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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Vegetarian Sandwiches & Wraps

    Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto

    Published: Feb 14, 2020 · by Nicole · Updated: Jan 18, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwiches with Arugula Pesto

    These Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto are a tasty and creative way to use up your leftovers. The homemade arugula pesto (recipe included) ties all the flavors together perfectly.

    Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwiches with Arugula Pesto on a white plate with a green bottle and dishcloth
    Jump to:
    • How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto
    • Variations to Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto
    • Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto FAQs
    • More Recipes to Use Up Your Pesto
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    Photos by Rikki Snyder

    These sandwiches are made for leftover lovers and haters! Not everyone is a fan of leftovers, but for me, it feels like a triumph to cook once and have dinner for two days. I win at meal planning! Then I have lots of free time to do other things I want to do!

    But I do get why some people have an aversion to leftovers. A lot of the time, things just aren't quite as good the second time around. So this recipe is the perfect compromise: Start by whipping up the arugula pesto. Use it to make these roasted red pepper sandwiches one night. Then the next night, use the pesto to make a pasta dinner!

    This Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto recipe is...

    • Delicious
    • Versatile
    • Great for leftovers
    • Quick to make
    • Made with simple ingredients
    • Nutritious

    And if you love quick and easy vegan recipes, be sure to check out my new cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. It's packed with 75 plant based recipes that all cook up easily in a single pan!

    How to Make Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto

    spreading pesto onto a Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwich with Arugula Pesto next to bowls of peppers and mozzarella
    1. Whip up a batch of arugula pesto.
    2. Preheat oven.
    3. Roast peppers.
    4. Remove skin & stem, then slice pepper into strips.
    5. Assemble sandwiches with pesto, mozzarella, and peppers..
    6. Grill sandwiches on a grill pan or in a sandwich press.

    Full directions for how to make Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

    Variations to Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto

    a roasted red pepper on a plate & green pesto in a bowl for making Roasted Red Pepper and Arugula Pesto

    To Heat or Not to Heat

    You can grill your sandwiches manually on the stove or grill, or you can go the easy route by using a panini press! Don't have one? You could even grill your sandwiches in a waffle iron!

    Alternatively, you could skip the heating altogether and eat your sandwiches cold! The heat isn't really necessary—it just makes the cheese nice and gooey.

    Fresh or Jarred

    This recipe shows you how to roast your own red peppers, but there's a quicker way to make these sandwiches. Just grab some jarred red peppers to save yourself some time and energy. There's really no right or wrong way to do it!

    Sandwiches to Pasta

    You'll have plenty of pesto left after making these sandwiches—enough to toss with pasta the next day for another dinner. Add in some roasted red peppers, steamed broccoli, and mozzarella shavings to make it a meal. That's another 15-minute dinner right there!

    Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto FAQs

    What is pesto?

    Pesto is a tasty green pasta sauce that originated in Italy. It is traditionally made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. For this recipe I've subbed the basil for arugula and the pine nuts for walnuts.

    What is the best kind of bread for these sandwiches?

    The recipe mentions using ciabatta bread for these sandwiches. Alternatively, you could use some French bread, Italian bread, sourdough baguettes, or even regular whole wheat sandwich bread! I personally think that ciabatta tastes the best, but what really matters are the ingredients inside.

    How long will these sandwiches store?

    These sandwiches are best served right away. You can store them to eat a day later, but they'll likely be soggy and not-so-appetizing.

    A better option is to simply prep all your ingredients, then only assemble individual sandwiches as you're ready to eat them!

    In addition, this recipe makes extra pesto. If you're not planning on having some pesto pasts within the next week, you can easily freeze your pesto and save it for future recipes.

    More Recipes to Use Up Your Pesto

    • French Bread Pizza with Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
    • Brussels Sprout and Apple Tart with Walnut Pesto
    • Pesto Pizza with Red Peppers, Mushrooms, and Asparagus
    • Vegan Garlic Bread with Kale Pesto
    • Kale Pesto Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes

    While you're here, be sure to grab our FREE 5-Day Meatless Meal Plan. It's packed with tasty recipes to make vegetarian cooking easy and delicious!

