I live within 5 minutes of my parents, my sister and her husband. To say it is awesome would be a major understatement. We get together at least once a week for a family dinner. Usually Friday’s for what we lovingly call “Friday Parties”. We’ll play cornhole, listen to music, have a cocktail, talk and talk and talk, and of course, eat.
But finding a meal that everyone can eat can be a tad tricky. I, of course, eat just about everything. But my mom is vegan and my sister doesn’t eat meat. Our guys love meat, but they’re fine having meatless dinners. We do a lot of burgers (sub in veggie for mom and sis), pizzas (veggie for sis, veggie and no cheese for mom) or tacos (lots of grilled veggies for mom and sis), etc. So anytime I find a meal that everyone in my family loves, I feel like I just won the lottery.
This grilled zucchini caprese sandwich has something for everyone. The grilled zucchini gives the sandwich a great meaty feeling, you won’t even miss the meat. It’s then layered with thick slices of tomato and mozzarella cheese. My mom will leave the cheese off, and adds in mashed avocado instead. More cheese for the rest of us!
Use your favorite sandwich roll bread to make this grilled zucchini caprese sandwich. I love the rustica one from Trader Joe’s. It is just like foccacia bread, but without herbs. (It’s always right next to the foccacia bread if you want to use the same). Give the sliced bread a quick drizzle of olive oil and grill it. The charred marks are beautiful, and it gives the bread great flavor.
The best part of this grilled zucchini caprese sandwich is hands down the pesto mayo. Oh my, it is de-lic-ious. Go ahead and slather it on your sandwich, the more the better. I always double or triple the recipe when I’m making it, and leave the extra in the fridge to top on other sandwiches, burgers, or even as a dip.
The best side to this grilled zucchini caprese sandwich is my potato wedges, which are honestly the best wedges I’ve ever had. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and baked instead of fried. Everyone I make them for loves them. Dip the wedges in the pesto mayo and your meal is complete.
Print
Grilled Zucchini Caprese Sandwich
Prep Time: 5 mins- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
Yield: 6 people 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- 4 zucchinis, sliced lengthwise 1/4″ thick
- 4 tomatoes, slices 1/4″ thick
- 2 pounds mozzarella cheese (my trader joe’s have 1 pound cheese logs that are pre sliced!)
- 6 sandwich rolls, cut in half
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup pesto
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, make the pesto mayonnaise by combining the mayonnaise and pesto. Stir to combine, cover with saran wrap, and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Will keep for 1 week.
- Preheat your grill (or indoor grill pan) over medium heat. Drizzle the cut side of the sliced bread with olive oil, and grill cut side down for about 2 minutes, until they are lightly toasted with grill marks. Remove from heat and set on a plate.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, toss the sliced zucchini with 2 tablespoons olive oil until they are evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook the zucchini 1-2 minutes per side, until just crisp tender. Remove from heat and set on a plate.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading the pesto mayo on both sides of the bread, then topping with 3-4 slices of zucchini, 3-4 tomatoes and 3-4 slices of mozzarella.
Notes
These sandwiches are great as a melt too! If you want to make this into a melt sandwich, turn your broiler on high and melt the mozzarella cheese onto the dry top half of the sandwich bread for 2-3 minutes. Assemble the rest of the sandwich per directions.
If I’m serving these with fries, I’ll double the pesto mayo and serve extra on the side as a dipping sauce for the potato wedges
Never Miss a Recipe!
Get new posts delivered straight to your inbox! For free!
Olivia - Primavera Kitchen says
June 5, 2014 at 4:51 amNat, there really is nothing in the world better than time spent with our family. That’s the downside of living abroad. I live in Canada and my entire family in Brazil. We get together only one time a year. But, at least my in laws are from Canada. So, I have family time with them ;-)
As always I LOVE your recipe. It looks so DELICIOUS and fresh. Perfect for a summer dinner party. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe. Have a great day, friend ;-)
★★★★★
How to Philosophize with Cake says
June 5, 2014 at 4:52 amThat looks delicious! Will have to save this idea for when my garden is overflowing with fresh zucchini! :)
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
June 5, 2014 at 5:19 amSounds like a great time on Friday nights with your family! I do that with mine occasionally too, although we call it “Fast Food Fridays” because we usually order out from somewhere or go out to eat! :) And you had me at carpese sandwich, but with the extra touch of zucchini? Brilliant! Love this flavor combination, Natalie! And of course the pesto may too. That sounds so delicious!
Meg says
June 5, 2014 at 5:37 amThese look fantastic! And how nice that you live so close to your family. We’re about 20 minutes from my parents, and less than five from my sister and her husband . . . though soon it’ll bump to about 15 minutes from each of them (in opposite directions!). Still, we’re obviously not far away, and we try to get together at least once a week in some capacity for a family meal. I didn’t think it would be tough to do that before I got married, but the days can definitely get away from you . . . still, so important. :)
Sarah@WholeandHeavenlyOven says
June 5, 2014 at 5:49 amHoly moly this sandwich looks ah-MAZING Natalie! Even though I’m not a vegetarian I LOVE a good veggie sandwich and yours is literally calling out to me. Loving your twist on classic caprese! Now I know what I’m going to make with all the zucchini coming up in my veggie garden. Can’t wait to try these gorgeous sandwiches this summer! Pinned. :)
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
June 5, 2014 at 6:23 amOh yum! Definitely pinning. Love zucchini and love grilled cheese so I’m all over this sandwich!
Have a gorgeous day Natalie!
