Description
This Grilled Vegetable Mozzarella Pesto Sandwich offers a delightful combination of smoky grilled vegetables, creamy mozzarella cheese, fresh pesto, and a hint of spice from Calabrian chili paste, all served on toasted ciabatta bread. It’s a satisfying and wholesome meal perfect for lunch, a light dinner, or meal preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 eggplant, sliced
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tomato, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 log fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
- Pesto, for spreading
- Calabrian chili paste, for spreading
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Italian seasoning, to taste
- Olive oil, for grilling
- Ciabatta bread, sliced
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: Slice the eggplant, zucchini, onion, tomato, and red bell pepper into even pieces.
- Heat the skillet: Preheat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Grill the vegetables: Place vegetables in batches in the hot skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Grill for 3–5 minutes per side until tender and charred. Remove from skillet.
- Toast the bread: Lightly toast the sliced ciabatta bread in the same skillet until golden brown and crisp on both sides.
- Assemble the sandwich: Spread pesto on one slice of ciabatta and Calabrian chili paste on the other. Layer the grilled vegetables onto the pesto side, then top with mozzarella slices.
- Serve and enjoy: Place the other slice of bread on top, chili paste side down. Press gently, slice in half, and serve warm while the mozzarella is melting.
Notes
- Use fresh mozzarella for the best melt and flavor.
- Avoid overcrowding the sandwich to ensure it’s easy to eat.
- Feel free to swap vegetables based on seasonality.
- If ciabatta is unavailable, focaccia or sourdough are good alternatives.
- For a vegan version, use plant-based mozzarella and pesto.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Sandwich, Vegetarian, Lunch
- Method: Grilled
- Cuisine: Italian-Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich