Roasted Veggie Hero with Pesto
This super sammie is filled with caramelized vegetables and fresh pesto. Perfect for picnics, parties, or a delish lunch!
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces lengthwise
- 1 medium-large zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch thick pieces lengthwise
- 1 can quartered artichokes, drained and patted dry
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into one-inch strips
- 1 red onion, cut into one-inch strips
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar
- 4 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Foot-long Italian hero bread*
- Pesto, either store-bought or my homemade version
- Optional cheese, I suggest shaved parmesan, thin slices of mozzarella, or Swiss
- Optional balsamic glaze to drizzle over the veggies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 2 to 3 baking sheets on the countertop.
- Add all the sliced vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, make the marinade by combining the vinegar, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine and add the oil slowly, whisking constantly to emulsify. Pour the marinade over the veggies, and using your hands, toss to evenly coat. Allow the veggies to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Spread the vegetables among the baking sheets in a single layer (pour any leftover marinade over the tops). Roast in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes to get the veggies soft and caramelized, checking at the 18-minute mark to ensure the onions aren’t burning (the sliced onions will often cook faster than the other veggies, so remove them if they are becoming too crispy).
- Assemble your hero sandwich by first layering the long eggplant and zucchini slices, followed by the artichokes, peppers and onions on the bottom half of your loaf. Add optional cheese and drizzle on balsamic glaze, if desired. Spread a generous amount of pesto sauce along the inside of the top slice of your loaf. Close your sandwich and cut into even slices. (I got six slices for my ~11-inch hero).
Notes
Nutrition info provided for 1/6 recipe (one slice) without pesto. As everyone has their individual pesto preferences, add 70 calories for each Tablespoon.
To cut back on carbs, enjoy it open-faced without the top slice of bread (add pesto to lower slice before layering veggies) for 290 calories and 28 g of carbs.
To make this sandwich gluten-free, use a gluten-free bread.
This shareable sandwich makes a great picnic lunch; you can prep it ahead of time—assemble and pack it up at home, then add the pesto right before eating.
Nutrition Information per serving
Calories: 350Carbohydrates: 40gProtein: 8gTotal Fat: 20g— Unsaturated Fat: 17g— Saturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 840mgPotassium: 548mgFiber: 4gTotal Sugar: 8g— Natural Sugar: 7g— Added Sugar: 1gVitamin C: 34mgIron: 2.5mg
Nutrition information is calculated using a leading industry software. That being said, brands can vary, and there may be slight fluctuations in the numbers.