Vegan Pan Bagnat
Vegan Pan Bagnat — a fresh and easy, no-cook Niçoise salad sandwich packed with white beans, crisp veggies, briny olives, artichokes, and a zesty vinaigrette, all pressed into crusty bread (or lettuce wraps for gluten-free). Meal-prep friendly and perfect for healthy picnics, lunches, or light dinners!
Easy Vegan Pan Bagnat – Niçoise-Inspired Sandwich
Pan bagnat (meaning “bathed bread”) is a classic French Riviera specialty from Nice 🇫🇷 — essentially a pressed-sandwich version of niçoise salad, where the bread soaks up the vinaigrette and all the flavors meld beautifully.
Traditional versions feature tuna, anchovies, hard-boiled eggs, olives, raw veggies (bell pepper, green beans, radish, onion), olive oil, and vinegar. In this plant-based take, we swap in protein-rich white beans for the tuna and eggs — keeping the crisp veggies, briny olives, artichokes, and tangy dressing for a sandwich that’s just as delicious (if not better!).
This vegetarian niçoise salad makes an incredible filling for crusty bread, but it’s just as wonderful spooned over leafy greens as a hearty salad. Bonus: it tastes even better the next day, so leftovers are a win!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This fresh veggie Pan Bagnat is a deconstructed Niçoise salad sandwich. It’s simple, satisfying, and endlessly customizable!
The Salad & Filling
- White beans — cannellini, great northern, or chickpeas (garbanzo beans) for protein and creaminess
- Red bell pepper — diced for sweet crunch and color (any color works)
- Niçoise or kalamata olives — pitted and halved for a briny bite (capers are a great swap)
- Artichoke hearts — preferably packed in water, drained and quartered
- French green beans — blanched or steamed for crisp-tender texture (optional but classic)
- Red onion — thinly sliced for sharp flavor and vibrant color (any onion variety is fine)
- Pepperoncini — sliced for tangy heat (optional, but adds a nice kick)
- Tomatoes — sliced or diced for juiciness
- Fresh basil + parsley — chopped for bright, herbaceous notes (use one or both)
The Vinaigrette
- Dijon mustard — for tang and emulsification
- Fresh lemon — juice and zest for lively brightness
- Extra virgin olive oil — good-quality for richness (reduce or omit for oil-free)
- Salt & freshly cracked pepper — to taste
For Assembly
- Baguettes — crusty and fresh, sliced lengthwise (or gluten-free bread, lettuce wraps, or pita for variety)
How To Make Veggie Pan Bagnat
This pan bagnat is a fresh, hearty Niçoise-style sandwich. The secret is pressing it so the flavors meld and the bread soaks up the vinaigrette. Here’s the simple process:
Make The White Bean Nicoise Salad
This fresh, no-cook Niçoise salad comes together in minutes — a full printable recipe with exact measurements is in the card below.
1. Make the Zesty Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, and fresh lemon juice until smooth and emulsified. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste — set aside.
2. Mash the Beans (Optional): In a medium to large bowl, roughly mash about half the white beans with the back of a fork for a creamy texture. Leave the rest whole for contrast — or mash them all if you prefer a smoother salad.
3. Add the Veggies & Flavor: Toss in the sliced red onion, kalamata or Niçoise olives, quartered artichoke hearts, blanched green beans, diced red bell pepper, sliced pepperoncini, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
4. Dress & Mix: Pour the vinaigrette over everything and gently toss until evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning — a little more lemon for brightness or a little more salt for balance.
That’s it — a vibrant, protein-packed salad ready to enjoy right away! It tastes even better after 30 minutes in the fridge, when the flavors have melded.
Assemble Pan Bagnat
1. Prep the Bread: Slice a crusty baguette in half lengthwise. Gently hollow out a little bread from the top and bottom halves (remove about ½ inch or so from the soft interior) — this creates room for the filling and helps the sandwich hold together when pressed.
2. Build the Layers: Brush both cut sides of the bread with a little olive oil (or skip for oil-free). Start with the bottom half: pile on the white bean Niçoise salad mixture generously (it’s okay to mound it high — pressing will compact it). Layer sliced tomatoes over the top for juiciness, add fresh basil leaves for bright herb flavor, then finish with a sprinkle of mineral salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
3. Close & Press: Top with the other bread half. Wrap the sandwich tightly in parchment paper or foil (or place in a resealable bag). Press it down gently but firmly — use a heavy pan, cutting board with weight on top, or even a cast-iron skillet for 30–60 minutes (or overnight in the fridge for maximum flavor). This step helps the bread absorb the moisture from the salad dressing, making for ‘bathing the bread‘.
Serve: Unwrap, slice in half or into wedges, and enjoy! It’s best at room temperature or chilled — the flavors deepen as it sits.
