the grill.

Let the veggies cook undisturbed for 15 minutes, then shake the pan or stir and cook for 10-15 more minutes.

While the veggies are grilling, mix up all the marinade ingredients in a small bowl.

Add the cooked vegetables to a large bowl and toss with marinade.

Cover and marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Slice the ciabatta rolls and toast the bread on the grill, cut side down, for 5 minutes.

Spread a layer of pesto on both sides of the toasted ciabatta.

Layer the marinated veggies onto one half of the cut roll.

Top with red onion, heirloom tomato slices, mozzarella, and arugula. Serve the sandwiches right away.

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The simple pesto for this sandwich is so fresh and delicious, and there are many ways to use it. It will, of course, work for other sandwiches and wraps as a spread. Try it on a caprese sandwich, turkey and provolone, club sandwich, ham and Brie, grilled portobello mushroom, Italian sub, or grilled cheese. It will instantly elevate a basic sandwich into one fresh with flavor.

The pesto is also excellent as pasta sauce. Use it alone or add roasted vegetables or blistered tomatoes. Toss it with freshly-cooked warm pasta and add a little pasta water to make everything nice and smooth. Use the pesto instead of red sauce for pizza or flatbread. Pair it with fresh mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, roasted cherry tomatoes, artichokes, and kalamata olives, or asparagus, ricotta, and parmesan.

Adding a dollop of pesto to soup enhances the flavor without much extra work. Try it with minestrone or pasta e fagioli. Add it during the last 10 minutes of simmering. The pesto is also a great layering sauce to serve under entrees like roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or sauteed steak.

If you don't have access to an outdoor grill, there are still plenty of other cooking options. If you have a grill pan on your stovetop, this will work well, and instead of using a grill basket, just spread out the cut veggies in a single layer. Set the grill pan temperature to 450 F to mimic the temperature of the outdoor grill.

A cast iron skillet on your stove top will also work. Use medium-high to high heat and add some oil to the pan before heating it up. Broiling the vegetables on a sheet pan is another way to establish that grill-like char. As a word of caution, do not use parchment paper, as it can scorch or catch fire. You'll also want to stay close and check the veggies frequently to make sure they aren't over-charring. If you want to avoid broiling, roast the veggies at 425-450 F instead. An air fryer will also work, but depending on the size, you may have to work in batches. Cook at 400 F for about 15 minutes, shaking the basket frequently.

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