This vegan Caprese Sandwich layers thick slices of fresh tomato with herbaceous parsley pesto and creamy plant-based mozzarella, all on a crusty bread. The perfect summer lunch!
There’s a time and a place for an over-the-top sandwich piled high with toppings, and there’s also a time to keep it simple. This vegan Caprese sandwich is an example of the latter—it’s full of big, bold, bright flavours, but you don’t need eleventy-billion different ingredients to achieve that. All you need are tomatoes, pesto, vegan mozzarella, and bread!
Traditionally, Caprese is an Italian salad made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, then drizzled with olive oil. If you like to stick with tradition, you can layer your sandwich with basil leaves or basil pesto , but I highly recommend breaking with tradition and trying parsley pesto instead. It’s nutty, garlicky, and brings a bright herbal note to the table.
Also not traditional? The vegan mozzarella.
Is Vegan Mozzarella Any Good?
If you’ve been vegan for a while, you know that in recent years, plant-based cheese makers have upped their game in a big way. Today’s vegan mozzarella is creamy, milky, and has a stretchy texture very much like a dairy mozzarella.
In this recipe, I used slices of vegan mozzarella, but if you can’t find them locally, you can use more readily-available mozzarella shreds instead, or substitute slabs of homemade tofu feta .
If you’re especially lucky, your grocery store might sell balls of cashew milk mozzarella, which mimic the flavour and texture of fresh mozzarella. This type of vegan mozzarella is especially good on a Caprese sandwich!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- French bread
- Tomato – Choose a medium tomato that fits the width of your bread without a lot of overhang. Heirloom tomatoes are great for this recipe!
- Vegan mozzarella cheese slices
- Parsley pesto – Make my parsley pesto recipe, or you can substitute another vegan pesto that you enjoy.
Are Roma tomatoes good for sandwiches?
Yes, Roma tomatoes are good for sandwiches because they tend to have fewer seeds and less liquid than many other tomato varieties. While many people know Romas as the go-to tomato for making sauce, they’re perfect for sandwiches too!
How to Make a Vegan Caprese Sandwich
Although these instructions are for a warm caprese sandwich, you can also serve this cold and skip the panini press!
Assemble . Layer the mozzarella and tomato slices on one slice of bread, then spread the pesto onto another. Place the slice with the pesto on top, with the pesto side facing in.
Cook . Place the sandwich on a panini press and cook on medium for about 5 minutes, or until the bread is toasty and the cheese has melted.
Serve . Remove the sandwich from the panini press, then cut it in half before serving.
Do You Butter Bread for the Panini Press?
You can spread vegan butter (or oil) on the outside of your sandwich before placing it in the panini press for a crispier exterior, but it’s not necessary.
Tips for Success
Here are some hints and tips for a perfect sandwich!
- No panini press? No worries! You can cook the sandwich on a griddle or in a skillet, then place a smaller skillet on top to press it down.
- A note on the bread . French bread isn’t the same as a baguette; while both are crusty, a baguette is much crispier on the outside and not well-suited for making a panini.
- Making it your own . You can substitute the fresh tomatoes for sun-dried or roasted tomatoes, or if you’re not a tomato fan, you can use roasted red peppers.
How to Store Leftovers
You can store any leftover sandwiches wrapped in the refrigerator for about 2 days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven until they’re warmed through. (The microwave will work too, but an oven will restore some of the sandwich’s crispiness.)
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
This recipe isn’t ideal for freezing; after freezing and thawing, the tomatoes will release a lot of liquid into the bread, resulting in a mushy sandwich. If you’re looking for a freezer-friendly lunch idea, try my vegan burritos instead!
Ingredients
- 2 slices French bread , gluten free if you’re gluten free
- 1 medium tomato , sliced
- 3 slices vegan mozzarella cheese , halved
- 3 tablespoons Parsley Pesto
Instructions
- Layer the mozzarella cheese slices and tomato slices along the bottom of the sandwich.
- Spread the parsley pesto on the top of the sandwich. Press the sandwich closed. Toast in a panini machine on medium for about 5 minutes, until crispy and cheese is melted.
- Remove, cut in half and enjoy!
Notes
This vegan Caprese Sandwich layers thick slices of fresh tomato with herbaceous parsley pesto and creamy plant-based mozzarella, all on a crusty bread. The perfect summer lunch!
