This Pesto Caprese Sandwich is an upgrade from the classic Caprese salad. It instantly turns into a hearty main meal in a jiffy! Make this recipe into mini sandwich bites and you have a fun appetizer at a party. It is a perfectly portable vegetarian sandwich for a long drive or picnic’s!

If you are dreaming of making a café-style sandwich at home then this is a good starting point for you. Fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, spinach, simple seasoning, olive oil, and the balsamic glaze are all layered between two crusty ciabatta bread slices loaded with basil pesto!! I mean what’s not to love about this sandwich. It screams fresh flavors in every bite! Can it get easier than this??

Sandwiches are simple to put up and so satisfying. And everyone loves sandwiches! This is my go-to meal idea on busy days just like these coleslaw sandwich bars. If you like the idea of upgrading your Caprese game then you should try my Caprese bruschetta recipe and this Quinoa Chickpea Caprese Salad.

What is Caprese?

It is a popular classic Italian light salad made with fresh juicy tomatoes, creamy fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and balsamic glaze. You can add more greens like arugula or spinach to it as I did in this recipe.

What are we doing differently?

We are simply going to stuff all this goodness between two slices of bread to make a filling meal. I have smeared a generous amount of pesto on the slices of bread instead of just adding basil leaves to the sandwich. You can warm up the bread on the skillet or grill the entire sandwich like a panini. It tastes amazing hot or cold!

Ingredients used to make the ultimate caprese sandwich at home

Basil Pesto – Sure you could make your sandwich without pesto!!!! But adding it will pack in so much flavor and your sandwich will not feel dry. I have used homemade basil walnut pesto. You can use your favorite store-bought one!

Bread – My pick is ciabatta, focaccia, french bread, or sourdough bread for a café like tasting Caprese sandwich. You can make it healthier by using whole-grain bread too.

Tomatoes – Use ripe but firm tomatoes. Any tomatoes will do. My pick is tomato on vine or beefsteak tomatoes.

Spinach – I have used spinach leaves that come in a bag, washed, and ready to use. You can opt for other greens like arugula/rocket, lettuce, or salad mix greens.

Extra virgin olive oil – A bit of drizzle on the salad cheese filling and some for making pesto.

Balsamic reduction– I love this a lot. I buy Sprout’s organic balsamic glaze from the store. It is basically cooked down balsamic vinegar with sugar until thickened. You can use a dash of balsamic vinegar plus agave instead.

Seasoning – I have used a little sprinkle of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and an Italian dried herb blend.

Pesto Caprese sandwich in 3 easy steps

Homemade basil pesto

Make pesto in the food processor. Refrigerate or freeze for months until use. You can pop open a jar of store-bought ones as well. I promise to not judge you!

Prepare the filling

Cut the tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, clean the spinach leaves if using.

Assemble the sandwich

• You can either warm up the bread on a skillet or use it straight out of the bag.
• Spread pesto on slices of bread.
• Add in tomatoes followed by spinach and mozzarella cheese layer.
• Add another bread slice on the top and gently press the sandwich.
• Cut it into two pieces for easy eating!
• Grilling it after filling in a panini press is a good idea too.
• In simple words, stuff, cut, and eat!

Make ahead of time tips

1. You can make pesto days ahead. Stays good for up to a week in the fridge or freeze in portion-size bags. Thaw as needed.
2. You can make the sandwiches up to 1 day in advance for a party or potluck. Wrap it in saran wrap and store it in the fridge until consumed.
3. It tastes great cold. You may slightly warm up the sandwiches if desired.

Possible substitutes

• Use bread of your choice. Ciabatta, sourdough, whole grain, mini French bread rolls, focaccia, or even white bread works well.
• You may use store-bought pesto.
• Use pine nuts instead of walnuts for pesto.
• Add more veggies like thinly sliced onions, roasted bell peppers, cucumbers.
• Swap arugula or lettuce for Spinach.

Not all cheeses are Vegetarian!

• If you are a vegetarian then consider reading the ingredient list on the cheese package before buying. Most of them contain animal rennet and are not fit for a vegetarian diet. If you are not bothered then disregard this information. But if you are very particular I am sharing a list of vegetarian cheese brands in this link here.
• For making pesto I use vegetarian Parmesan from Whole Foods (365) brand or “Mauro & Gianni ” found at Sprouts Farmers Market.
• In the sandwich, I use whole foods 365 brand or BelGioioso Fresh Mozarella.

Great for entertaining a crowd!

This recipe is more of a guide for you. You can scale it to your needs. It makes a great bite-size appetizer for a party or a filling meal for a picnic or a potluck. If you are feeling fancy cut them small and secure them with a cocktail or a toothpick to serve a crowd.

A wonderful recipe for tis’ holiday season!

Just look at the fresh vibrant colors of this sandwich. The reds and greens make a great color food to flaunt on your Holiday table. Consider making it on Christmas or New Year.

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More party-pleasing recipes for the holidays

Asparagus Strawberry Goat Cheese Crostini

Oven Roasted Garlic Brussels Sprouts

5 ingredient Ricotta Cheese Balls

Vegan Tortilla Pinwheels

Schezwan Paneer Cigars

Homemade Pesto Caprese Sandwich Recipe