This pickled vegetable and smoky tofu sandwich is excessive protein and filled with smoky and briny flavors. The sandwich contains crisp layers of pickled cucumber slices and carrot ribbons, baked tofu, and creamy, do-it-yourself plant-based mayonnaise with cashews. You may make the entire parts forward of time and assemble the sandwiches if you’re prepared for a nutritious and satisfying lunch!
Two days in the past, I shared a recipe for do-it-yourself, baked smoky tofu.
That tofu is a flexible vegan protein possibility. You’ll be able to add it to a vegan lunch bowl, toss it right into a salad, reduce it into items and use it to prime a hearty soup (like croutons!), or serve it alongside a grain and a vegetable aspect dish.
I’ve loved the tofu in all of these methods. However my favourite use for it’s to place it into sandwiches.
Particularly, this pickled vegetable and smoky tofu sandwich.
The story of a sandwich
One purpose I’ve had for myself for a very long time is to journey extra. I used to be fortunate to make a begin on that purpose this yr.
I ate a number of scrumptious meals on my journeys. Easy meals, fancy meals, and every little thing in between.
The meals I keep in mind most fondly and vividly aren’t essentially those that I anticipated to cherish.
Right here’s an instance: after I was in Amsterdam this previous winter, after an extended morning of sightseeing by foot in damp, bone-chilling drizzle, I wandered into just a little cafe known as Koffie ende Koeck.
It wasn’t essentially the most uncommon meal of my journey, and it definitely wasn’t essentially the most extravagant. However could have been essentially the most precious in that it impressed two recipes that I’ve come to cherish.
The primary was a baked chickpea frittata, which has change into certainly one of my go-to meal prep breakfast parts. It’s additionally certainly one of my favourite savory snacks.
The opposite is that this sandwich, which is impressed by a vegetable + vegan mayo + tofu sandwich that I had on the cafe.
The greens had been marinated and pickled, whereas the tofu was agency and chewy. It was an important mixture of textures. The mayonnaise gave it creaminess and in addition helped to maintain the entire daring, salty flavors in steadiness. The mixture of elements jogged my memory just a little of bánh mì.
The sandwich was precisely the nourishment that I wanted as I warmed myself up with some tea. I made a decision then that I’d need to create one thing prefer it after I obtained dwelling.
Since I’ve been on a pickled vegetable kick this yr, routinely making and storing fast pickled onions, cucumber slices, and carrot ribbons, the timing was excellent.
Pickled vegetable and smoky tofu sandwich elements
My favourite sandwiches characteristic easy mixtures.
Overly crowded sandwiches are type of messy and troublesome to eat. And I believe you find yourself shedding the style and texture of every ingredient when there’s one ingredient too many.
This pickled veggie and smoky tofu sandwich has simply sufficient taste complexity whereas additionally being splendidly uncomplicated.
Pickled greens
I believe pickled cucumber slices and carrot ribbons are excellent on this sandwich.
Generally I add pickled onions, too.
If in case you have one other vegetable that you simply like to pickle and need to add it to the sandwich, you possibly can. It’ll be best if it’s a veggie that may be simply layered.
Additionally: a part of the purpose of including pickled greens right here is to provide the sandwich briny notes. So, you may additionally add roasted pink peppers from the jar.
Butter lettuce
Butter lettuce provides just a little additional inexperienced to the sandwich. Further inexperienced, additional freshness, and tender crunch.
As a replacement, you may use romaine lettuce leaves, just a little handful of arugula, and even some crunchy, marinated kale.
Baked, smoky tofu
Fast head’s up that you simply’ll want a half batch (round 8 ounces) of the baked, smoky tofu for this recipe.
You need to use extra tofu should you like, however I discover that one even layer of slices is sufficient. It permits the tofu and veggies to be in steadiness. And a half batch is often sufficient to provide me 4 sandwiches which might be stacked that means.
I actually love the flavour distinction of smoky tofu with tangy greens. But when smoky flavors aren’t for you, you may take a special tofu (or protein) course right here.
Some options to attempt:
Vegan mayo
I’ve been a loyal fan of the Comply with Your Coronary heart Vegenaise since early in my vegan journey.
I all the time used to assert that vegan mayonnaise was a type of condiments that I most popular to purchase, quite than make, as a result of no do-it-yourself model I made might probably be higher than my beloved Vegenaise.
Then I made this surprisingly easy vegan mayo with cashews, and I modified my tune.
It’s so good. And it’s really easy. 5 elements, not together with water.
You need to use that recipe or store-bought vegan mayo, reminiscent of Vegenaise, within the sandwich.
Bread
I like a toasted white sandwich bread or white sourdough sandwich bread for this explicit recipe. However you should utilize multigrain bread, a favourite sprouted grain bread, or actually any sandwich bread that you simply love.
Assembling your sandwich
Assembling the pickled veggie and tofu sandwich couldn’t be simpler.
First, unfold two slices of toasted bread with the vegan mayo. Layer one slice together with your items of baked tofu.
Subsequent, gently pile your veggies on prime of the tofu. I fold the carrots and do a fair layer of the cucumber slices.
End with some items of butter lettuce.
Lastly, prime the sandwich with its second piece of bread. Reduce it in half, and prepare to take pleasure in it.
Elective add-ins
There are many extra sandwich elements and garnishes that you may add to the bottom recipe. Listed below are just a few concepts:
- Contemporary cilantro or parsley
- Sauerkraut or ruby kraut
- Fast pickled onions
- A squeeze of sriracha
- Chili crisp
- Roasted pink bell pepper items
Meal prep choices
The great thing about this sandwich is that the entire filling elements will be saved for some time.
The tofu and mayo will preserve in hermetic containers within the fridge for as much as 5 days. The pickled greens will be saved for a pair weeks.
The Vegan Week
Embrace the enjoyment of consuming do-it-yourself meals day by day with the hearty and healthful recipes in The Vegan Week.
Whether or not you’ve three, two, and even only one hour of time to spare, The Vegan Week will present you how one can batch cook dinner diverse, colourful, and comforting dishes over the weekend.
When you’ve obtained a vegan meal prep routine, then the tofu sandwich can completely be part of it.
I like going to mattress on Sunday night time realizing that I can simply assemble killer lunchtime sandwiches over the subsequent few work days.
Extra easy & healthful vegan sandwiches
Sandwiches are certainly one of my favourite varieties of meals, they usually all the time shall be.
When you like this one and are on the lookout for extra concepts, I’ve some for you:
And right here’s the recipe.
Pickled Vegetable and Smoky Tofu Sandwich
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Yields: 4 servings
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Use tea towels or paper towels to pat the pickled greens dry (that is in order that they don’t make the sandwiches soggy).
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Toast the bread slices to your liking. Unfold the vegan mayonnaise on all of them.
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Layer every slice with 1 / 4 of the smoked tofu slices, cucumber slices, carrot ribbons, and lettuce. High every sandwich base with the opposite slice of toasted bread, reduce the sandwiches in half, and luxuriate in.
There are such a lot of several types of lunches that I prefer to meal prep. However ultimately, there’s nothing like a great sandwich.
This can be a actually good one, I believe, and I hope that you simply’ll really feel the identical means.
xo
