This air fryer veggie sandwich with pesto mayonnaise is the perfect simple lunch or dinner recipe. Layered with thinly sliced tomato, cucumbers, and onion this is a great simple lunch or dinner recipe.
Air frying sandwiches give you a really good combination of melted cheese like a grilled cheese sandwich, but a crusty outside like on a panini. In my opinion, it’s the best of both worlds.
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What beer pairs well with this recipe?
The beer: Tropical Oberon from Bell’s
This tropical and delightful version of Oberon is the perfect way to welcome warmer weather. Both versions, this and the original, are like little sips of sunshine. This version has passionfruit, guava, and mango. It’s the perfect sweet pairing with this simple veg sandwich.
What should you watch?
Now that the weather is FINALLY getting nice, it’s time to get outside and enjoy some fresh air while enjoying a good book. I’m starting Insomnia by Sarah Pinborough. I loved the Netflix adaptation of her book Behind Her Eyes so I am excited about this new release.
Ingredients
This vegetable sandwich recipe has-
- Sourdough bread. This sandwich though is great with any sandwich bread, no need to get fancy.
- Thinly sliced tomato, cucumbers, and white onions.
- Shredded Colby Jack cheese. Shredded cheese adds a great melt, but feel free to use sliced cheese too.
- Mayonnaise mixed with prepared pesto. The simplest of additions that add big flavor.
- Butter. Spread unsalted butter on the bread to help add crispiness to the bread.
- Dried basil.
How to make this air fryer veggie sandwich step-by-step
Start by mixing the mayonnaise and prepared pesto together. Set aside.
Remove the air fryer basket and build the sandwich in that. Start with buttering one side of the bread and place it butter side down.
Spread on the pesto mayonnaise then add half of the shredded Colby jack cheese.
The veggies I use for this sandwich are tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion. Thinly slice the vegetables so that the sandwich doesn’t become too bulky.
Layer each of the vegetables onto the bread. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
Add more of the mayonnaise to the top piece of bread.
The last step I do is to add more of the softened butter to the top and sprinkle it with dried basil.
Place the basket in the air fryer set the temperature to 350 degrees and cook for 5 minutes.
With a spatula, carefully flip the sandwich and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Cut in half and eat immediately.
Tips & Variations
- Oven-roasted turkey is a good addition to this if you want to add meat.
- Swap out the mayonnaise for hummus.
- Make your own sourdough bread with this recipe from The Recipe Critic.
Storage
This recipe is for one sandwich so ideally, there will be no leftovers. This is a great lunch recipe to use up leftover vegetables from the garden. Prep and store vegetables, as well as the pesto mayonnaise, to save time if you are making these sandwiches for more than one day in a row.
For the bread, I purchase it when it is on a day-old discount from my grocery store bakery and freeze it. Remove the bread and place it on the counter about an hour before using it.
More air fryer sandwich recipes
And here you are….
From our home in the Bottom Left of the Mitten to yours ~ Enjoy!
Air Fryer Veggie Sandwich
Equipment
- air fryer
- spatula
Ingredients
Pesto Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon basil pesto
Veggie Sandwich
- 2 pieces sourdough bread
- 1/2 medium cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 medium beefsteak tomato thinly sliced
- 1/2 small white onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shredded Colby jack cheese halved
- 2 tablespoons butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
Pesto Mayonnaise
- In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and prepared pesto. Stir to combine.2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon basil pesto
Veggie Sandwich
- Slice the tomato, cucumber, and onions into thin slices.1/2 medium cucumber, 1 medium beefsteak tomato, 1/2 small white onion
- Smear one side of a piece of sourdough bread with softened butter.2 pieces sourdough bread, 2 tablespoons butter
- Place face down in the bottom of an air fryer basket.
- Use a knife to spread on half of the pesto mayonnaise mixture.
- Sprinkle on half of the shredded cheese.1/2 cup shredded Colby jack cheese
- Layer the tomato, onion, and cucumber.
- Add the rest of the cheese to the top of the vegetables.
- Slather on the rest of the pesto mayonnaise to the last piece of bread. Place mayo sauce side down on top.
- Use the rest of the butter on the top of the slice of bread. Sprinkle with dried basil.2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Cook in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Use a spatula to flip the sandwich. (See notes)
- Return the basket and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove, cut in half and eat immediatley. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Tips for making this recipe:
- The sides of the air fryer basket will be very hot so use a spatula and try to avoid touching them when flipping the sandwich. Use a fork to anchor the bottom of the other side to help if it’s difficult.
- Thinly slice the vegetables. Cutting them too thick will result in a sandwich that is hard to flip in the air fryer basket and also the vegetables will need longer to cook in the sandwich.
- Make one sandwich at a time. The ingredients can last up to 3 days so it’s a great sandwich to have for lunch throughout the week.
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Last Updated on March 16, 2023 by Erin@BottomLeftoftheMitten
I hadn’t thought of air frying a sandwich. What a great idea! I’m always looking for more veggie sandwich ideas. Thank you!
It’s one of my favorite ways to make sandwiches for sure. Thank you, Andrea.
Super loved this veggie sandwich recipe, so easy to make and easy to follow! Thanks a lot for sharing this delicious recipe.
Thank you, Allyssa! I am so glad you liked it.
Pesto mayonnaise – this sounds delicious! I haven’t tried making a sandwich in the air fryer yet, but I will have to give it a try! I think I will make this tonight!
I hope you like it, Ann! Thank you.