There’s a time and a place for an over-the-top sandwich piled high with toppings, and there’s also a time to keep it simple. This vegan Caprese sandwich is an example of the latter—it’s full of big, bold, bright flavours, but you don’t need eleventy-billion different ingredients to achieve that. All you need are tomatoes, pesto, vegan mozzarella, and bread!
Traditionally, Caprese is an Italian salad made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, then drizzled with olive oil. If you like to stick with tradition, you can layer your sandwich with basil leaves or basil pesto , but I highly recommend breaking with tradition and trying parsley pesto instead. It’s nutty, garlicky, and brings a bright herbal note to the table.
Also not traditional? The vegan mozzarella.
Is Vegan Mozzarella Any Good?
If you’ve been vegan for a while, you know that in recent years, plant-based cheese makers have upped their game in a big way. Today’s vegan mozzarella is creamy, milky, and has a stretchy texture very much like a dairy mozzarella.
In this recipe, I used slices of vegan mozzarella, but if you can’t find them locally, you can use more readily-available mozzarella shreds instead, or substitute slabs of homemade tofu feta .
If you’re especially lucky, your grocery store might sell balls of cashew milk mozzarella, which mimic the flavour and texture of fresh mozzarella. This type of vegan mozzarella is especially good on a Caprese sandwich!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- French bread
- Tomato – Choose a medium tomato that fits the width of your bread without a lot of overhang. Heirloom tomatoes are great for this recipe!
- Vegan mozzarella cheese slices
- Parsley pesto – Make my parsley pesto recipe, or you can substitute another vegan pesto that you enjoy.
Are Roma tomatoes good for sandwiches?
Yes, Roma tomatoes are good for sandwiches because they tend to have fewer seeds and less liquid than many other tomato varieties. While many people know Romas as the go-to tomato for making sauce, they’re perfect for sandwiches too!
How to Make a Vegan Caprese Sandwich
Although these instructions are for a warm caprese sandwich, you can also serve this cold and skip the panini press!
Assemble . Layer the mozzarella and tomato slices on one slice of bread, then spread the pesto onto another. Place the slice with the pesto on top, with the pesto side facing in.
Cook . Place the sandwich on a panini press and cook on medium for about 5 minutes, or until the bread is toasty and the cheese has melted.
Serve . Remove the sandwich from the panini press, then cut it in half before serving.
Do You Butter Bread for the Panini Press?
You can spread vegan butter (or oil) on the outside of your sandwich before placing it in the panini press for a crispier exterior, but it’s not necessary.
Tips for Success
Here are some hints and tips for a perfect sandwich!
- No panini press? No worries! You can cook the sandwich on a griddle or in a skillet, then place a smaller skillet on top to press it down.
- A note on the bread . French bread isn’t the same as a baguette; while both are crusty, a baguette is much crispier on the outside and not well-suited for making a panini.
- Making it your own . You can substitute the fresh tomatoes for sun-dried or roasted tomatoes, or if you’re not a tomato fan, you can use roasted red peppers.
How to Store Leftovers
You can store any leftover sandwiches wrapped in the refrigerator for about 2 days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven until they’re warmed through. (The microwave will work too, but an oven will restore some of the sandwich’s crispiness.)
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
This recipe isn’t ideal for freezing; after freezing and thawing, the tomatoes will release a lot of liquid into the bread, resulting in a mushy sandwich. If you’re looking for a freezer-friendly lunch idea, try my vegan burritos instead!
Ingredients
- 2 slices French bread , gluten free if you’re gluten free
- 1 medium tomato , sliced
- 3 slices vegan mozzarella cheese , halved
- 3 tablespoons Parsley Pesto
Instructions
- Layer the mozzarella cheese slices and tomato slices along the bottom of the sandwich.
- Spread the parsley pesto on the top of the sandwich. Press the sandwich closed. Toast in a panini machine on medium for about 5 minutes, until crispy and cheese is melted.
- Remove, cut in half and enjoy!
Notes
This vegan Caprese Sandwich layers thick slices of fresh tomato with herbaceous parsley pesto and creamy plant-based mozzarella, all on a crusty bread. The perfect summer lunch!