How To Store + Meal Prep
Refrigerator: Assembled sandwiches stay fresh for 3–4 days in the fridge — wrap tightly in parchment or beeswax wrap (or store in an airtight container) to prevent sogginess. Leftover salad filling keeps well for 5–6 days in a sealed container — the flavors actually deepen and taste even better after a day or two.
Meal Prep Tips:
- Make the white bean Niçoise salad ahead — portion into containers for grab-and-go lunches or snacks.
- Store bread separately to keep it crusty (add it just before eating).
- For sandwiches: assemble, wrap tightly in parchment or foil, and refrigerate. They travel beautifully for picnics or work lunches — the pressing time makes them hold together perfectly.
- Add fresh toppings (avocado, sprouts, lettuce) right before serving to keep them crisp and vibrant.
More Easy Sandwich Recipes!
- Cranberry Walnut Vegan ‘Chicken’ Salad Sandwich
- Grilled Hummus Sandwich + Caramelized Onions
- Vegan Egg Salad Sandwich
- Lentil + Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus Wraps
- See all vegan Sandwich & Wrap recipes on TSV!
If you try this easy French-inspired recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
Vegan Pan Bagnat – White Bean Niçoise Salad Sandwich
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This fresh and easy vegan pan bagnat is a deconstructed Niçoise salad sandwich with white beans, crisp veggies, olives, capers, and a tangy vinaigrette on crusty bread. Perfect for quick lunches, picnics, or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini or chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups fresh cooked)
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/4 cup blanched French green beans, cut into half or thirds
- 1 jar artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, diced
- 3/4 cup Nicoise or kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
- 2 – 3 greek pepperoncini, diced (optional, not a traditional ingredient)
- mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
Dressing
- 2 – 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard
To assemble
- 1 French baguette, ciabatta loaf, Pain de campagne, boule or artisan loaf of choice (even good sized rolls would be great)
- extra virgin olive oil, to brush
- 8 – 10 basil leaves
- 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
- mineral salt & cracked pepper
Instructions
Dressing: In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients together until dijon has emulsified. Set aside to let the flavors develop.
Assemble salad: In a medium- to large-sized mixing bowl, add the beans and roughly mash, leaving about 2/3 whole. Add dressing to the beans and mix well. Add in the bell pepper, green beans, artichokes, red onion, olives, parsley, optional peperoncini and salt & pepper. Mix to combine.
Prep bread: Cut bread in half lengthwise. Remove some of the insides of each half, making a trough for the filling (this will help keep the filling inside the sandwich when eating). Brush both halves with extra virgin olive oil.
Assemble pan bagnat: Layer the bottom half of the bread with a good serving of the mixed salad. Add tomatoes across the top, then top with basil leaves and salt & pepper. Top with another slice of bread. (You can also reverse this layer order, starting with the basil and tomato on the bottom and salad on top.)
Cover with saran: Wrap the sandwich tightly in saran wrap and press with a few heavy books/pots for at least an hour to overnight. If overnight, be sure to press in the refrigerator.
When ready to serve, slice in half or make as many slices as you like.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Makes 2 sandwiches
Store: Store any leftover salad mixture in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days. Also, sandwiches will last 3-4 days when wrapped or stored in a covered container.
Notes
The cannellini beans have more protein and fiber than chickpeas, so if that is a priority, use them. Otherwise, use your preferred white bean.
Try adding a splash of red or white wine vinegar to the dressing if you like.
As with all my recipes, add/subtract ingredients to your liking. Try adding a tablespoon or so of capers. I’ve had someone substitute asparagus for the green beans. Add sliced radishes along the top.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: French
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This not only looks amazing but it tastes amazing! I made this for dinner tonight and we loved it! I will be making this quite often. Thanks for posting it!Katie-AZ
White Beans (or Chick Peas) and Kalamata Olives are not traditional ingredients either (we use 'Olives de Niçoises' in Nice of course!) but sliced Radishes are! :) Of course, the traditional Pan Bagnat (which means 'wet bread' in Niçois dialect) comes with anchovies and tuna, which is not Vegan style so if those have to be replaced, why not with White Beans?! :))
Thank you for the insight! I've never had Olives de Nicoises and will have to look for them. And radishes would be a great in this sandwich too! I think I'll have to make another one of these very soon. :)
Such gorgeous photos and love some good French baguette, too! My partner lived in Nice during his late childhood – he probably knows more about the area and the cuisine. I should mention this recipe to him, he will love this, thank you!!
Thank you! I hope your loved one gets a chance to try this out and see if it hits the spot. Cheers :)
WOW! This looks like a great sandwich!
Thank you, it really is too! :)