Description
A vibrant and crunchy sandwich featuring roasted broccoli and red onion, combined with a zesty peanut sauce, garlic mayonnaise, fresh rocket, and crispy onions, all layered between thick slabs of focaccia or ciabatta rolls. This recipe offers a delightful mix of textures and bold flavors perfect for a satisfying vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Broccoli Peanut Sauce
- 1 head of broccoli (around 375g), florets trimmed and the stalk roughly chopped
- 75g roasted salted peanuts
- 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1 red chilli (deseeded if you prefer), finely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 50ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- Salt, to taste
Roasted Vegetables
- Broccoli florets from the prepared head
- 1 red onion, thickly sliced
- 1 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil
- Salt and pepper, to season
Sandwich Assembly
- 2 tbsp garlic mayonnaise
- 2 thick slabs of focaccia or 2 ciabatta rolls
- 40g rocket or watercress
- 4 tbsp crispy onions
Instructions
- Prepare Broccoli Stalks: Place the chopped broccoli stalks into a saucepan and cover with boiling water, adding a generous pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes until the stalks are just tender. Drain the broccoli, reserving some of the cooking liquid for later use.
- Make Peanut Sauce: Transfer the cooked broccoli stalks into a food processor. Add most of the roasted salted peanuts (reserve some for texture), chopped garlic, finely chopped red chilli, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, and 50ml of cold-pressed rapeseed oil. Blitz the mixture until finely chopped. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved cooking liquid to loosen it. Add the remaining peanuts and pulse a few times to maintain chunky texture. Season the sauce with salt and extra lime juice to taste. Chill if not using immediately.
- Roast Broccoli Florets and Red Onion: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6. Tip the broccoli florets and red onion slices into a roasting tin. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of rapeseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the broccoli edges are nicely charred.
- Assemble the Sandwich: Spread garlic mayonnaise over the inside base of the focaccia slabs or ciabatta rolls. Layer on the roasted broccoli and red onion mixture, then spoon over the broccoli peanut sauce generously. Add a handful of fresh rocket or watercress, and sprinkle with crispy onions. Place the top half of the bread on the sandwich, press lightly to combine all layers, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less red chilli based on your preference.
- The peanut sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to four days, making it ideal for meal prep.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free bread or rolls.
- If you prefer a nut-free alternative, consider substituting peanuts with toasted sunflower seeds, although this will alter the flavor profile.
- This sandwich is best served fresh to enjoy the contrast between the warm roasted vegetables and the crunchy toppings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Sandwiches
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: roasted broccoli sandwich, peanut sauce sandwich, vegetarian sandwich, garlic mayonnaise sandwich, roasted vegetables sandwich
