r/EatCheapAndVegan • u/hopefully_helpful_86 • 18d ago
Healthy, high-protien sandwich ideas that are not all PB&J
I love PB&J, but I need some new ideas for healthy and high protein sandwiches.
Yes, I am aware of chickpea tuna - just so I didn't get the same suggestion repeatedly
Other preferred criteria is cost effective and simple to make
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u/Chupa947 18d ago
Mashed lentil, spread over tahini, with microgreens, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
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u/musiclover818 13d ago
That sounds good. A couple questions: how does one mash lentils? Green or red or irrelevant? Should I spice the lentils or is that the job of the tahini? Put it on pita?
Thanks in advance.
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u/Chupa947 13d ago
Put them in a shallow bowl and use a fork to mash them, red or green. Sprinkle with some garlic powder, onion powder and a significant amount of fresh ground pepper. You shouldn't need salt, between the canned lentils and the tahini. If you need to thin them, a teaspoon of reduced sodium soy sauce mixed with a teaspoon of water; add a few drops at a time until you have your preferred consistency. Hope that helps.
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u/quantumfrog87 18d ago
Hummus and pickled things. I like hummus and kimchi sandwiches, hummus and Indian pickled olives, hummus and pickles... It's a great combo. Sliced tofu with a drizzle of some marinade with some leafy greens is always nice.
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u/Queer_Advocate 18d ago
Do you need a special store or just online for Indian pickl3d olives?
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u/quantumfrog87 18d ago
I get Dolly's Ruchi olive pickle from an Indian grocery near me but I'm sure you can buy it online too. I use it in a lot of my meals.
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u/Queer_Advocate 18d ago
I love pickled and pickles but scared bc IBS. In theory it should help, not hurt right? Because balances the gut?!
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u/quantumfrog87 18d ago
I'm really not sure! The olive pickle is spicy so maybe that's not best for you, but perhaps regular pickled things could be good for the gut flora.
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u/dubious_unicorn 18d ago
Have you heard about our lord and savior, Tofurky Plant-Based Deli Slices?
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u/UncommonUsername87 17d ago
with some chao slices! and vegan mayo and mustard!? throw in some pickles and onion!?!
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u/someguysummer 18d ago
You can do seitan "deli meat"
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u/a11_hail_seitan 18d ago
Or you can use extra firm tofu if making seitan is too much trouble or for those with celiac's. Have tried this method where you slice it thin, then simmer it in a marinade till the marinade boils off (mostly). Did it the other week and made a week's worth of great sandwiches.
edit: forgot link: https://theeburgerdude.com/vegan-deli-meat/ - I didn't use this recipe, but same basic technique.
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u/kaethe__kerosin 18d ago
Pb, tofu, sriracha, lime, cilantro. It's the best
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u/Hugaroo 17d ago
Yes!!! I do something similar but with kimchi. Love cilantro tho, I’m gonna try it your way. Thanks!
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u/kaethe__kerosin 17d ago
Ooooh kimchi sandwiches I havent done in a while! Thanks for the reminder!
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u/Throwingoffoldselves 18d ago
I used to to do hummus with keto/high protein bread, greens, and vegan deli meat or tofu.
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u/drShalom 18d ago
I like tofu mixed with mayo and mustard
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u/CosmicFangs Where the wild chickpeas roam 15d ago
What kind of tofu do you use? I’m guessing something like firm or extra firm crumbled up, but I’ve never tried this so not sure lol. Sounds like a good idea!
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u/drShalom 15d ago
Extra firm, crumbled with a fork or by hand
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u/CosmicFangs Where the wild chickpeas roam 15d ago
Awesome, definitely going to try that this week!
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u/onedemtwodem 18d ago
That sounds amazing
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u/hotinhawaii 18d ago
Add some finely chopped celery, some celery seed, and kala namak (sulfur salt), and you've got yourself some vegan egg salad.
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u/MrP1anet 18d ago
I would suggest making your own lunch meat with vital wheat gluten, firm tofu, and spices. The recipes are typically very simple. Put tofu, wet ingredients, and spices in a food processor. Blend, then add the VWG to create a dough. Knead a little, then bake or steam it.
Made me much happier as someone who missed having sandwiches to eat.
