I love this copycat Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich because it has a surprising amount of flavor. It’s packed with fresh veggies, has a creamy hummus, fun sweet and spicy peppers, plus a delightful, soft tomato basil sourdough bread with a sweet honey crust.

Plus, because it’s homemade, I don’t have to choose between an apple or kettle cooked potato chips. I can have them both : )

Why should I make the veggie sandwich at home instead of just buying it from Panera?

Buying in Bulk – When I started thinking about making this sandwich at home, I knew I couldn’t do it justice without the bread. So I stopped by the bakery at Panera, and discovered a HUGE loaf of tomato basil bread, with 22 slices, for about 8 bucks. That’s roughly the same cost as the sandwich itself. So we can make about 10 sandwiches for the cost of one. Well there are other ingredients, but hopefully you get the idea.

A jar of peppadew peppers, if you can find them, should last just as long the loaf of tomato basil bread. In my area, a 14oz jar runs about 6 bucks. Each sandwich only requires 2-3 peppers. If you can’t find them close by, Amazon sells them at a much less friendly cost for $10-12. Substitute if you must.

Even fresh veggies go a long way with this sandwich. We only need 4 onion rings, so just one large red onion does the trick! Likewise with a large cucumber, hummus, feta, and lettuce.

So whether we decide to make a dozen sandwiches for family and friends, meal prep for the week, or make one and just freeze the rest, I believe this is a tasty experiment worth trying.

Carte Blanche – While Panera has optimized it’s sandwich to appeal to a wide consumer base, that doesn’t mean it has everything that we want on our sandwich. If you’ve ever wanted something that wasn’t on the menu, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. Especially if we have a special diet or allergies.

I really do love the sandwich as is, but why not give it a few variations from time to time. For example, what if we did guacamole instead of hummus? Pickled jalapenos instead of piquantes. Gouda instead of feta. Arugula instead of “emerald” greens. Change the bread to….forget it. Not the bread.

The choices are endless. To their credit, Panera does offer quite a few options on their order form. So consider those too as we’re dreaming up the perfect lunch time delight.

Quality Control – Making food at home ensures that everything in our meal is fresh, clean, and wholesome. That’s not always the case when eating out and the kitchen staff is down to the last, not so perfect tomatoes that will go on your sandwich. For example, the last Mediterranean Veggie I bought barely had any hummus. It was a far cry from the thick creamy layer in their photos.

Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich Ingredients

Let’s take a look at what makes this seemingly common sandwich taste so good.

Tomato Basil Sourdough Bread – Great sandwiches have great bread. And this soft tomato basil sourdough is great bread. The flavors of honey, cinnamon, and vanilla will make you want to go back for more. You can try others, like whole wheat bread, or regular sourdough, but it won’t be the same.

I did find a recipe if you want to make your own bread from scratch. Another thought is to use sourdough or wheat bread, but add the missing flavors into your hummus – honey, cinnamon, vanilla, basil, and garlic like I did HERE. That should give your sandwich that touch of sweetness that makes it great.

Traditional Hummus – This simple recipe includes all the same ingredients you’ll find in panera’s own recipe: Chickpeas, canola oil, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and cumin. I added a little paprika and lemon zest to make it purdy. Click HERE for my Easy Chickpea Hummus recipe! Note: If you are a fan of Panera’s discontinued cilantro jalapeno hummus, find a similar recipe here.

Crumbled Feta – Adds some thick and creamy texture which I love with this hummus, and tangy, sharp taste that complements the rest of the ingredients.

“Peppadew” Piquante Peppers – What the heck is a peppadew anyway? Well I’m so glad you asked. These are small, strawberry-shaped peppers, with a slightly sweet, slightly spicy flavor. We’ll need 2-3 peppers per sandwich. Try to use them if you can. It’s one of the unique factors that make the Mediterranean Veggie sandwich a standout.

Red Onions – Big and fresh are best for those full-size onion rings. The reddish to purple onions typically have a mild flavor, which makes them great for sandwiches and salads.

