If you’re looking for a fresh, delicious, easy-to-make, vegan sandwich, look no further! This Italian version uses cannellini beans as the foundation, and layers on greens, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts for a healthy meal bursting with flavor.
I make this regularly for our lunches and we never tire of it. Even our non-vegan friends love it!
The key to this sandwich is layers of flavor. It starts with a simple can of cannellini beans (or you could use another white bean, like great northern). Just drain and rinse the beans, then add them to a food processor with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse it till creamy and it’s ready to go.
Slather the bean spread on two slices of your favorite bread (our pick is a homemade multigrain), then sprinkle it with seasoned salt. We use something called Special Sh*t – available on Amazon. The name may be crude, but it’s really, really good! Sprinkle some pine nuts on top of the spread and press them in slightly so they stay put. The nuts add a nice crunch and flavor that helps balance the acid from the tomatoes, etc.
Next, you layer on some greens (any will do – even basil leaves are great), tomato slices sprinkled with a bit more seasoned salt, marinated artichoke hearts (the jarred kind), and a few more greens.
While we usually stop there, you can keep adding ingredients like cucumbers and avocado – it’s your sandwich!
Top it with the remaining slice of bread and spread, slice, and enjoy.
If you enjoy plant-based food, check out our recipes for Vegan Breakfast Patties and Mushroom Soup with Farro and Kale.
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Vegan Italian Sandwich with White Bean Spread
Ingredients
White Bean Spread
- 1 15- oz. can cannellini beans drained and rinsed (or any white beans)
- 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 medium lemon
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Remaining Sandwich Ingredients
- 8 slices multi-grain bread or choose your favorite bread
- 2 tomatoes sliced thin
- 4 marinated artichoke hearts, quartered the kind in jars is perfect and they may already be quartered
- baby spinach, basil leaves, watercress, or your preferred greens
- Seasoned salt we use Special Sh*t, available from Amazon
Instructions
Make the White Bean Spread
- Add the beans to a food processor, along with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
- Process until smooth, stopping to scrape the sides if needed. (If the mixture is too dense to process, just add a tablespoon or two of water.)
Build the Sandwiches
- Spread the white bean mixture on the bread slices, sprinkle with seasoned salt, and pine nuts.
- Layer greens on four slices and top with tomatoes. Sprinkle more seasoned salt on the tomatoes.
- Add the artichoke hearts and more greens, top with remaining bread slices, and serve.