Pesto Sandwich with Sautéed Veggies and Avocado

Name: Pesto Sandwich with Sautéed Veggies and Avocado
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: drizzle of Avocado or Olive Oil (optional); 2-3 sliced rounds Of Yellow or Red Onion; ½-¾ of a Zucchini, sliced in rounds; ½-¾ of a Yellow Squash, sliced in rounds; pinch of salt and pepper; ½ of a Red Bell Pepper, sliced; 1 Avocado, Sliced or Mashed; ¼ cup Pesto (more if needed); 4 Slices of Bread, preferably a hearty wheat or sourdough

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 2 reviews

When I switched to a plant-based diet, I thought the only sandwich option that remained was a PB&J. I grew up thinking that sandwiches (or any meal for that matter) revolved around the type of meat being used. The meat was the star of the show taking center stage, while the veggies were merely an afterthought, their sole task consisted of enhancing the flavors of the meat.

I missed out on a lot of sandwiches with this kind of thinking!

What’s the “main event” here? The squash? The avocado? The pesto spread? Actually, none of the above! Everything works together to make a flavorful balance in this Pesto Sandwich with Sautéed Veggies and Avocado!

Pesto Sandwich with Sautéed Veggies & Avocado

Can you pack this sandwich for later?

Unfortunately, no. It must be enjoyed immediately! Between the pesto and the sautéed veggies, this sandwich will sog-out if you try to pack it for later.

You can cook it ahead of time and put the ingredients in separate containers, then build your sandwich at lunch time! Often times I do that with any of my sandwiches that I pack on hikes or to work; keep the ingredients separate in containers and then assemble it at lunchtime!

Squash

Zucchini and yellow squash are both also known as summer squash. I love using both in this sandwich for the color variety! The vibrant yellow fruit (yes, it is a fruit!) of the yellow squash and deep green of the zucchini adds more than just beautiful color to meals! One medium summer squash contains:

Potassium: 514 mg

Protein: 2.4 grams

Fiber: 2.2 grams

(% of Daily Value)

Vitamin C: 55%

Vitamin B6: 20%

Magnesium: 8%

Summer squash also contains a little bit of calcium and iron.

Avocados

Avocados are incredibly nutrient-dense! Avocados contain 20 vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients!¹

One 7-ounce avocado contains a whopping 14 grams of fiber, an important carbohydrate that 95% of Americans are lacking in their diets! What else?

(% of the daily value)

Vitamin C: 22%
Vitamin E: 28%
Vitamin K: 35%
Riboflavin (B2): 20%
Niacin (B3): 22%
Pantothenic acid (B5): 56%
Pyridoxine (B6): 30%
Folate: 41%
Magnesium: 14%
Potassium: 21%
Copper: 42%
Manganese: 12%

Everyone reaches for a banana when they think potassium, but an avocado actually has twice as much potassium as a banana!

But what about the fat? Yes, avocados are high in fat, about 30 grams in a 7 ounce serving. But it’s mainly monounsaturated fat, which is a healthy fat. Studies have shown that eating avocados on a regular basis actually lowers your odds of being overweight or obese.²The high fiber content may play a major role in preventing weight gain and helping with satiation. Just…don’t over-do it.

For an extra antioxidant boost…

I give the option to cook the red bell peppers, but I personally like leaving them raw to preserve the nutritional value!

Bell peppers are packed with vitamin C; one medium red bell pepper has 169% of the recommended daily intake for vitamin C! They are also loaded with vitamin A and potassium and also contain iron, folate and fiber.

But bell peppers are vulnerable to heat so cooking them will quickly reduce the amount of antioxidant capacity. Red bell peppers contain the most nutrients, with 11x more beta-carotene and 1.5x more vitamin C than green bell peppers!³