Vine-Ripened Tomatoes – These are the tomatoes that Panera touts on their ingredients list. I find that tomatoes on the vine are a good option when tomatoes are out of season. But when it comes to summer, use the best, freshest tomatoes you can find.

Green Leaf Lettuce – Panera identifies their lettuce as “Emerald Greens.” I guess that sounds fancier than green leaf lettuce. I love the green color, the ruffled edges, and especially the crunch added to this sandwich. Get this stuff as fresh as you can because it does wilt sooner than romaine or even spinach.

How to Make a Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich

I really think when making a copycat recipe, it’s important to get as close as possible to the real deal. That’s why I bought, studied, and tasted an actual Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich just minutes before making my own. I want the taste to be spot on.

Prepare the Veggies

I dissected the Panera sandwich, inspecting all of the ingredients, how they were cut, and how they were placed. Here’s what I discovered.

First, it’s best to probably use a sharp chef’s knife on a cutting board for each of these cuts.

#1. Slice the RED ONIONS into rings. Not too thin, not to thick. About 1/4″ worked for my sandwich. We need 4 medium to large rings per sandwich.

#2 Cut the CUCUMBER into quarters. Remove the watery middle where the seeds hideout. Cut the 4 sticks in half lengthwise, so that you now have 8. Finish by slicing each one stick into pieces. We want about 2 tablespoons worth.

#3 Roughly chop about 3 PEPPADEW PEPPERS. We’ll need about 1 tablespoon worth for each sandwich.

#4 Consider using a serrated knife to more easily slice the TOMATOES, and get through that tough skin. We’re going for 4 slices, about 1/4″ thick, per sandwich.

#5 Finally, cut GREEN LEAF LETTUCE into pieces that will easily fit your bread. I trimmed the white part closer to the stem, leaving just the green part of the leaf. Then I cut the lettuce into about 4 pieces, careful to leave that beautiful ruffle on the end of each one. We want the lettuce to fit the bread slice perfectly, in one layer.

Assemble the Sandwich

Step 1: Spread a thin layer of hummus on each slice of bread.

Step 2: Add a layer of green leaf lettuce to one slice of bread.

Step 3: Add about 1 tablespoon of feta and on top of the hummus slice.

Step 4: Add 1 tablespoon of peppadew peppers.

Step 5: Add 2 tablespoons of cucumber slices.

Step 6: Add 4 red onion rings.

Step 7: Add 4 tomato slices.

Step 8: Close the sandwich and ENJOY your fresh, delicious lunch!

FAQ for Panera Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich

Where can I buy a loaf of Panera Bread’s Tomato Basil Bread?

Right from the Panera Bread in-store bakery if you have one close by. If not, they are available online through PaneraBread.com

If buying from Panera Bread is not ideal, then what bread substitutions can I use?

Idea #1: Make your own tomato basil bread. Try out this recipe!

Idea #2: Use whatever bread you have on hand. It won’t taste the same, but will still be a tasty, quick, and healthy lunch. But maybe idea #3 will help with that.

Idea #3: If using a different bread, try my Sweet Tomato Basil Hummus recipe that I made just for this situation. I’ve added honey, cinnamon, and vanilla to my Easy Chickpea Hummus. These additional ingredients are all found in the crumble glaze Panera adds to their tomato basil bread. Of course, I also included tomato, basil, and garlic, which are baked into the bread.

What if I can’t find a jar of Peppadew Piquante Peppers?

Consider using other spicy peppers like pickled cherry peppers or pickled jalapenos. Not into spicy peppers? Consider using roasted red bell peppers. Any of these peppers from a jar will save you some money as well!

Did you make this recipe? Share your experience in the comments below and photos on Instagram @TheFlavorFanatic1.

More Sandwich Recipe Favorites

Pesto & Hummus Veggie Sandwich

Full Flavor Frittata

Vegetarian Breakfast Sandwich

More Creamy Hummus Favorites

Easy Chickpea Hummus

Sweet Tomato Basil Hummus