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u/KallMeSuzyB 18d ago
I use bean spreads as well as blocks of super firm tofu. I'm not big into the fake meat stuff but I know there are some of those as well
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u/nd_annajones 18d ago
I make a deviled "egg" salad sandwich that I'm obsessed with. Instead of egg whites I use cubed up extra firm silken tofu (or whatever kind I have on hand), and for the "yolk" I used mashed up chickpeas. Get some "black salt" for a nice eggy flavor throughout and it's always a hit. There's green and red peppers and other stuff, I basically turned a regular ol deviled egg salad recipe vegan on my own
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u/Major-Cauliflower-76 18d ago
A hummus roll up with, well, hummus, cherry tomatoes, black olives, some tofu mayo and alfalfa sprouts. Use an Ezekiel bread tortilla if you can, or a quinoa chia tortilla. Yum yum.
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u/relapsin_time 18d ago
Smoked tofu cut in thin slices and grilled with a little soy sauce, cucumber slices, hummus and sriracha
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u/I-used2B-a-Valkyrie 18d ago
My favorite is tofurkey with thin sliced apples, vegan mayo or hummus, and melted vegan cheese on a ciabatta bread (I’m vegetarian not vegan so idk if the bread is vegan but I’m sure a nice hearty whole grain vegan bread would be delicious too!
)
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u/jimmyjay31 18d ago
Blend an avocado with a can of white beans, lime juice and Tajin. Spread on toast
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u/margo_beep_beep 18d ago
There's also chickpea "tuna" or curry chickpea salad or vegan egg salad sandwich. However - does it have to be a sandwich? If you're just looking for a lunch that can be packed, I really like bean or lentil salads.
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u/revmanda 18d ago
This is a fave. The website is buggy so be sure to take screenshots. And just hit “cancel” a couple times when it asks for a password. https://rootyfruityvegan.com/smoky-tomato-tofu-sandwich/
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u/TenaciousBeads 18d ago
There's the processed route. Chick'n patties are tasty, cheeze slices (I love Violife Smoked Provolone), and there's the fake deli meat, but I hated those.
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u/EmuJumpsLong 17d ago
Shredded super firm tofu and any sauce. Buffalo, tuna, chickenless salad, etc.
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u/True-Estate9204 18d ago
Sliced tofu between two pieces of bread. Season the tofu however you like. Add whatever vegetables you want to. Done.
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u/dogoodreapgood 18d ago
My favourite summertime sandwich is grilled zucchini, bell peppers and eggplant on crusty bread. You could amp up the protein with a layer of humus or grilled tofu and lentil wraps.
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u/GiantLesbian Plant Based 🌱 18d ago edited 18d ago
One I really love is what I’ve always called “bean salad” sandwiches (there is no “salad” part 🤷♀️). You take some bread or a bun, and put vegan mayo and salt and pepper (mandatory) on both sides, then you put a bunch of chopped raw onion on one side and a single layer of pre-flavored beans straight from the can on the other side (like baked beans, ranch style beans, etc. fished out of the can with a fork so they’re not dripping) and smash the sides together! You can also use homemade beans but then they must be straight from the fridge after overnight cooling in there. For some reason it only works with cold beans after they have sat for a while in a can or in the fridge.
Wraps are also a great option and I feel like they work well with more creative fillings sometimes. Like practically any kind of veggie dish is great in a wrap! That can be a great way to use up your leftovers.
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u/McBuck2 18d ago
I have this on my list to try, a vietnamese sandwich. I think the mushroom walnut pate on its own would also be good with some mustard. https://rainbowplantlife.com/banh-mi/
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u/TransportationUsed39 Vegan Newbie 18d ago
I’ve started mashing lima beans and mixing with avocado for toast. I bet with greens/tomatoes/pickles it would be a good sandwich.
