Vegetable sandwich with jalapeño cashew cheese

This crisp & flavorful vegetable sandwich is loaded with red bell peppers, onions, and spinach. It’s finished with a generous slathering of jalapeño cashew cheese. Great for a packed lunches and picnics.

When you’re craving something light but filling, this vegetable sandwich is just the thing.

All of the crisp, fresh vegetables make you feel like you’re getting a healthy dose of nutrients. And the jalapeño cashew cheese adds satiety, thanks to the protein & fat inside.

This vegetable sandwich was inspired by the Cashew on a Hot Tin Roof sandwich sold at the New Pioneer Co-op in Iowa City.

It’s a sandwich that’s ideal for warm weather days when you don’t want anything too heavy, but also need something that can power you through a hike or bike ride.

The cashew cheese is made with just 6 ingredients: cashews, pickled jalapeños, jalapeño brine, miso paste, tamari, and lemon juice.

It has a consistency that’s similar to hummus. The creaminess of cashews combines beautifully with the briny bite of pickled jalapeños. (Have leftovers? It’s a terrific addition to a vegan cheeseboard.)

Although the jalapeño spread includes liquid from a jar of pickled jalapeños & a smattering of peppers, it’s not overly hot. It has an edge of spiciness and then a bit of nutty sweetness from the cashews.

How to make a vegetable sandwich

1. Slather bread with jalapeño cashew cheese.
2. On one half, add sliced bell peppers, onions, and baby spinach.
3. Enjoy!

Make it your own

You can easily make this sandwich your own by varying the spread, bread, or vegetables inside.

Replace or add to the current vegetables with:

• Sliced cucumber
• Sliced tomato
• Shredded carrot
• Sliced radishes
• Quick pickled jalapeños
• Pickled red onions
• Sprouts
• Avocado

Instead of jalapeño cashew cheese, slather the sandwich with:

• Vegan feta cheese (unbaked, right out of the blender)
• Classic hummus
• Kalamata olive hummus
• Sun-dried tomato hummus
• Buffalo hummus
• Baba ganoush
• Olive tapenade
• Cilantro basil pesto
• Cilantro chimichurri

Replace sourdough or farmhouse bread with:

• Baguette
• Ciabatta
• Whole wheat or multi-grain
• Focaccia
• Tortilla

Can this be made gluten-free?

Yes, just use gluten-free bread. And when you’re making the jalapeño cashew cheese, be sure to use gluten-free tamari and miso.

Can I make this vegetable sandwich ahead of time?

Absolutely!

The cashew cheese is a thicker spread, which doesn’t cause the bread to get too wet. And all of the vegetables in the recipe are on the drier side – unlike juicy tomatoes, say, which may not hold up as well.

So you can easily make a stack of sandwiches a couple of days ahead of time. Then cover them in cling wrap to keep the bread from drying out, and pop them into the refrigerator.

That makes this sandwich a great fit for meal prepping packed lunches. It also makes perfect picnic, camping, and road trip food, or even for taking on a plane.

What to serve with it

Serve this fresh & crisp sandwich with any of the following side dishes:

• Baked french fries
• Tomato cucumber salad
• Vegan potato salad
• Vegan pasta salad
• Air fryer asparagus
• Southwest salad

Vegetable sandwich with jalapeño cashew cheese

Pack your picnic basket or cooler with this flavorful sandwich. It's topped with a jalapeño cashew cheese spread and loaded with crisp vegetables.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Sandwich

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: easy lunch, packed lunch, picnic lunch

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 5 people

Calories: 302kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 batch jalapeño cashew cheese
• ▢ 10 slices vegan farmhouse bread or sourdough
• ▢ 1 small red bell pepper thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ small yellow onion thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 heaping cup baby spinach

Instructions

• ▢
  Slather jalapeño cashew cheese onto all 10 slices of bread.
• ▢
  On 5 pieces of bread, top with thinly sliced red bell pepper, yellow onion, and some spinach.
• ▢
  Top the sandwiches with the remaining pieces of bread.

Notes

It's possible that you will have leftover cashew cheese & vegetables, depending on how generously you top your sandwiches. You can use any remaining cashew cheese as a spread for crackers. It will keep in the refrigerator in a covered container for several days. It also freezes well.

The prepared sandwiches will last in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. Cover them well in cling wrap, so that the bread doesn't dry out.

To make this sandwich gluten-free, use gluten-free bread. And be sure to prepare the cashew cheese with gluten-free tamari & miso paste.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 296mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1310IU | Vitamin C: 33.2mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 2.6mg

Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!

Content, recipe, and photos updated April 30, 2021. Originally posted May 15, 2017.