There's more to vegan grilling than just veggie burgers and corn on the cob! Topped with onions and peppers, Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches have become a summertime favorite in my house. They're super easy to make, and they're perfect for lunch or dinner. This meatless recipe is vegan with a gluten-free option.
Vegan Grilling
Dennis and I grill a lot in the summer. So much so that it takes me a few weeks to get used to cooking on the stovetop again when it starts to cool down and we put the grill away for the season. We grill everything from corn on the cob and veggie burgers to pizza and salad. (Yes, salad!) Peaches or nectarines are often grilled for dessert.
Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
These grilled eggplant sandwiches came about several years ago. We belonged to a co-op, and two bags packed full of produce would arrive every other week. We never knew what would be inside, so I'd sort through them like it was Christmas morning, wondering what to do with my booty of fresh veggies. One week a small eggplant arrived with several green peppers, and this sandwich was born. It’s very simple, but it’s become the season’s favorite for me.
How to Make Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
These sandwiches are really easy to make!
- First you mix together the olive oil, lemon juice, and spices and marinate your eggplant slices for 15 to 30 minutes.
- You brush your pepper and onion slices with some of the remaining marinade.
- Next you heat your grill to medium-high and grill your vegetables for 5 to 10 minutes per side. They're done when they're tender and have nice grill marks on each side.
- To serve your sandwiches, you mix together the mayo and mustard and spread it on each of the buns. Then you pile on the veggies, and your sandwiches are done!
How to Customize Your Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
You can easily make these sandwiches your own!
- Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers can be used in the place of green.
- You can spread spicy vegan mayo, ranch dressing, or even cashew cheese on your sandwich instead of mayo and mustard.
- More grilled veggies can be added to your sandwich along with the eggplant. Try zucchini and summer squash.
- You can top your sandwiches with lettuce leaves and tomato slices.
- If you follow a gluten-free diet, make sure your sandwich rolls are gluten-free.
Indoor grilling
If you don't have an outdoor grill, you can cook these sandwiches on the stovetop in a grill pan or with an electric countertop grill. You can roast your vegetables in the oven if you don't have either. Just place your vegetables on a baking sheet in a 400° oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Be sure to flip them at the half way point.
Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 medim-sized eggplant cut horizontally into ¼” round slices
- 1 medim-sized sweet onion cut horizontally into ¼” round slices
- 2 green bell peppers each cut into 4 large pieces
- 4 whole grain sandwich rolls (the crustier the better)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon vegan mayonnaise
Instructions
- Mix together the olive oil with the lemon juice and spices.
- Place the eggplant in a large dish along with the olive oil mixture and allow the slices to marinate 15 to 30 minutes.
- Brush the onion and pepper slices with the leftover olive oil mixture.
- Place all of the vegetables on a grill set to medium-high heat, and cook each side for 5 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften and show grill marks.
- Mix together the mayo and mustard and spred them on the the rolls.
- Remove the vegetables from the grill and pile them onto the rolls.
Serve Your Sandwiches With:
More Grilled Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:
- Grilled Pesto Tart from VBQ: The Ultimate Vegan Barbecue Cookbook by Nadine Horn and Jörg Mayer
- Lemon Rosemary Grilled Tofu Sandwich
- Grilled Tempeh Salad with Peaches and Pistachios \
- Tofu Skewers
Dawn
That looks amazing. I'm with Dennis on the mustard. Actually a combo of mayo and mustard is my favorite. Sounds like a good excuse to fire up the grill.
Maria Tadic
These are my favorite type of sandwich! LOVE them. It also feels like i'm eating something guilty and it's only veggies! In the winter we also roast them in the oven...just b/c we can't get enough!
luminousvegans
As someone who has just discovered how AMAZING eggplant is, this looks soooo good! I just discovered that I am in love with roasted eggplant and I bet grilled eggplant is even better!
Becky
This sandwich looks fantastic! Living in a condo makes me miss having access to a grill, ESPECIALLY for recipes like these ^_^
Susmitha - Veganosaurus
That looks goooood! I don't cook with eggplants because hubby doesn't like them but I can see myself making this for myself. 🙂
Jackie
I can't even deal with how good this sandwich looks.
Chris
Second time making this it is FABULOUS!!!!!!!!
Dianne
So glad you like them, Chris!
Jimbeaux
I loved this recipe. It was simple, yet effective. However, I did not think mayo and mustard really did the sandwich justice, and next time I will make some tahini sauce.
Dianne
I'm so glad you liked it!