Few things are better than a good Italian sub and this one tops my list. It starts with good, soft rolls that are lightly toasted (key word is “lightly”). Then I fill the sandwiches with my vegan basil pesto, crispy tofu nuggets and a jarred marinara (no need to do homemade unless you really want to).
My pesto is made with toasted pumpkin seeds and a blend of basil and spinach which means it’s less expensive (pinenuts are crazy pricey and using all basil really adds up). Plus, pumpkin seeds are a pantry staple of mine so I always have them ready to go. I generally have a basil plant and baby spinach in the fridge so I make this pesto A LOT on a whim and use it in some of my favorite pasta and soup recipes – it’s super versatile.
Anyhoo, I think you’ll really love these sandwiches, it’s super hard not to. Pro tip: make the pesto and tofu nuggets and meal prep day and keep the bread in the freezer until the day of. That way these sandwiches come together pronto on a busy night. Then serve them up with a simple side, like a meal-prepped fruit salad or a roasted vegetable.
Italian Crispy Tofu + Pesto Sandwiches
Ingredients
1 cup Basil Pesto, get my vegan recipe here
2 cups marinara sauce, I like Raos brand jarred sauce
1 batch Crispy Tofu Nuggets, get my recipe here
4 sub sandwich rolls, split
To Make
Prepare tofu nuggets. While they bake, make pesto.
Assemble sandwiches. Lightly toast split rolls (you don’t want them too crunchy, look for a very light golden color on the edges. Spread 1/4 cup pesto onto the bottom half of each roll. Top with 3 nuggets per sandwich. Spoon up to 1/2 cup marinara sauce onto each sandwich, top with upper half of rolls.
Notes
– i recommend making a double batch of tofu nuggets, trust me, you’ll want extra
– my pesto recipe makes about 1-3/4 cups, so you’ll have extra pesto… try my Pesto White Bean Soup with the leftovers
– switch out the pesto for my garlicky cashew cream and you’ve got a vegan Tofu Parmesan style sandwich, get the recipe here
Radiate Food Vibes 
Looks really good
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