    Recipe

    Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwiches with Arugula Pesto Recipe

    Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches with Mozzarella & Pesto

    Peppery arugula pesto is the perfect match for sweet roasted red pepper and mozzarella cheese! Serve these sandwiches hot or cold.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: Roasted Red Pepper and Mozzarella Sandwiches, vegetarian sandwich recipe, vegetarian sandwiches
    Servings: 4 sandwiches
    Calories: 497kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 1 large red bell pepper
    • 1 large loaf ciabatta bread cut in quarters and then halved lengthwise
    • ¼ cup Arugula Pesto see recipe below
    • 8 oz fresh mozzarella cheese cut into 8 slices
    • olive oil

    Pesto

    • 2 cups arugula leaves packed tightly
    • ⅓ cup walnut pieces toasted
    • ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
    • 2 small cloves garlic
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 500°F (broil).
    • Line a small baking sheet with foil. Put the pepper on the baking sheet and broil until the skin is beginning to char, using tongs to turn occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and wrap the foil around the pepper. (Use oven mitts!) Let the pepper steam in the foil for 10 minutes.
    • Remove the pepper from the foil and transfer it to a cutting board. Peel off the skin, cut off the stem, pull out the seeds, and discard them. Cut the rest of the pepper into thick strips.
    • Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto onto the bottoms of the ciabatta bread. Divide the pepper strips onto the bread, then place the mozzarella slices on top of the pepper strips. Top with the remaining slices of bread and brush the tops with olive oil. (If you're going to serve the sandwiches cold, don't brush them with oil—just eat them!)
    • Heat a grill pan or griddle over medium heat. Flip the sandwiches over and place them on the grill pan oiled-side down, then brush the other side of the sandwich with oil. Use a spatula to press the sandwiches down slightly, but don't press too hard or you'll have a mess of mozzarella everywhere! Cook 5–8 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

    Pesto

    • Combine arugula, walnut pieces, cheese, and garlic in the large bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped, then pour olive oil through the feed tube and continue to process until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Notes

    • Jarred roasted red peppers can be substituted for the fresh red bell pepper.
    • If you can't find a loaf of ciabatta bread at your grocery store, any sturdy, crusty bread will work.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 23gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 1053mgPotassium: 106mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1627IUVitamin C: 38mgCalcium: 313mgIron: 1mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
    « Vegan Stuffed Baked Potatoes With Tahini Chickpeas
    Vegan Chopped Power Salad with Almond-Miso Dressing »

    Vegetarian Main Dishes, Vegetarian Recipes, Vegetarian Sandwiches & Wraps 30 minutes or less, arugula, cheese, main dishes, pesto, sandwiches

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Taylor @ Food Faith Fitness says

      February 24, 2014 at 7:55 am

      I lovelovelove making my own roasted peppers! It's so easy!
      This sandwich is pretty much all my favorite flavours, pilled up between bread. You can never go wrong with bread.
      Gorgeous photos!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 24, 2014 at 9:33 am

        Yeah, we like roasting our own too--the jarred kind just isn't the same. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

      February 24, 2014 at 8:05 am

      That looks AMAZING! Is it weird I want it for breakfast?

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 24, 2014 at 9:33 am

        Breakfast sandwiches are definitely a thing!

        Reply
    3. Julia says

      February 24, 2014 at 8:42 am

      Whenever I don't have to cook, I wave my hands in the air, too! So nice to kick back, relax, and MAN I need to watch Ru Paul's Drag Race!!

      These sandwiches are the bees knees like nooooobody's biznatch! I need them every day of my life. Gimme dat pesto!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 24, 2014 at 9:32 am

        YOU DO NEED TO WATCH IT! The new season starts tonight, so it's the perfect time to start. 🙂

        Reply
    4. dishing up the dirt says

      February 24, 2014 at 10:45 am

      These sandwiches sounds so fresh I can almost taste springtime. 🙂

      Reply
    5. JulieD says

      February 24, 2014 at 1:07 pm

      I love this! I make a fresh mozzarella sandwich and alternate between using pesto and straight up basil. I love that you used an arugula pesto! I'm all about leftovers btw, Curtis doesn't like them though!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 25, 2014 at 10:13 pm

        I can't wait to start growing basil again this spring so I can make pesto with it! But I bet you can grow it year-round. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says

      February 24, 2014 at 2:09 pm

      This is my ideal sandwich in every way!!!

      Reply
    7. Laura (Tutti Dolci) says

      February 24, 2014 at 3:38 pm

      Yes please, this is my dream sandwich. You can't miss with roasted red peppers + pesto!

      Reply
    8. Jen @ Jen Spends says

      February 24, 2014 at 5:04 pm

      That looks SO good. I'll have to try this next time I make mozzarella.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 25, 2014 at 10:11 pm

        I need to make mozzarella someday! That's on my weekend project list. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Hilary says

      February 24, 2014 at 8:24 pm

      Yum! I'll eat anything with pesto on it!

