Vegetarian sandwich

Why not add slices of cucumber for crunch.

Thank you for all for the input on this sandwich,. I appreciate the feedback and will definitely try to incorporate some of these tips into my construction of this sandwich.

The vegetable choices sound great. Personally, I would add a white bean spread to it if you are trying to avoid dairy.
In a food processor, combine cooked white beans, roasted garlic, salt, pepper, rosemary,lemon juice, thyme, parsley and olive oil.

What you don't have is crunch. I like carrot ribbons (thin, lengthwise strips) in sandwiches, but especially in ones with cooked ingredients where things tend to get heavy. They bring a lot of crunch and a good amount of sweetness to the party.
Also, an alternative to the vinaigrette would be a nice tahini dressing (tahine, garlic, lemon juice, salt and water to thin), which goes so well with eggplant and is creamy enough to stand up to rocket while still being vegan. Of course these are very subjective recommendations, but they would definitely work. ;)

I'm with you up to the vinaigrette. Is that a marinade for vegetables, dressing to toss the greens? Or Italian style soak-the-bread? I wouldn't want too much oil running down my arms... I think of veg sandwiches as a no holds barred mix and match with anything from my fridge and pantry, and I'm usually happy with the results, never to be repeated.

There's plenty on that sandwich....but just to add on more; maybe some marinated artichokes.

Sounds like you are good to go. I would think about adding tahini and garlic to the chickpea spread to make a hummus. But maybe you are already doing that. I like savorthis's suggestion for using cress but also pepper sprouts might be good. I had something like that for a late lunch yesterday.

I too have been considering an eggplant sandwich for lunch tomorrow and was also going to grill and have arugula and chickpeas. I made a roasted tomato and garlic jam that had urfa pepper in it and was thinking of roasting the chickpeas to make them crunchy. All your flavors sound good but I think some crunch would be good as well. Maybe a cress instead of rocket? Or marinate cucumber briefly in your vinaigrette.

Completely agree! So much depends on the eggplant. As long as you are roasting your own peppers and making your own hummus, you can keep the whole thing balanced. Good luck!

Yes, eggplant can be bitter, but i feel that the larger eggplants have more seeds, which contribute to enhanced bitterness; however, the roasted red bell peppers provide sufficient sweetness, and the chickpea spread can really lend a nutty creaminess blended with a touch of olive oil to create sort of an emulsion. I think it would be heartier to have a chickpea spread here. Thanks for your opinion @Nomnomnom

As a vegetarian I've eaten a fair share of eggplant sandwiches. The success rests more upon the execution of the eggplant and the marinade used. There is potential for a lot of bitterness here. I would add something creamy to balance it out. In lieu of cheese, avocado could be nice.

Heat would definitely augment this sandwich. I'm thinking of maybe using a small amount of chili oil in the chickpea spread to give some background heat.

Sounds awesome.. I assume that the sandwich is going to be grilled like a panini though. THat toasted crunch would be perfect. As HLA says, a drop of chile pepper heat would take it to new heights.. even a drop or two or drizzle of Sriracha (not tabasco which has more buzz from vinegar)

You've got sweet, earthy, tangy, peppery, fresh so seems like a good mix. Only thing I'd consider adding would be a little heat - maybe add some finely chopped jalepeno or some cayenne or Aleppo to the chickpea spread.