The world of vegan sandwiches is certainly not limited to a smear of hummus and a pile of cold veggies. Fry up some tempeh, bake a batch of falafel, or make an avocado-based dressing, and you’ll realize there are about a million better things to put between bread than faux deli meat. Here are vegan sandwiches that make lunchtime the best time.

1. BBQ Pulled Jackfruit Sliders: Pile barbecue-sauced pulled jackfruit with abandon on your choice of sturdy bun — after all, it’s a fruit. (via Brit + Co)
Chickpea Salad Sandwich Camping Recipe

2. Chickpea Salad Sandwich: Who needs tuna when you can make this chickpea mash? (via Brit + Co)

3. Whole Foods Smoky TTLA Sandwich: Make this fried tempeh sandwich at home, and you’ll forever understand why it inspired a viral Facebook review. (via Whole Foods)

4. BBQ Tofu Stuffed Pita Pockets: Find a creative use for tofu by stuffing it in pillowy pita, complete with mayo, BBQ sauce, romaine, and sprouts. (via Liv B’s Vegan on a Budget; photo via Brilynn Ferguson)

5. Crispy Cauliflower Sandwich: This sandwich will teach you the tastiest way to serve crispy cauliflower steaks, on ciabatta bread slathered with paprika-spiked romesco sauce. (via Delish Knowledge)
Healthier Tempeh Reuben | halfbakedharvest.com @hbharvest

6. Healthier Tempeh Reuben: Lighten up this deli staple with marinated and pan-fried tempeh, cashew cheese, and tahini-based thousand island dressing. The use of sauerkraut and warm, toasty bread keeps things traditional. (via Half Baked Harvest)

Vegan French Dip Sandwiches

7. Vegan French Dip Sandwiches: Sautéed portobellos provide all the meatiness you need in this horseradish-spiced sandwich, best dipped in the umami-rich cooking liquid of the mushrooms. (via Connoisseurus Veg)
Stacked Vegan BLT Sandwich halves for a satisfying vegan lunch

8. Vegan BLT: Believe it or not, you can make sweet and smoky vegan bacon with thinly sliced eggplant, staple condiments, and an oven. Don’t skip the raw onion during sandwich assembly; a few slivers add zippiness to the crispy, juicy masterpiece. (via Minimalist Baker)

Vegan Meatball Sandwiches! If you love meatball sandwiches, then you've gotta try this vegan version. Chickpea meatballs smothered in marinara sauce and homemade vegan parmesan. Meatballs freeze well! | www.delishknowledge.com

9. Vegan Meatball Sandwiches: Love sauce-laden meatball subs? Replace the ground beef with chickpeas and walnuts, and your craving will be sated. (via Delish Knowledge)
"Chicken" Fried Tofu Sandwich with Spicy Buffalo Slaw with Drinking Glass and Mixing Bowl in the Background

10. “Chicken” Fried Tofu Sandwiches With Spicy Buffalo Slaw: Mimic the comforting flavors of a fried chicken sandwich by breading and frying a slab of tofu and nestling it in a kaiser roll with dairy-free slaw. (via Connoisseurus Veg)

11. Veggie Pan Bagnat: A pan bagnat is basically a salade niçoise (green beans, artichokes, olives, and beans) between bread. It’s best to make the sandwich ahead of time, wrap it up, and place it under a few heavy books in the fridge, which sounds odd but ensures that the bread soaks up all of the lemony dressing. (via Simple Veganista)
Vegan Caprese Panini

12. Caprese Panini With Cashew Mozzarella: This griddled ciabatta panini proves that nut-based cheese can get just as gooey as the dairy stuff. (via Wallflower Kitchen)

Slow-Roasted Tomato and Cilantro-Cashew Picnic Sandwich | http://saltandwind.com

13. Slow-Roasted Tomato and Cilantro-Cashew Sandwich: Have a spare baguette? Fill it lovingly with garlicky roasted tomatoes and a spicier take on pesto. Just replace the goat cheese with vegan cream cheese or another smooth substitute. (via Salt and Wind)
Toasted Vegan Veggie Crunch Sandwich with Tzatziki & Balsamic Drizzle

14. Toasted Veggie Crunch Sandwich With Tzatziki and Balsamic Drizzle: Use crispy, thinly sliced veggies like carrots and cucumber to keep your vegan sandwich is refreshingly crunchy rather than disappointingly limp. (via Blissful Basil)

15. Grilled Hummus Sandwich With Sautéed Onion, Tomato, and Arugula: Just a little bit of heat transforms a predictable vegan sandwich into a hearty, crave-able meal. (via Simple Veganista)

16. Fresh Herb, White Bean, and Avocado Sandwich: Vegan cheese and mayonnaise aren’t the only keys to a creamy vegan sandwich. Instead, make an herbed white-bean spread, which pairs flawlessly with alfalfa sprouts and juicy tomatoes in this cool and filling sandwich. (via Cook Nourish Bliss)

This Lentil Loaf Sandwich is SIX lavers of flavor. The perfect hearty entree, and its secretly healthy, gluten free, and vegan.

17. Lentil Loaf Sandwiches: Be a resourceful cook by whipping up a butternut squash lentil “meatloaf” for dinner, then tucking it into a hamburger bun with caramelized onions and cranberry-maple mustard for lunch the next day. (via Catching Seeds)
Close Up of a Vegan Meatball Banh Mi on a Plate with Drinking Glass in the Background

18. Vegan Meatball Bánh Mì: A classic Vietnamese sandwich gets a vegan twist (but remains highly indulgent) with bean-and-walnut meatballs, pickled veggies, and Sriracha “mayo,” all tucked into a baguette with fresh herbs. (via Connoisseurus Veg)

RELATED: 23 Raw Vegan Recipes You’re Craving Right Now

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Additional reporting by Justina Huddleston

Sara Cagle
Sara is a food and lifestyle freelance writer in Los Angeles. She writes a weekly events column for the Los Angeles Times and loves writing food content for Brit + Co. After all, the English language's most fun adjectives are best applied to delicious foods. In her free time, she's a hip hop dancer, avid moviegoer, and thorough face-mask user.