How to Build a Rainbow Sandwich That Tastes as Good as It Looks
Piled high with vibrant veg and slathered with sauces and spreads, these nutrient-rich, meatless sandwiches taste just as good as they look.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
Who doesn’t love a piled-high, overflowing sandwich that’s filled with a rainbow of different ingredients? Sandwiches might be a classic lunchtime meal, but our versions are so stuffed with ingredients, you’ll want to have them for dinner too. Our Rainbow Sandwiches combine your fave whole-grain bread with an array of veggies, fruits, savory spreads and plenty of protein to make a well-rounded, perfectly balanced meal. Plus, they’re completely customizable – and super simple to make.
The Five Elements of a Rainbow Sandwich
1. Breads
Choose your favorite variety of whole-grain bread as the blank canvas to start your sandwich creation. You can opt for:
- Whole-grain or sprouted whole-grain bread
- Grain-free or gluten-free bread
- Dark rye bread
- Sourdough bread
2. Flavor boosters
Forget plain mayo – choose one of these flavor boosters to smear on both slices of bread:
- Roasted Red Pepper & Almond “Feta” Spread
- Roasted Garlic Dijon Mustard
- Avocado, Lime & Cilantro Sauce
- Spicy Buffalo Mayo
3. Proteins
Add a meatless proteins as the main event to create your plant-based sandwich. You can choose any one of these tasty picks:
- White Bean with Pine Nut “Parmesan” Spread
- Cashew, Dill & Chive “Cheese” Spread
- Tadka Spread
- Teriyaki Tempeh
4. Veggie twists on bacon
Optional but highly recommended to give your sandwich even more texture and flavor. Try these:
5. Veggie & fruit toppings
Pile your sandwich with as many colorful veg as you can fit before it topples over. Need some inspiration? We suggest:
- Beets (grated or sliced)
- Red radishes (grated or sliced)
- Red onions
- Tomato (sliced)
- Yellow, green, red and orange bell peppers (sliced)
- Caramelized onions
- Caramelized fennel
- Sauerkraut
- Carrots (grated or sliced)
- Capers
- Avocado slices
- Pickled cucumbers
- Iceberg lettuce
- Fresh basil
- Fresh cilantro
- Watercress or mixed micro sprouts
- Napa cabbage
- Mixed dark leafy greens (such as baby kale, chard or spinach)
- Arugula
- Purple cabbage
Rainbow Sandwich Combos to Try
The Classic
Roasted Red Pepper & Almond “Feta” Spread (on top and bottom of bread) + White Bean with Pine Nut “Parmesan” Spread + shredded carrot + yellow bell pepper slices + caramelized fennel + beet slices + Portobello Bacon on whole-grain sourdough bread
The New BLT
Cashew, Dill & Chive “Cheese” Spread (on top and bottom of bread) + Roasted Garlic Dijon Mustard + iceberg lettuce + tomato slices + yellow bell pepper slices + capers + watercress + pickled cucumber slices + red onion slices + shredded purple cabbage + Smoky Carrot Bacon on dark rye
The East-Meets-West
Spicy Buffalo Mayo (on top and bottom of bread) + spinach leaves + fresh cilantro + grated beets + red radish slices + orange bell pepper slices + Tadka Spread + Sweet & Salty Coconut Bacon on whole-grain bread
RELATED: Native Bee Species Still Need Saving
Get more of what you love from VT. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and sign up for our email newsletters.