These grilled zucchini sandwiches give you the taste of summer in every bite and are a great vegetarian-friendly lunch option!

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One of my favorite things to do here in Italy is to go down to our town’s weekly market and let the selection of farm-fresh vegetables dictate my meal planning. While it took some getting used to, I’m loving it! And one of the best meals I’ve come up with is grilled vegetarian sandwiches.

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Everything on this sandwich is available at the market except the mustard.

So if you’re looking for a vegetarian option for Memorial Day grilling, this is it!

First off, they taste like summer. Is there anything better than farmer’s market vegetables grilled to perfection with just the right amount of char? Plus, they’re easy to swing vegetarian if you’re feeding friends who don’t do meat.

And in case you’re new here, let me be clear: I’m pro-veggies but also very much pro-meat. If a meal doesn’t have animal protein, it’s got to be both super flavorful and super filling for me to eat it, let alone share it here! These grilled zucchini sandwiches check all the boxes.

Grilling or toasting the bread is a must here. It gives the bread the perfect texture to contrast with the vegetables and soft cheese.

For the cheese: you don’t need to go Brie here if that’s not your favorite, but you want some kind of melty cheese. The goal is for the cheese to hit that freshly grilled zucchini and just start oozing into a delicious melty mess.

The egg is completely optional. I’ve eaten it both ways and while I slightly prefer it with the egg, you don’t absolutely need it thanks to the cheese.

Maybe you live in an apartment like me and grilling isn’t readily available, or it sounds like too much work to get the grill going for just a sandwich. Never fear! We got this grill pan for the stovetop last year and have LOVED it. It makes grilling so much more accessible and much quicker than our beloved charcoal grill. We still grill outside, but it’s perfect for something simple and quick like this.

The only downside to this recipe is that it’s better hot and takes 15 minutes to make. Which isn’t much for dinner, I agree. But I’ll be the first to admit that I like lunch to be ready in five minutes (meaning it’s usually leftovers or a quick toss-it-together sandwich or salad). So keep that in mind.

Speaking of leftovers, I usually grill up a bunch of zucchini and peppers so I have leftovers. They’re fantastic to add to just about anything, but you can re-create a faster version of the sandwich with them later by toasting the bread, skipping the egg, and zapping the vegetables in the microwaves. It’s not quite as magical but still delicious.

Feel free to flex your ingredients based on what looks good or what’s in the fridge right now. You can also swap out the egg for chicken from last night’s dinner if you want, I’m not picky here.

If you skipped down just to snag the recipe, here’s what you need to know: it’s good, it’s easy, it’s flexible. Enjoy!

Tools you’ll need: grill pan, knife and cutting board.

Trust me, you’re going to love these grilled zucchini sandwiches!

Want more plant-based options? Check out all our vegetarian-friendly meals!