This hearty Grilled Veggie Party Sub is the perfect packable hoagie! Toasted ciabatta bread is stuffed with grilled vegetables, hummus and sun-dried tomato pesto for a delicious meal that is ready in under 30 minutes and serves 6 people at once.
What is a party sub?
A party sub is an oversized sandwich that is assembled together and then sliced into individual servings. It's perfect for feeding a large group of people, as it can be prepared in advance without the need for much additional preparation. It is perfect for packing for a picnic or beach day, as all of these ingredients are able to remain unrefrigerated for a few hours.
Today's recipe features a hearty ciabatta loaf, layers of grilled vegetables (zucchini, peppers, and portobello mushrooms), protein-packed hummus, fresh greens, and a vibrant homemade sun-dried tomato pesto. This sounds like a lot, but it can be ready in under 30 minutes! To save time, I used store-bought hummus, but you could easily swap this out for your favorite vegan cheese or other creamy spread. I do recommend making your own pesto though (it's so simple and delicious).
Love cooking outside? Try these other vegan grilling recipes next:
How to Make Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
- Combine ¼ cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, ¼ cup walnuts, and ¼ cup cashew parmesan in a blender, pulsing to combine.
- Stream in ⅓ cup olive oil oil and blend.
- Finally, add 1 cup fresh basil or parsley with a pinch of and salt. Finish processing until a thick paste forms (it may be a bit chunkier than usual pesto). Set aside. There is a video below for this, for reference!
Top Tips for a Truly Great Grilled Vegan Sandwich
Thick, crusty bread is essential here. It is strong enough to hold the weight of the grilled vegetables and will absorb the flavorful oils in our pesto sauce (meaning it tastes even better after it sits for a bit. If you cannot find ciabatta, focaccia will work as a substitute.
Flavorful spreads are your friend. As mentioned above, I used store-bought hummus to easily add protein and flavor here. Store-bought pesto could work in a pinch! The cashew mozzarella in this recipe would be a nice substitute for hummus if it's more accessible for you.
Thin slices of vegetables for grilling will ensure everything cooks as evenly as possible. If you do not have a grill, these vegetables can be cooked in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop (you won't have char marks, but it will still taste great).
Press the sandwich down firmly before slicing to avoid any "spillover" of filling onto your plate.
More Vegan Sandwich Recipes to Try Next
The Ultimate California Veggie Sandwich
Tempeh BLT (Inspired by the Whole Foods TTLA)
Thai-Inspired Peanut Butter Bagel
Fig Jam Grilled Cheese with Honey
Grilled Veggie Party Sub with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
Ingredients
For sun-dried tomato pesto:
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and drained
- ¼ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup vegan parmesan recipe for cashew parm here
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 cup basil or parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the grilled vegetable marinade:
- ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 TBS olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper
For the rest of the sandwich:
- 1 zucchini sliced thinly into strips
- 2 red bell peppers seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 portobello mushroom cleaned, de-stemmed, and sliced into strips
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread sliced in half lengthwise (like a bun)
- 2 cups salad greens like arugula or baby kale
- ¼ cup hummus
Instructions
- First, make sun-dried tomato pesto by combining sun-dried tomatoes, nuts, and parm in a blender, pulsing to combine. Stream in oil. Add one cup herbs and salt and finish processing until a thick paste forms (it will be chunkier than usual pesto). Set aside. There is a video below for this, for reference!
- Combine ingredients for marinade in a large rectangular resealable container. I use a Stasher bag. Set aside.
- Wash and slice all vegetables. Add to marinade container and shake to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes (up to 2 hours). Preheat your grill, grill pan, or a cast iron skillet over medium high.
- Slice your ciabatta loaf (feel free to toast it if you're using a full size grill). Spread one side of the sandwich thickly with pesto. You will likely use all of it, depending on the size of your ciabatta.
- Proceed to grill vegetables to your liking, about 3-5 minutes per side, until char marks appear.
- Assemble rest of sandwich by topping pesto-covered bread grilled veggies, and salad greens. Spread hummus on the non-pesto side of the loaf. Press halves together firmly and slice into 4-6 personal sandwiches.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
susannahwf says
so easy! perfect summer lunch at the lake food.
Emily says
Thank you for five stars! Agreed!