Green Goddess Veggie Sandwich
This gorgeous rainbow sandwich what my lunch dreams are made of. Layers of shredded carrots, radishes, buttery lettuce, avocado, goat cheese, heirloom tomatoes, sprouts and thinly sliced cukes. All topped in a luscious green goddess dressing.
See also, what a vegetarian sandwich can be.
A roasted vegetable sandwich, comprised of mushy eggplant, jarred red peppers and lettuce does not a vegetarian sandwich make. I’ve almost given up on the idea of ordering a sandwich out, knowing that I’ll likely be faced with only that choice. There is an easier, better way! Throw all the veggies on top, add a generous smear of avocado and top with a vibrant, herb infused dressing. You’ll never look at a vegetarian sandwich the same way again.
The brainstorm for this sandwich idea came out of an oversized batch of green goddess dressing that had been sitting in my fridge over the weekend.
I got a little overzealous with the abundance of parsley that I had on hand, so I made just about every sauce you could think of: arugula, chimichurri and green goddess dressing. Life-extending offerings to my delicate bunches of herbs.
Besides the dressing portion, it’s almost silly to write an actual recipe for this bad-boy. If it’s sitting in your crisper drawer and can be tucked between two slices of bread, it’ll work.
While this sandwich could easily be made vegan by omitting the goat cheese and swapping in dairy-free mayo, I love the tangy layer of softened goat cheese. A layer of avocado on one end, goat cheese on the other. Creamy, protective barriers for the green-goddess dressed produce within. But, it’s OK to add more avocado for a cheese-less sandwich.
My musts? (Besides the dressing.)
Fresh tomatoes and sprouts. I know that sprouts can be a little hard to find, (um, especially with their tendency to harbor e.coli), but they are worth it in this sandwich. I love, love, love sprouts and they are perfect for soaking up every drop of goddess dressing.
Also, tomatoes. This time of year it’s almost criminal not to include tomatoes on your sandwiches, and this one is no exception. Though, it should be mentioned, tomatoes should be blood red when sliced into; so juicy, fragrant and tender. When you can smell the tomatoes from across the counter, stuff ’em in this sandwich.
Layer upon layer. You want this sandwich almost so big that you can’t close it. That’s the sweet spot. Once the sandwich is filled, gently press down so that the layers meld together and the dressing can run through it all.
Slice. Eat.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
Green Goddess Veggie Sandwich
Ingredients
Green Goddess Dressing:
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/8 cup chopped tarragon
- 3 tablespoons chopped chives
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Sandwich:
- 2 carrots
- 3 radishes
- 1 cucumber
- 1/2 cup sprouts
- 10 slices butter or bibb lettuce
- 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
- 4 ounces goat cheese, softened
- 1 large, ripe avocado
- 8 slices whole wheat bread, toasted
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. The dressing will be fairly thick. If you prefer a thinner dressing, add in a tablespoon or so of water. Season to taste with salt and pepper, I usually start with 1/4 teaspoon of each and work from there.
- Prep the vegetables. Using a box grater, shred the carrots and radishes, set aside. If you prefer your cucumber peeled, do so and then slice into paper-thin slices.
- Toss the lettuce with some of the green goddess dressing until well coated. You may have leftover dressing, so serve your sandwich with veggie slices and dressing to dip!
- Spread 1 ounce of softened goat cheese on one slice of toasted wheat bread. Continue with remaining three slices of bread.
- Spread 1/4 of the avocado on one slice of toasted wheat bread. Continue with remaining three slices.
- Layer the tossed lettuce, shredded vegetables, cucumbers, sprouts and tomatoes on the bread. Drizzle with more green goddess dressing, salt and freshly ground pepper and close.
- This is a saucy sandwich! The dressing will likely drip down your arm when eating, which is a welcome sign that the sandwich is perfectly dressed! So, don’t forget your napkin.