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+ servings
3 inch slices of filled pan bagnat with pesto
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5 from 1 vote

Vegetarian Pan Bagnat

A crusty baguette, the insides jam-packed with garlicky green pesto, crisp cucumbers, roasted red pepper, juicy tomatoes and more, here's a portable feast that’s easy and fun to make.
Prep Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: pan bagnat, vegetarian
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the sandwich:

  • 1 fresh baguette (allow 3 or 4 inches per person)
  • basil walnut pesto, as needed
  • 3 ounces Sliced baked tofu, as desired
  • 3 Tomato slices, as desired
  • 1 cup Lettuce greens or leaves, as desired
  • 2 or 3 ounces Sliced cheese, , fresh or aged, one or several types, your choice
  • 8 to 12 Pitted olives , sliced
  • 1 Roasted red pepper, as desired
  • 1 cup Thinly sliced cucumber or small zucchini, as desired
  • 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, as needed

Instructions

To make the pesto:

  • With the motor of the food processor running, mince the garlic by dropping it through the feed tube. Process until it is very fine and has flown onto the processor bowl. Add the cilantro, pepitas and salt. Process for about 10 seconds, stopping to move things around if they get hung up. With the machine running, pour oil through the feed tube in a thin stream, processing until everything is well blended. Pour in the lime juice. 

To assemble the pan bagnat:

  • Slice the baguette lengthwise, about a third of the way from the top, so you have two lengths, the top one about half the depth of the bottom. With your fingers, make each side hollow by tearing out the softer bready insides.
  • Spread both top and bottom hollows very generously with pesto. In the bottom hollow, mound the ingredients, aiming for lots of flavor and variety. You want to make a mound high enough to fit inside the top hollow. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper and some red wine vinegar. 
  • Place the other length of the baguette on top—it should fit over your layers without too much of a gap. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then fasten with rubber bands, at intervals, to press the sandwich together. Pack in your picnic basket, along with a small cutting surface and a good serrated knife.
  • To serve, slice the Pan Bagnat right through the plastic. Peel away the plastic as you eat the sandwich.

Notes

  • Pepita is the Spanish word for pumpkin seeds. 
  • If you don’t have enough cilantro, supplement with parsley.