I’m in the process of learning to like olives… little by little I’m getting closer. I figure there are so many tangy, briny foods that I love – capers, pickles, sun-dried tomatoes – it’s time for this olive hangup to end. So when the folks from Mezzetta contacted me to make a sandwich using any of their products, I went straight for the olives.
Caprese Sandwich Recipe Ingredients
I set out to make a tasty tapenade – similar to one Jack and I shared (and loved) at a bar in Rome. What I ended up with was a pesto. I use a handful of basil, toasted almonds, lemon juice, balsamic, and green olives to make a rich, briny spread to play off the other ingredients in this caprese sandwich. I finish the sandwiches with piles of grilled veggies, fresh mozzarella, arugula, and roasted red peppers. A few tips: the better your bread is, the better your sandwich will be. I recommend thick slices of fresh sourdough or ciabatta rolls. Also, make sure you cut your mozzarella to a decent thickness. I find that 1/4 inch thick slices yield the perfect amount of creamy texture without being too overwhelming.
Caprese Sandwich Serving Suggestions
These sandwiches would be great for a cookout! Since you’ll already be grilling, try making grilled corn on the cob, grilled asparagus, or grilled avocado to serve on the side. A picnic salad – like this broccoli salad, this couscous salad, or this watermelon salad – would be delicious, too. And of course, you can’t go wrong with sweet potato fries. You can make the pesto up to 2 days in advance and store it in the fridge. If you have some left over, slather it onto toast or dollop it over eggs. Toss leftover grilled veggies into veggie pasta or orzo, or make a caprese sandwich again the next day!
If you love this pesto caprese sandwich recipe…
Try this avocado sandwich, this tempeh club sandwich, or this vegan banh mi next!
This post is sponsored by Mezzetta, thanks for supporting the sponsors that support Love & Lemons.