There’s a time and a place for an over-the-top sandwich piled high with toppings, and there’s also a time to keep it simple. This vegan Caprese sandwich is an example of the latter—it’s full of big, bold, bright flavours, but you don’t need eleventy-billion different ingredients to achieve that. All you need are tomatoes, pesto, vegan mozzarella, and bread!
Traditionally, Caprese is an Italian salad made with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil, then drizzled with olive oil. If you like to stick with tradition, you can layer your sandwich with basil leaves or basil pesto , but I highly recommend breaking with tradition and trying parsley pesto instead. It’s nutty, garlicky, and brings a bright herbal note to the table.
Also not traditional? The vegan mozzarella.
Is Vegan Mozzarella Any Good?
If you’ve been vegan for a while, you know that in recent years, plant-based cheese makers have upped their game in a big way. Today’s vegan mozzarella is creamy, milky, and has a stretchy texture very much like a dairy mozzarella.
In this recipe, I used slices of vegan mozzarella, but if you can’t find them locally, you can use more readily-available mozzarella shreds instead, or substitute slabs of homemade tofu feta .
If you’re especially lucky, your grocery store might sell balls of cashew milk mozzarella, which mimic the flavour and texture of fresh mozzarella. This type of vegan mozzarella is especially good on a Caprese sandwich!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- French bread
- Tomato – Choose a medium tomato that fits the width of your bread without a lot of overhang. Heirloom tomatoes are great for this recipe!
- Vegan mozzarella cheese slices
- Parsley pesto – Make my parsley pesto recipe, or you can substitute another vegan pesto that you enjoy.
Are Roma tomatoes good for sandwiches?
Yes, Roma tomatoes are good for sandwiches because they tend to have fewer seeds and less liquid than many other tomato varieties. While many people know Romas as the go-to tomato for making sauce, they’re perfect for sandwiches too!
How to Make a Vegan Caprese Sandwich
Although these instructions are for a warm caprese sandwich, you can also serve this cold and skip the panini press!
Assemble . Layer the mozzarella and tomato slices on one slice of bread, then spread the pesto onto another. Place the slice with the pesto on top, with the pesto side facing in.
Cook . Place the sandwich on a panini press and cook on medium for about 5 minutes, or until the bread is toasty and the cheese has melted.
Serve . Remove the sandwich from the panini press, then cut it in half before serving.
Do You Butter Bread for the Panini Press?
You can spread vegan butter (or oil) on the outside of your sandwich before placing it in the panini press for a crispier exterior, but it’s not necessary.
Tips for Success
Here are some hints and tips for a perfect sandwich!
- No panini press? No worries! You can cook the sandwich on a griddle or in a skillet, then place a smaller skillet on top to press it down.
- A note on the bread . French bread isn’t the same as a baguette; while both are crusty, a baguette is much crispier on the outside and not well-suited for making a panini.
- Making it your own . You can substitute the fresh tomatoes for sun-dried or roasted tomatoes, or if you’re not a tomato fan, you can use roasted red peppers.
How to Store Leftovers
You can store any leftover sandwiches wrapped in the refrigerator for about 2 days. Reheat them in a 350ºF oven until they’re warmed through. (The microwave will work too, but an oven will restore some of the sandwich’s crispiness.)
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
This recipe isn’t ideal for freezing; after freezing and thawing, the tomatoes will release a lot of liquid into the bread, resulting in a mushy sandwich. If you’re looking for a freezer-friendly lunch idea, try my vegan burritos instead!
Ingredients
- 2 slices French bread , gluten free if you’re gluten free
- 1 medium tomato , sliced
- 3 slices vegan mozzarella cheese , halved
- 3 tablespoons Parsley Pesto
Instructions
- Layer the mozzarella cheese slices and tomato slices along the bottom of the sandwich.
- Spread the parsley pesto on the top of the sandwich. Press the sandwich closed. Toast in a panini machine on medium for about 5 minutes, until crispy and cheese is melted.
- Remove, cut in half and enjoy!
Notes
Caprese Sandwich with Parsley Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 slices French bread gluten free if you’re gluten free
- 1 medium tomato sliced
- 3 slices vegan mozzarella cheese halved
- 3 tablespoons Parsley Pesto
Instructions
- Layer the mozzarella cheese slices and tomato slices along the bottom of the sandwich.
- Spread the parsley pesto on the top of the sandwich. Press the sandwich closed. Toast in a panini machine on medium for about 5 minutes, until crispy and cheese is melted.
