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Ali Redmond
Active Time:10 minsTotal Time:10 minsServings:1
Active Time:10 mins
Active Time:
10 mins
Total Time:10 mins
Total Time:
Servings:1
Servings:
1
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Sandwiches are a tried-and-true meal, and they often feature meat like bacon, turkey or roast beef as their main source ofprotein. If you’re trying to focus on a more plant-based diet, you may think you can’t get enough protein in a meatless sandwich to keep you satisfied and strong—but, luckily, that’s far from the truth! Making a high-protein veggie sandwich is easy with our simple, four-step formula.
How to Make a High-Protein Veggie Sandwich
1. Start with Whole-Grain Bread
Start withwhole-grain bread, whether it be whole-wheat sandwich bread, multigrain bread or a whole-wheat English muffin. This will ensure your meal has carbohydrates—your body’s preferred source of energy.We recommend picking whole-grain bread because it’s higher in fiber than white bread, and getting plenty of fiber in your meals is important forpreventing blood sugar spikes.Whole grains are also higher in protein, which is another key nutrient for balancing blood sugars.It’s also an easy way to boost the total protein, vitamin and mineral content of your meal.
2. Add a Spread
A tasty spread can be the secret sauce (pun intended) that transforms a sandwich from good to great. Some tasty spread ideas include mayonnaise, pesto, aioli, oil and vinegar, hummus, avocado and mustard. Most of these sandwich spreads are a source of dietary fat, which can help your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K from the other ingredients.Plus, it’s an opportunity to addheart-healthy unsaturated fatsto your day to help manage cholesterol.
3. Use a Vegetarian Protein
Next it’s time to add the star of the show: protein. Pick a vegetarian protein source like low-fat cheese, eggs, beans, tofu or tempeh. There are lots of ways to enjoy these protein sources so you won’t get bored. Mash white beans, make an egg orchickpea salad, cook up smoky tempeh bacon, or mix and match reduced-fat cheeses. And there’s no need to pick just one vegetarian protein! Feel free to add multiple kinds to up the total protein content of your sandwich.
4. Pile on the Vegetables
Finally, make sure to finish off your sandwich with plenty of vegetables. For most sandwiches, you’ll want to add veggies like cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, onions or carrots. If you’re making a hot sandwich, then sautéed mushrooms, onions, peppers or zucchini would also work well. Either way, this final step will add more fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to your sandwich.
Best Combos to Try
PHOTO:Ali RedmondPHOTO:Ali RedmondPHOTO:Ali Redmond
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
Nutrition Notes
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients¼cuphummus2sliceswhole-wheat bread¼avocado, sliced1thin slicetomato¼cupslicedcucumber2tablespoonscrumbledfeta cheese
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
¼cuphummus
2sliceswhole-wheat bread
¼avocado, sliced
1thin slicetomato
¼cupslicedcucumber
2tablespoonscrumbledfeta cheese
DirectionsSpread ¼ cup hummus over 1 bread slice. Layer avocado slices, 1 slice tomato, ¼ cup cucumber and 2 tablespoons feta on top. Top with the remaining bread slice.Ali RedmondNutrition InformationServing Size: 1 sandwichCalories 375, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 15g, Fiber 11g, Sodium 628mg, Potassium 682mgFrequently Asked QuestionsSome of the best veggies for cold sandwiches are lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, radishes and peppers. For hot sandwiches, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, onions and peppers work well.A vegetable sandwich is a healthy way to get in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Just be sure to add a protein source, like hummus, tofu or beans, to help balance blood sugars and keep you full until you eat next.Instead of meat, you can use eggs, beans, nut butter, cheese, tofu or tempeh on a sandwich for protein. Using whole-grain bread will also add a few more grams of protein to your sandwich.EatingWell.com, October 2024
Directions
Spread ¼ cup hummus over 1 bread slice. Layer avocado slices, 1 slice tomato, ¼ cup cucumber and 2 tablespoons feta on top. Top with the remaining bread slice.Ali RedmondNutrition InformationServing Size: 1 sandwichCalories 375, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 15g, Fiber 11g, Sodium 628mg, Potassium 682mgFrequently Asked QuestionsSome of the best veggies for cold sandwiches are lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, radishes and peppers. For hot sandwiches, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, onions and peppers work well.A vegetable sandwich is a healthy way to get in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Just be sure to add a protein source, like hummus, tofu or beans, to help balance blood sugars and keep you full until you eat next.Instead of meat, you can use eggs, beans, nut butter, cheese, tofu or tempeh on a sandwich for protein. Using whole-grain bread will also add a few more grams of protein to your sandwich.
