Mighty delicious and certainly cheaper than a vacation to Europe, this recipe contains all the bright flavors associated with beautiful, sunny Spain packed between two slices of crusty bread!
Since all tofu blocks do not come equally shaped, feel free to cut yours however you see fit, as long as the thickness doesn’t exceed ½ inch (1.3 cm). —CS
MAKES 4 SANDWICHES
2 tbsp (30 ml) sherry vinegar
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
1 tbsp (6 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp smoked sea salt
1 tsp Aleppo-style pepper flakes
1 lb (454 g) super-firm tofu cut into square
½” (1.3-cm) thick slices
About 20 vegan buttery crackers (2 oz [56 g]), crushed into fine crumbs
1 tsp onion powder
½ cup (112 g) plain vegan mayo
8 slices vegan crusty bread of choice, toasted or
4 panini, halved and toasted
Fresh baby spinach
Thinly sliced red onion
Marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
Roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced
Pitted Spanish olives or other favorite olives, halved
Fresh parsley
In a large, shallow dish, stir to combine the vinegar, oil, lemon juice, paprika, salt and pepper flakes. Place the tofu slices in the marinade, flipping them over to make sure each side gets coated with the marinade. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, flipping the slices once halfway through.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the cracker crumbs and onion powder in a shallow bowl, stirring to combine. Grab a tofu slice with one hand, letting the excess marinade drip back into the pan. With the other hand, coat the slice on both sides with cracker crumbs. Place it onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining slices. Do not discard the marinade!
Bake the tofu for 12 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. In the meantime, whisk the mayo with the leftover marinade in a small bowl until well combined.
Grab a couple slices of bread or a bread roll, and apply a layer of mayo. Top with a handful of spinach, a few slices of onion, 4 tofu slices, a few pieces of artichoke hearts, bell pepper, olives and a small handful of parsley. Apply the second mayo-ed slice of bread on top, press down gently and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.