Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Whipped Basil Goat Cheese Spread
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Whipped Basil Goat Cheese Spread are so packed with flavor and are the perfect vegetarian summer dinner! The goat cheese spread can be prepped ahead of time, which makes dinnertime a breeze.
This one is for all of my veggie lovers out there! And even you non-veggie lovers. Or non-veggie enthusiasts. I promise you - you're gonna love these Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Whipped Basil Goat Cheese Spread! Whew that's a mouthful!
Do you know how I know you're gonna love these? My husband LOVES these. He's been on a big veggie kick between requesting Grilled Vegetable Sandwich w, my Grilled Vegetable Bowls, and these Vegetable Sandwiches. I love them all, but I absolutely love the basil goat cheese on these sandwiches.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Easy - between chopping up the vegetables and whipping up the basil goat cheese, these sandwiches are super easy to make!
Flavorful - the vegetables are packed with flavor and the basil goat cheese is the icing on the cake...err...sandwiches.
Perfect for Summer - these sandwiches are a staple of ours in the summertime. When my CSA is bursting with vegetables, I love grilling them all up and throwing them on these sandwiches.
Ingredients
Vegetables - I use red onion, bell pepper, yellow summer squash, and zucchini.
Olive Oil - this is what I use to marinate the vegetables in.
Garlic - fresh garlic adds great flavor to the grilled vegetables.
Balsamic Vinegar - this adds delicious tangy flavor to the vegetables.
Goat Cheese - this is the base of the basil goat cheese spread.
Fresh Basil - this adds so much flavor to the sandwiches! I definitely recommend using fresh over dried basil, as it will taste much better.
Lemon - lemon zest is added to the goat cheese spread for a zest of bright lemon flavor.
Buns - I recommend using good quality buns like ciabatta or focaccia.
Variations
Different Vegetables - I use bell pepper, onion, and summer squash, but you can use other vegetables you love, too! I think asparagus, mushrooms, eggplant, carrots, and kale would all be delicious.
Different Cheese - you could use another soft cheese like cream cheese or feta to make the whipped basil spread. You could also use a cheese like mozzarella and just add some basil leaves to the sandwich for the basil flavor.
Different Herbs - instead of basil, you could use other fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, thyme, oregano, or rosemary. You could use a combination of herbs like in a Chimichurri Sauce - parsley and cilantro would be delicious together.
Add Avocado - I think these sandwiches would be absolutely delicious with slices of avocado added!
Step by Step Instructions
Photo 1. Add the goat cheese, basil, olive oil, and lemon zest to food processor.
Photo 2. Process until well combined.
Photo 3. Cut the vegetables into thin strips.
Photo 4. In a large bowl or baking dish, combine the vegetables with the olive oil, garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Photo 5. Add the vegetables directly to the grill or to a large grill pan and cook until the vegetables are softened and charred. If placing the vegetables directly to the grill, it won't take as long, probably 10 minutes. If using a grill pan, it will take closer to 15-20 minutes, since they aren't all directly on the grill.
Photo 6. Brush the buns with olive il and grill for about 3-5 minutes. Spread the buns with a generous amount of basil goat cheese spread.
Photo 7. Layer the grilled vegetables on top of the goat cheese spread.
Photo 8. Place the tops on the sandwiches and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Use Good Bread - I don't want to sound like Ina, but this is no time to use a loaf of sandwich bread. Go to your local bakery or the bakery section in your grocery store and treat yourself to some fresh sourdough or (what we used) ciabatta. I had originally planned to use focaccia, but our grocery store didn't have any when I went.
Only Use Fresh Basil - I definitely would not use dried basil in this recipe.
Prep Ahead - You can make the whipped basil goat cheese ahead of time. I also like to marinate the vegetables for a couple of hours before grilling them, but I wouldn't do it for more than 3-4 hours to avoid them getting soggy.
Grill Pan Vs. Grill - I like to lay the bigger slices of zucchini and summer squash directly on the grill so they get the charred marks from the grill. For the smaller pieces of bell pepper and onion, I like using a grill pan.
Recipe FAQs
I like to cut the zucchini and summer squash into strips lengthwise, so they lay nicely on the roll or buns. These strips should be about ¼" thick. For the peppers, I cut them into large chunks, about 2" long.
I would recommend serving them with a nice salad like my Strawberry Arugula Salad or a pasta salad like Southwestern Pasta Salad. A pitcher of Rose Margaritas would be great, too!
You can definitely use a grill pan on the stovetop or just sauté the vegetables in a pan with some oil.
Other Grilling Recipes to Consider...
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #greensnchocolate.
Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches with Whipped Basil Goat Cheese Spread
Ingredients
- 1 red onion cut into quarters
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 2" chunks
- 2 large zucchinis cut in half and then sliced into long pieces
- 1 large summer squash cut in half and then sliced into long pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
Whipped Basil Goat Cheese Spread:
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil chopped
- zest from ½ lemon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Good sandwich bread ciabatta, focaccia, sourdough, etc
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the onion slices, red bell pepper chunks, zucchini, and summer squash pieces.
- Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and salt, and toss to combine. Set aside while you make the whipped goat cheese.
- To make the whipped goat cheese, add the goat cheese, olive oil, basil, lemon zest, and salt in a small food processor and pulse until it is a creamy consistency.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.
- Place the veggies into a grill basket and grill on preheated grill for 15-20 minutes, until they are slightly charred and no longer crunchy.
- Drizzle olive oil on the inside of the slices of your bread and grill for 1-2 minutes until they are slightly charred and warmed.
- To assemble, spread the bottom slice of your bread with as much goat cheese as you'd like.
- Top with veggies and top piece of bread.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The basil goat cheese spread can be made ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to use!
This sandwich looks amazing!!
I made this today and OH MY GOSH! Fantastic and so fresh and summery. THANK YOU!! Will make again
So glad you loved it! Thanks so much for the comment and review 🙂
I just need you to know that this has become an absolute staple for us. My kids don't *love* it, so my husband and I have been having these for date nights in after they go to bed, with a glass of white wine. LOVE these sandwiches (and we've found that roasting the veggies works great too as the weather turns colder).
This makes me so happy to hear!