This Caprese Sandwich is the perfect summer meal made with juicy ripe summer tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and flavorful pesto-mayo on a baguette.  Make them ahead for picnics, potlucks, and lunches on the go. (Original recipe 2011, updated 2022) 
These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pesto-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go.
There’s nothing like perfectly ripe summer tomatoes, so juicy and sweet, and so I try not to do too much to them, allowing their amazing flavor to shine through. One of my favorite ways to highlight them is in this Caprese Sandwich.
What I love about this Caprese Sandwich is that it can be made ahead and is totally packable- perfect for outdoor picnics or hikes. The sandwich also keeps a few days in the fridge, a nice treat to come home to.
Over the years, we’ve had many iterations of this sandwich in our catering business- this recipe was first posted in 2011, when I kid you not, we were making 400 of these sandwiches a day for a while!
Crazy to think about! I much prefer the slower pace of my life these days. 😉

Ingredients in Caprese Sandwich

 

ingredeints in Caprese Sandwich

How to make Caprese Baguette Sandwich

Start off with a good crusty baguette.  I usually make a whole baguette‘s worth of sandwiches…keeping the leftovers for the next day.
making the caprese sandwich
Split the baguette with a serrated knife leaving one side intact (this makes for easier handling when it’s full of goodies) and toast in the oven till warm and just barely browned. Not too toasty or it will scrape the roof of your mouth.
Mix your favorite Pesto with Mayo. I often use this Arugula Pesto here but Basil pesto works great too!
Of course, you can use store-bought pesto!
Generously spread the Pesto-Mayo on both sides of the bread.
Layer the fresh mozzarella cheese.
Add some sliced ripe summer tomatoes.  Here are some heirloom varieties from our garden.
Top with more basil, drizzle with olive oil, balsamic, and a little salt and pepper.
These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pest0-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go. 
Close it up and cut into 5-6 sandwiches!
These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pest0-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go. 
And enjoy!

These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pest0-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go. 

TIP: If serving a large group, serve as an appetizer in smaller portions, like “finger sandwiches” – cutting them into 1 to 2-inch slices, skewer, and serve them on a large cutting board like we do in our catering business.
These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pest0-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go. 

Always a hearty, popular crowd-pleaser!

Enjoy!

xoxo

Sylvia

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These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pest0-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go. 

Caprese Sandwich

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  • Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
  • Prep Time: 25
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Vegan Lunch, sandwich
  • Method: blended
  • Cuisine: Northwest
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

These Caprese Sandwiches are the perfect summer lunch- made with juicy ripe tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and  pest0-mayo on a baguette, they are great made ahead or packed for picnic lunches on the go.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Arugula Pesto (makes one cup)

  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup smoked almonds (or toasted almonds, or pinenuts)
  • 1 cup packed Basil leaves (or flat-leaf parsley)
  • 2 cups packed Arugula
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1/41/2 tsp kosher salt (if your almonds are heavily salted, use salt to taste.)
  • cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. Make arugula pesto if using: Place everything in a food processor and pulse repeatedly, until uniformly combined, but not too smooth.
  2. Slice baguette in half lengthwise, leaving one side intact. Toast it a little if you like.
  3. Mix the 1/4 cup mayo and 3-4 tablespoons pesto together. Slather over the insides of the baguette.
  4. Layer with mozzarella and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Add the fresh basil. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic.
  6. Close the baguette and cut it into 5- 6 pieces. Tightly wrap any leftovers and keep in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

Notes

Feel free to sub avocado or goat cheese for the mozzarella. 

Turn this into an appetizer ( finger sandwiches) by cutting into 14-16 pieces, using skewers or toothpicks to hold it together (skewer before cutting).

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: with 1 cup cheese
  • Calories: 303
  • Sugar: 8.1 g
  • Sodium: 1113.3 mg
  • Fat: 12.7 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 34 g
  • Fiber: 4.3 g
  • Protein: 14.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 5.1 mg

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Comments

  1. what gorgeous photos! that bread looks divine, and such gorgeous heirloom tomatoes! can’t wait until summmmerrr!

  2. I think i had this same sandwich with Dave’s Killer bread at least 4x a week this summer…veganaise, garden tomatoes, avocado, sea salt/pepper and drizzled with the best olive oil. mmmmm. can’t wait til next summer.

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