      Reply
    10. Joanne says

      February 24, 2014 at 11:38 pm

      We really couldn't get through the week without leftovers...they are ALL WE EAT. I especially love sandwich leftovers because they taste just as good the next day! Anything with these Mediterranean flavors and ingredients sounds good to me!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 25, 2014 at 10:02 pm

        Yeah, why do people hate on leftovers? I mean: CONVENIENCE!!! And if something is good the first day, I'm always delighted to eat it again the next day.

        Reply
    11. Elisa @ Insalata di Sillabe says

      February 25, 2014 at 3:32 am

      I've just recently developed a passion for roasted red peppers, which I quite disliked when I was younger. Now I can't have enough of them and am always looking for new ways to incorporate them into my meals! This sounds like a perfect vehicle since I'm huge fan of sandwiches, too!

      xo, Elisa

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 25, 2014 at 10:00 pm

        I never liked red peppers when I was younger either. We were missing out! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Judy P says

      February 25, 2014 at 1:09 pm

      What kind of veg could I sub for the Arugula? I've been buying large bags of spinach for my smoothies, could I use that? and I don't like walnuts, would toasted sunflower seeds work? Love your ideas!!

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 25, 2014 at 9:58 pm

        I've never made a pesto with sunflower seeds, although I have successfully used pumpkin seeds, so I think that should work. Spinach is much milder than arugula, so it won't have that peppery kick. You may want to add some basil to it to make it more flavorful.

        Reply
        • Judy P says

          February 25, 2014 at 11:47 pm

          Thanks, I think the basil or oregano would be good with a little garlic, Might even try some Cayenne and Cilantro for a different taste. These sound great for pasta or pizza's either one.

          Reply
    13. Angie (@angiesrecipess) says

      February 25, 2014 at 1:49 pm

      This looks beyond delicious! Love the flavours of this delicious sandwich.

      Reply
    14. She Rocks Fitness says

      February 25, 2014 at 2:45 pm

      LOVE this combo! Reminds me of summer...I haven't made pesto in so long and it's so easy. Thanks for sharing! XOXO

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 25, 2014 at 9:49 pm

        I will make pesto out of just about anything! It's definitely a staple in my fridge. 🙂

        Reply
    15. Shirley says

      February 26, 2014 at 12:15 am

      Yum! I don't mind leftovers at all (OK, maybe if it gets to a 4th day of the same thing), but I just can't get on board with arugula. I'm gonna be boring and make this one day with a basil pesto. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 26, 2014 at 3:05 pm

        Arugula is totally a love-it-or-hate-it food! I used to not like it, but now I really enjoy that sharp flavor. But basil pesto works too. 🙂

        Reply
    16. Rachel @ Bakerita says

      February 27, 2014 at 9:24 am

      It's a rarity if a sandwich with mozzarella and pesto in a menu I'm looking at doesn't get ordered, and this looks like an amazing variation. Love the arugula pesto! Pinned.

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        February 27, 2014 at 2:18 pm

        Yeah, at a lot of restaurants, some variation of that sandwich is pretty much the only vegetarian option. I never get tired of it though! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Courtney says

      April 12, 2014 at 7:08 pm

      I came here for dinner ideas for tomorrow and now I feel like i need to make this NOW. I don't mind leftovers, however Chris is a weirdo and won't eat anything that isn't fresh. That's when I just lie and said I just made it again, and everyone is happy 😉

      Reply
      • Kiersten Frase says

        April 13, 2014 at 8:04 pm

        That works! I'm lucky that my Chris likes leftovers too. 🙂 Because with a food blog, there are a LOT of leftovers around here. I'm sure you know how that is!

        Reply
    18. Oakland says

      February 09, 2015 at 5:29 pm

      This is my first week trying your meal plans! Thanks for the awesome resource. I'll let you know next week how it went. 😛 (The sandwiches were delicious)

      Reply
    19. Gail Sieczka says

      December 27, 2015 at 5:48 pm

      I made these last night, they are YUMMY YUMMY YUM! My family of meat eaters did have me add some london broil on it for them, I ate mine just the way the recipe says and it was so good that I had to have it for lunch today. Thank you for an awesome recipe that my entire family can enjoy. 🙂

      Reply
      • Kiersten says

        December 29, 2015 at 8:47 pm

        I'm so glad to hear it was a hit! 🙂

        Reply
    20. Jenni says

      January 04, 2016 at 2:31 pm

      This was delicious! I added ham slices to my husband's sandwich (he's not cool enough to be vegetarian ;p) but I enjoyed mine exactly as is....and the pesto is amazing. I'll definitely be making this again. thank you!

      Reply

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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