So when I was grilling this sandwich a couple of days ago, my husband took one look at it and said “I don’t get it. There’s no meat on this sandwich?”
No, there is no meat on this sandwich. And this is okay. Trust me.
And I am totally not a vegetarian at all, but I just don’t have to have meat at every meal. But this is an inner struggle for my husband and troubles him greatly.
He came around after he took his first bite, though. Because this sandwich packs a punch of flavor that even a die-hard meat lover will like.
This is a great way to use all that zucchini and squash that’s rolling in. The veggies are tossed with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, then grilled on the grill. Pesto makes this sandwich pop with flavor and fresh mozzarella adds richness, so you are never going to miss any meat.
My notes:
–I used zucchini and squash because that is what I had, but just about any veggie would work. I think eggplant or asparagus would be nice too.
–I placed a few of my assembled sandwiches back on the grill to toast the outside of the bun and melt the cheese, but I also wrapped some of them in foil and put them back on the grill. They were not crispy on the outside, but they were still delicious and they hold together better like that.
–The grill should be really hot when the veggies go on to get good grill marks, so make sure you preheat it.
–I just used store-bought pesto because my basil did not make (again!) this year, but fresh pesto would be awesome of course.
–All ingredients are estimates. You as much or as little as you need or want.
–Don’t forget to salt and pepper the veggies. They need it.
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil plus more for brushing buns
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I like aged balsamic)
- 1 small zucchini, ends chopped off and cut lengthwise into thin slices
- 1 small squash, ends chopped off and cut lengthwise into thin slices
- ½ a medium red onion, sliced into thick rings
- Kosher salt and coarse black pepper for seasoning
- 2-3 tablespoons pesto
- 8 slices fresh mozzarella
- 4 oblong ciabatta rolls, split
- Preheat a grill to medium high heat. Whisk together 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar in a medium bowl. Add zucchini, squash and red onion, and toss to coat.
- Place veggies on grill and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2-3 minutes until grill marks appear, flipping once and seasoning other side. (Grill should be very hot when vegetables go on to get good char marks.) Remove to plate.
- Brush the cut sides of the ciabatta bread with extra virgin olive oil. Place oil side down on grill and cook until golden brown. Remove to plate and spread cut sides with pesto. Layer some of the veggies and 2 slices each of the mozzarella onto the bottom half of each bun, then add the bun top to close sandwich, securing with toothpicks. Place back on the grill over indirect heat, and grill until cheese is melted, closing the lid if necessary.
*Nutritional value was analyzed at www.myfitnesspal.com using my brands or brands in their database that were similar. Nutritional value can vary widely depending on the brand, so for the most accurate values, go to their website and use their analyzer with your brands.
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