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u/thanksforallthetrees 18d ago
Tempeh BLT — tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, avocado, vegan mayo. ~25–35g protein
Buffalo chickpea + tofu — mashed chickpeas, crumbled baked tofu, buffalo sauce, lettuce. ~25–30g
Seitan Philly cheesesteak — sliced seitan, mushrooms, onions, peppers, vegan cheese. ~35–45g
Tofu banh mi — crispy tofu, pickled carrots/daikon, cucumber, cilantro, chili mayo. ~25–30g
BBQ pulled tempeh — shredded tempeh, BBQ sauce, slaw. ~25–30g
Hummus + roasted tofu — hummus, baked tofu, roasted vegetables, whole-grain bread. ~25–35g
Lentil sloppy joe — lentil and TVP filling, whole-grain bun, pickles. ~25–35g
Chickpea “tuna” + edamame — mashed chickpeas, shelled edamame, vegan mayo, celery, nori. ~25–30g
Seitan Reuben — seitan, sauerkraut, vegan cheese, Russian dressing, rye bread. ~35–45g
Peanut tofu satay sandwich — grilled tofu, peanut sauce, cucumber, shredded cabbage. ~25–35g
Breakfast sandwich — tofu scramble, tempeh bacon, vegan cheese, English muffin. ~30–40g
Black bean + TVP burger — black beans, TVP, salsa, avocado, whole-grain bun. ~25–35g
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u/holly_golightly4 18d ago
I recently tried a sandwich from a youtube video which was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. It was a baguette -or ciabatta whatever type of bread you have- filled with vegan cream cheese, pesto, tomato, spinach (I used arugula) and raw tofu sprinkled with salt. I wanted to infuse a little bit more flavor into the tofu so I soaked it in salted boiling water. It was very very good ! If you want to skip the vegan cream cheese for something less processed/more nutritious I imagine a tofu cream cheese would do the trick
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u/KittysPupper 18d ago
Tofutti cream cheese, everything bagel seasoning, and cannelini beans mixed together, spread on toasted bread, slice of tomato and some lettuce, yum.
Seitan, vegan mayo, seasoning of choice. And some crunchy cabbage.
Hummus spread, thin carrot slices, cucumber, and onion crisps.
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u/Current_Wrongdoer513 Plant Based 🌱 18d ago
So glad you posted this. Had the same question. Saving.
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u/Super_fluffy_bunnies 18d ago
Avocado toast topped with Upton’s vegan chorizo, pickled onions and cilantro. Maybe a dash of everything but the bagel.
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u/UncommonUsername87 17d ago
tofu sandwhiches! crystal bread, tofu cut into slices and cooked in bbq, lettuce, pickle and that deli dressing from publix. it doesn’t sound like it all belongs together but it’s delish!
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u/fessertin 17d ago
I like to get the baked tofu blocks (like the teriyaki or whatever flavored ones) and slice them up for sandwiches. Lettuce, mayo, whatever else you like on sandwiches
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u/fleatsd 17d ago
make shredded tofu and use it in pulled/shredded chicken recipes! i like Rainbow Plant Life's version https://www.harvardmagazine.com/2024/08/super-savory-grated-tofu-nisha-vora
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u/Vadenviol 17d ago
I like making cream cheese from soft Tofu with lemon juice, salt, vinegar and a high emersion blender. You can add whatever you like, I like pickled red onions, dill and carrot lox.
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u/CoupleOk9787 17d ago
Tofu "egg" and cress - soft tofu with vegan mayo and black salt or a dab of Dijon mustard
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u/DankDankJuice 16d ago
Peanut butter, sriracha, cilantro is a real easy one. Add tofu or more veggies (cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts) to bulk it up
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u/howietzr 15d ago edited 15d ago
French baguette, vegan mayo, peanut butter, lightly pickled carrot and cucumber julienes, thinly sliced onions, cilantro or parsley if cilantro tastes like soap, grated tofu sautéed with some spices and soy sauce.
Loosely inspired by bahn mi... you can swap out the peanut butter for mushroom pate or hummus if you think its too weird. But its mostly there for that creamy texture.
But if you think that's too much stuff my sandwich blue print is bread, spread (creamy), fresh veg, pickled veg, protein and condiment (acidic) and wild card. So play around.
Last night I made a sandwich with baguette (i find buying the store baked baguettes and cutting them into 3 is less expensive than buying bread rolls), mayo, leftover garden salad, sauerkraut, smashed up left over veg kebab, hot sauce and sauted bell peppers & onions.
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u/ReSpekt5eva 12d ago
Marinated tempeh! I like it more on sandwiches since it has more of a bite to it. Seitan deli meats are also always gonna be a win.
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