- Remove, cut in half and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Caprese Sandwich with Parsley Pesto https://jessicainthekitchen.com/caprese-sandwich-parsley-pesto/ May 9, 2022
This vegan Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream is a tasty treat with BIG chocolate flavor. Bonus: you can make it with or without an ice cream maker!
If you’re not usually a fan of avocados, you might be hovering over the X on your browser tab right now, but before you click away, let me tell you—this Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream is one of the best ice creams I’ve ever had.
And no, it doesn’t taste like avocado!
Now, I won’t say it tastes exactly like ice cream made with egg yolks and heavy cream, but the avocado makes adds terrific richness and texture without the dairy. The chocolate flavour is the star of the show here, and its taste masks the avocado.
You can make this ice cream with an ice cream maker or use the no-churn instructions below. However you make it, you can expect a luxurious, creamy texture and deep chocolate flavour. Serve a scoop over a warm vegan brownie for a doubly delicious dessert!
Notes on Ingredients
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
- Full-fat coconut milk – Be sure to use the full-fat variety, not the refrigerated kind or lite coconut milk.
- Avocado
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – You can use natural cocoa powder, Dutch process, or raw cacao.
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Water
Picking the Perfect Avocado for Ice Cream
If you’re planning on making your ice cream the same day you’re shopping, you’ll want to buy a ripe avocado—one that yields to firm, gentle pressure without feeling mushy or soft.
Making your avocado ice cream later in the week? Then you can purchase a hard avocado, which will ripen in a few days.
Vegan Ice Cream Toppings
- Vegan hot fudge
- Coconut whipped cream
- Vegan sprinkles
- Crumbled chocolate chip cookies
- Chopped nuts
- Ice cream cones
How to Make Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
Ready for some rich, decadent ice cream?! Let’s get started.
Blend the avocado and coconut milk. Place the avocado and coconut milk in a food processor or blender and process until the mixture is smooth.
Add the remaining ingredients. Put the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and water into the blender or food processor and blend for about 2 minutes, or until the ingredients are fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
For an Ice Cream Machine:
Pour the ice cream base into a freezer-safe container in the refrigerator for 2 hours to chill. Churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your machine.
For No-Churn Ice Cream:
Place all of the ice cream base into a freezer-safe container and freeze for 3 to 4 hours, whisking every 20 minutes to prevent ice crystals from forming. It should get thicker after each time you whisk, until it’s firm enough to scoop.
Tips for Success
Here are some hints and tips for perfect Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream!
- Be careful with ingredient swaps. Making ice cream is like baking—it’s equal parts art and science, and if you start playing too much with the ingredients, you might not get the results you want.
- Let the ice cream thaw before serving. If your freezer runs cold, you might need to let the ice cream sit for about 5 minutes at room temperature before scooping.
- About mix-ins. If you want to add chocolate chips, fruit, or other mix-ins, I recommend incorporating them into softened ice cream just before serving for maximum freshness. You might think adding a handful of diced strawberries before freezing will be delicious, but they’ll freeze into something with the taste and texture of ice cubes!
How to Store
Store this ice cream in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 weeks.
| WHAT YOU’LL NEED // SHOP MY FAVORITE INGREDIENTS & PREP PRODUCTS |
Ingredients
- 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk , 380 g
- 4.5 oz avocado , about 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted 127 g
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup water
- Vegan hot fudge , for drizzling
- Vegan Sprinkles , for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Add the avocado and coconut milk to a food processor/blender and pulse together.
- Add the remaining ingredients and blend in for about 2 minutes until smooth and incorporated, scraping down the bowl once.
Ice Cream Machine
- Place all ice cream base into a freezer-safe container in the refrigerator for 2 hours to set up before freezing. Freeze the ice cream according to the manufacturer’s instructions for your machine.
No Machine
- Place all ice cream base into a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer and allow to freeze for 1 hour.
- Whisk slightly every 20 minutes to avoid it getting too icy for 3-4 hours. It should be getting thicker after each whisking, until it’s firm enough to scoop.
- To eat: serve immediately or when you are ready for it (after it’s been in the freezer), thaw for 5-10 minutes and scoop with an ice cream scoop.
- You can optionally add hot fudge and sprinkles on top.