Isadora @ she likes food says
June 5, 2014 at 7:30 amThat is so nice to be able to spend so much time with your family! All of our family lives across the country and we rarely get to see them. I used to be totally ok with that, but as I get older, I really wish we all lived closer to each other. It looks like you do a great job finding things that everyone can enjoy! These sandwiches look SO good! I love the grilled zucchini and pesto mayo, I would probably make extra and put it on everything too :)
Nicole says
June 5, 2014 at 7:49 amI loved this sandwich!! So delicious and the pesto mayo? Can’t go wrong. Filling and tasty!
★★★★★
cheri says
June 5, 2014 at 9:09 amHi Natalie, this is my kind of sandwich, looks delicious. Love that Trader Joe’s. It is so nice that you live so close to your family, great to have a strong support system.
tahnycooks says
June 5, 2014 at 9:37 amI nearly took a bite out of that last picture! I love grilled zucchini! But, I have never made a sandwich like this one! Pinning! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
June 5, 2014 at 9:57 amThis sounds awesome!! I have tons of tomatoes and zucc’s coming out of my garden already. And just last night I took a thing of pesto out of the freezer (made from last year’s garden basil). I made a gnocchi last night with the pesto, cherry tomatoes and zucchini… so yeah, we are totally on the same page with flavor combos. :)
Kelly @ The Pretty Bee: Cooking + Creating says
June 5, 2014 at 10:51 amWow, these sandwiches look soooooo good! I love finding new vegetarian sandwich options!
Rachel @the dessert chronicles says
June 5, 2014 at 11:05 amThis is a great idea and I would have never thought to put zucchini in a sandwich! Looks like the perfect summer lunch to me.
Kelly says
June 5, 2014 at 11:12 amOh Natalie – this looks and sounds so amazing! I love caprese anything and the idea of adding grilled zucchini to a sandwich with that yummy pesto-mayo is seriously making me drool. Wish I could reach into the screen and take a bite out – sounds like the perfect lunch to me – pinning :)
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
June 5, 2014 at 11:26 amI think charred bread is one of the prettiest things on the planet. I always crave it when I see it! This sandwich looks so good, and I love that it’s customizable for everyone’s palate! :)
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
June 5, 2014 at 12:16 pmI’m so envious of your Friday Parties! I need to start that around here. I’m also cracking up because I have a sandwich coming up on my blog with grilled zucchini, too. Same wavelength again! Yours sounds fantastic with the pesto and mozzarella.
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg says
June 5, 2014 at 12:25 pmI love love this. My kind of sandwich.
Jenn @ hello, rigby! says
June 5, 2014 at 1:02 pmthis sounds so good! putting on our menu for saturday! yummm.
Annie @Maebells says
June 5, 2014 at 1:05 pmYum!! These look fabulous! And I love the sauce, I bet it just takes it over the top! And beautiful photos! I feel like sandwiches are super hard to photograph because they just kind of sit there (ha!) but you did an awesome job!
★★★★★
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
June 5, 2014 at 1:15 pmWhy have I never had pesto mayo before? It’s two of my favorite things in one! This sandwich looks amazing, and I am probably going to be up to my ears in zucchini later this summer, so will have to keep this in mind!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
June 5, 2014 at 1:42 pmYou totally are putting me in the mood for a sandwich tonight! This looks incredible!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
June 5, 2014 at 3:55 pmThere are a lot of different types of eaters in my family too. It is always hard to find something that everyone likes. But who doesn’t love cheese and veggies, right? I would love one of these grilled sandwiches for dinner!
Danielle says
June 5, 2014 at 5:58 pmThis looks delicious! I love the idea of using pesto mayo.
Jessica @ Jessiker Bakes says
June 5, 2014 at 11:59 pmTotally love Caprese sandwiches, I just made one over on my blog! I love the zucchini addition and the summery thing of grilling it! That pesto mayo looks heavenly – I would slather it on anything!
Kathi @ Laughing Spatula says
June 6, 2014 at 7:41 amAnother great use of zucchini! I can’t get enough of it…thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
June 6, 2014 at 8:30 amThis sandwich looks and sounds amazing! I love vegetables and my daughter is vegetarian so we eat a lot of vegetarian meals. Pinning!
Sam @ Sugar Spun Run says
June 6, 2014 at 10:40 amWhenever my work has catered lunches they serve a sandwich so very similar to this and I LOVE it, I can never get enough. I HAVE to try this soon (especially with zucchini season being right around the corner here!) :)
★★★★★
Allison says
June 8, 2014 at 4:30 amI love the idea of those Friday Parties! It’s so great that you can see your family, chat, drink, and eat at the end of a week. These sandwiches look incredible! I love the idea of subbing the cheese for avocado for a vegan version and that pesto mayo looks incredible! Two of my favourite condiments combined! Yum!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou says
June 8, 2014 at 10:17 amIt can be so hard to please everyone!! These sandwiches look like they would definitely be a crowd pleaser though – they look so fresh and delicious!! Love that sauce, yum!
Brittney says
June 8, 2014 at 11:59 amWow this looks amazing! Great blog!
Justine@CookingandBeer says
June 9, 2014 at 7:55 amI love how fresh and simple this recipe is, and who would have thunk to add zucchini into the mix! So many fun things going on here! Pinned!
Sarah @ Running On Brie says
June 15, 2014 at 6:04 pmI totally dig zucchini…I’m kind of obsessed with it actually…and I feel like I’m in the minority here. I think most people just don’t realize how fabulous it can be if prepared well!! Am I wrong? This sandwich looks really delicious.