Spread ¼ cup hummus over 1 bread slice. Layer avocado slices, 1 slice tomato, ¼ cup cucumber and 2 tablespoons feta on top. Top with the remaining bread slice.
Nutrition InformationServing Size: 1 sandwichCalories 375, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 15g, Fiber 11g, Sodium 628mg, Potassium 682mg
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1 sandwichCalories 375, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 15g, Fiber 11g, Sodium 628mg, Potassium 682mg
Serving Size: 1 sandwich
Calories 375, Fat 18g, Saturated Fat 5g, Cholesterol 13mg, Carbohydrates 40g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 15g, Fiber 11g, Sodium 628mg, Potassium 682mg
Frequently Asked QuestionsSome of the best veggies for cold sandwiches are lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, radishes and peppers. For hot sandwiches, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, onions and peppers work well.A vegetable sandwich is a healthy way to get in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Just be sure to add a protein source, like hummus, tofu or beans, to help balance blood sugars and keep you full until you eat next.Instead of meat, you can use eggs, beans, nut butter, cheese, tofu or tempeh on a sandwich for protein. Using whole-grain bread will also add a few more grams of protein to your sandwich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some of the best veggies for cold sandwiches are lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, cucumbers, carrots, radishes and peppers. For hot sandwiches, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms, onions and peppers work well.
A vegetable sandwich is a healthy way to get in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Just be sure to add a protein source, like hummus, tofu or beans, to help balance blood sugars and keep you full until you eat next.
Instead of meat, you can use eggs, beans, nut butter, cheese, tofu or tempeh on a sandwich for protein. Using whole-grain bread will also add a few more grams of protein to your sandwich.
EatingWell.com, October 2024
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SourcesEatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about oureditorial policies and standardsto learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.MedlinePlus.Carbohydrates.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.Poutanen KS, Kårlund AO, Gómez-Gallego C, et al.Grains - a major source of sustainable protein for health.Nutr Rev. 2022;80(6):1648-1663. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab084Reddy P, Jialal I.Biochemistry, fat soluble vitamins. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.Baptista NT, Dessalles R, Illner AK, et al.Harnessing the power of resistant starch: a narrative review of its health impact and processing challenges.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1369950. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1369950Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Your Heart and Diabetes.Bowman SA, Clemens JC.Saturated fat and food intakes of adults: what we eat in america, nhanes 2017-2018. In:FSRG Dietary Data Briefs. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); 2022.
Sources
EatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about oureditorial policies and standardsto learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.MedlinePlus.Carbohydrates.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.Poutanen KS, Kårlund AO, Gómez-Gallego C, et al.Grains - a major source of sustainable protein for health.Nutr Rev. 2022;80(6):1648-1663. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab084Reddy P, Jialal I.Biochemistry, fat soluble vitamins. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.Baptista NT, Dessalles R, Illner AK, et al.Harnessing the power of resistant starch: a narrative review of its health impact and processing challenges.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1369950. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1369950Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Your Heart and Diabetes.Bowman SA, Clemens JC.Saturated fat and food intakes of adults: what we eat in america, nhanes 2017-2018. In:FSRG Dietary Data Briefs. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); 2022.
EatingWell is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about oureditorial policies and standardsto learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.
MedlinePlus.Carbohydrates.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.Poutanen KS, Kårlund AO, Gómez-Gallego C, et al.Grains - a major source of sustainable protein for health.Nutr Rev. 2022;80(6):1648-1663. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab084Reddy P, Jialal I.Biochemistry, fat soluble vitamins. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.Baptista NT, Dessalles R, Illner AK, et al.Harnessing the power of resistant starch: a narrative review of its health impact and processing challenges.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1369950. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1369950Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Your Heart and Diabetes.Bowman SA, Clemens JC.Saturated fat and food intakes of adults: what we eat in america, nhanes 2017-2018. In:FSRG Dietary Data Briefs. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); 2022.
MedlinePlus.Carbohydrates.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.
Poutanen KS, Kårlund AO, Gómez-Gallego C, et al.Grains - a major source of sustainable protein for health.Nutr Rev. 2022;80(6):1648-1663. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuab084
Reddy P, Jialal I.Biochemistry, fat soluble vitamins. In:StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024.
Baptista NT, Dessalles R, Illner AK, et al.Harnessing the power of resistant starch: a narrative review of its health impact and processing challenges.Front Nutr. 2024;11:1369950. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1369950
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Your Heart and Diabetes.
Bowman SA, Clemens JC.Saturated fat and food intakes of adults: what we eat in america, nhanes 2017-2018. In:FSRG Dietary Data Briefs. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); 2022.
