Easy vegan caprese sandwich for a hearty + nourishing plant-based lunch!
Friends, I am so delighted to be sharing this Vegan Caprese + Cauliflower Panini with you!
It is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD!!
We’re talking creamy vegan caprese cheese (made in just 5 active minutes) paired with crunchy roasted cauliflower, vegan pesto, and the ripest of tomatoes. Add a few basil leaves and a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze and you have an INCREDIBLE sandwich I could eat for lunch just about every day. It’s that good.
The vegan caprese couldn’t be easier to make. It literally will take five minutes of your time! (Plus chilling.)
I used my stretchy mozzarella recipe (adapted slightly from here) then transferred it to a rimmed plate! After it chills, you just need a biscuit cutter and you’ll have perfect little vegan caprese rounds for sandwiches, salads, lasagna, or even my 45-Minute Vegan Chick’n Parmesan!
You might think adding roasted cauliflower to a vegan caprese panini sounds crazy. But I’ve always thought the texture of caprese sandwiches was meh. The flavor is there for sure but with nothing crunchy or hearty to bite into, I just felt there was something lacking.
Well necessity is the mother of all invention and I am one proud inventor of this Vegan Caprese + Cauliflower Panini! The roasted cauliflower adds the perfect amount of heartiness + crunch. I think caprese sandwiches have been waiting their whole lives for the addition of cauliflower. Trust me on this one!
Because the vegan caprese is made with simple ingredients and no binders, it will stay really creamy, similar to burrata. I have another insanely amazing vegan mozzarella recipe that slices and melts that I’ll be sharing soon so be sure to subscribe to my posts so you don’t miss it! Just click the ebook banner in my sidebar to sign up! You’ll also get a sweet bonus ebook with all my fan favorite recipes- like Roasted Garlic Alfredo, Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza, and Vegan Fish & Chips!
You’re going to love this Vegan Caprese + Cauliflower Panini! It’s:
Hearty
Filling
Flavorful
Creamy
Easy to make
Vegetable-Forward
and SO delicious!
When you make this incredible Vegan Caprese Panini, be sure to let me know in the comments how yours turned out! While you’re at it, post a photo to Instagram with the tag #carrotsandflowers for a chance to be featured! We love seeing your creations.
To save this recipe for later, pin the photo below!
If you love vegan cheese recipes, be sure to pick up a copy of our cookbook, 30 Minute Vegan Dinners! It’s available online or wherever books are sold. It includes 5 made from scratch vegan cheese recipes and every recipe takes just 30 minutes to prep and make.
- Vegan Caprese
- ½ cup soaked cashews
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp white pepper
- 1½ cups water
- Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 tsp olive oil
- pinch garlic powder
- pinch salt
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 6 ciabatta rolls or gf bread
- 1 cup vegan pesto
- 2 beefsteak tomatoes
- 10-12 basil leave basil leaves
- balsamic glaze
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Add the cashews, tapioca, yeast, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and water to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth, about two minutes. Meanwhile, heat a sauce pan over medium high heat. Pour the contents of the blender into the hot pan. Begin stirring right away, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan. Keep stirring until the cheese forms a thick gooey mass in the center of the pan.
- Transfer the cheese to a shallow rimmed plate or dish lined with parchment paper. Chill until set. I like to speed things up by placing the cheese in the freezer for 20-30 minutes but you can also refrigerate it for 1-2 hours or make it ahead the day before.
- While the cheese cools, trim the cauliflower into florets. Place the florets on a lined baking sheet, then drizzle with oil oil, salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Roast the cauliflower for 20-25 minutes until crisp and tender.
- When the cheese is very thick and cooled, use a biscuit cutter to cut out circles.
- Split and lightly toast the ciabatta. Thinly slice the tomatoes. Spread the pesto on the rolls, then add a layer of roasted cauliflower. Layer a few basil leaves, then carefully transfer the caprese circles to the sandwiches. Top with sliced tomato, a few basil leaves, and a drizzle of balsamic glaze then dig in!
