Back in pre-COVID times, I had a guilty pleasure: whenever work commitments took me downtown near lunchtime, if I walked past a Quiznos I would duck in for their vegetable guacamole sub.
It’s not like most submarine sandwiches. Firstly, the sauce base is guacamole, not tomato. Secondly, most of the sandwich gets broiled under a piping hot toaster oven. Thirdly, then it’s topped with cool, crisp shredded lettuce that’s dressed in a tart red wine vinaigrette.
I can’t remember the last time I passed by a Quiznos, so I’m making a copycat Quiznos vegetable guacamole sub, with my own tweaks.
I couldn’t find a sub roll that’s like Quiznos’, so I worked with what was available: brioche sub rolls. I like them because they’re smaller than traditional sub rolls, so it makes a serving that isn’t going to make you want to immediately take a nap after eating. But it’s still a substantial meal.
The guacamole is a major supporting actor in this sandwich, so you want to be generous with it. Normally I make my guacamole from scratch, but I guess because of COVID-19 supply chain issues, I’ve had a hard time finding good avocados. You know what? Yucatan guacamole is perfectly serviceable in this situation. It gets spread “wall to wall” on both cut sides of the sub roll.
Next, layer on sliced mushrooms and diced red onion.
The Quiznos version adds black olives and tomato slices. I don’t have tomatoes on hand so I’m substituting roasted yellow and red pepper slices and I’m using kalamata olives in this version.
Already I’m thinking this sandwich looks good to go. But wait, there’s more! Quiznos layers on two types of sliced cheese: cheddar and mozzarella. In my case, I’m shredding the cheeses, using a blend of sharp white cheddar and muenster cheese. Be generous with it.
Under a 400 F oven that goes for 10 minutes, then blast it under the broiler. (Or do something similar in your toaster oven, if you have one).
Well that looks delicious. Now all I have to do is top it with iceberg lettuce that’s been shredded and tossed in a homemade red wine vinaigrette: 1/3 red wine vinegar, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 2/3 olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Or you could use a purchased vinaigrette. I just happen to usually have some kind of homemade salad dressing in my fridge to make the idea of eating a salad more enticing.
Time to close the sandwich and enjoy! It’s not 100% Quiznos, but as a copycat version that’s quick and easy to make from home, it’s pretty damn close. The toastiness of the sub contrasted with the cool iceberg lettuce never lets me down.
— Trish Hennessy
A Year in Sandwiches 