Vegetable sandwich with cashew cheese

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 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.

In this post:

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.

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.

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

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

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

Yes, just use gluten-free bread.

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

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.

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
• Air fryer kale chips (or oven baked)