10 Best Panini Recipes
When you make a panini on your stove and look forward to your meal, you think about how a little heat can go so far. Sandwiches are such a fundamental meal, the staple of quick lunches and on-the-go meals, that they can sometimes seem a little routine. A quick ham and cheese on sliced bread is very tasty, but it’s not something you write home about. But toss the bread in a pan with butter, squeeze this sandwich until the cheese melts and the bread becomes even crispier, and suddenly you get something special and appetizing. It’s only a minute or two longer, but that heat has the power to release flavors, change texture, and meld everything in your sandwich into a more cohesive whole. This is why we love paninis.
The other advantage of paninis? There are so many choices. Paninis are an invitation to creativity as they involve mixing and matching great sandwich condiments and spreads, toppings, cheeses, meats, vegetables and more. There isn’t a category of food that doesn’t taste great sandwiched between two slices of bread, so everyone can find an easy meal they’ll love to make. And to show you all the possibilities available to you, we have compiled 10 of our best panini recipes here. They range from twists on takeout to unique vegetarian creations, perfect for all your sandwich needs.
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Melted tuna panini
Tuna salad is basically lunchtime meal 101, and also the number one case in point of how a little cooking can transform something. The tuna mixture is simple and creamy, but gets a nice tang from the capers and a gentle boost from the chopped roasted red peppers. The real trick here is to elevate the bread, which replaces your standard sliced sandwich bread with a split baguette. Topped with slices of cheddar and browned in olive oil, the panini will achieve that perfect contrast of crispy and chewy baguette, filled with gooey cheese and meaty tuna.
Our recipe developer suggests weighing down the thick baguette with a heavy pan while it toasts in the pan, so it’s completely toasted and the insides mix properly.
Recipe: Melted tuna panini
Ratatouille-Ish Eggplant Panini with Herb Aioli
This panini is proof that a vegetarian sandwich can be just as filling and satisfying as a meat sandwich. The base component is a ratatouille-like mixture of hearty roasted vegetables: eggplant, zucchini and peppers. This rustic base is accented with an herby aioli that combines lemon, garlic, chives, basil and parsley for a Mediterranean condiment that’s both bright and rich. Finally, everything is layered between slices of sourdough with fresh tomatoes and creamy mozzarella to hold everything together. It’s a rainbow of fresh summer flavors condensed into bite-sized pieces for a comforting lunch or easy dinner.
Recipe: Ratatouille-Ish Eggplant Panini with Herb Aioli
Panini with walnuts, pears and prosciutto
An apple and brie sandwich may be a classic, but might we suggest a pear and burrata instead? This combination of milk cheese and tangy sweetness is great on its own, but it’s just the beginning in this panini, which adds layers of flavor with a few key ingredients. The first is prosciutto, and all the buttery, salty, and umami notes that implies, and the second is a unique nut pesto made with walnuts, olive oil, and parmesan. You get crunchy, fudgy, sweet and salty, while the toasted sourdough does the rest.
Recipe: Panini with walnuts, pears and prosciutto
Chicken and Pear Panini
Chicken and apple are also a popular flavor combination, especially in salads, but we think the milder taste of pear is the perfect partner for chicken in a panini. To enhance the full flavor, the pears and chicken breast are first roasted in the oven in a marinade of olive oil, lemon and thyme. This step browns the meat and caramelizes the pears while adding deep herbaceous notes to the entire sandwich. White cheddar is another classic fruit pairing, and fig jam brings a sweeter fruitiness to contrast with the meaty toppings. And despite the roasting (which only takes about 15 minutes), it’s a relatively quick and easy panini that really delivers on its promise.
Recipe: Chicken and Pear Panini
Turkey Panini with Cranberry-Chipotle Spread
There’s no reason why the combination of cranberries and turkey should be saved for Thanksgiving. This panini can use either roast turkey or deli turkey slices, making it perfect for using up leftovers or just giving a savory twist to your standard turkey sandwich. The two big flavors come from the spread and the cheese. The spread is a sweet, smoky blend of cranberry sauce and chipotle peppers in an adobo sauce, with a little mayonnaise for richness. And the cheese is Gouda, which blends perfectly balanced flavor with great melting abilities. And finally, a little arugula makes the perfect green panini with a peppery crunch.
Recipe: Turkey Panini with Cranberry-Chipotle Spread
Roasted Squash Panini with Cumin and Feta
If you sleep on butternut squash as a sandwich base, you won’t make it after this. Brushed with olive oil and cumin and roasted, the squash becomes a hearty base for toppings like spinach, roasted red peppers and the salty flavor of crumbled feta cheese. The sauce is as good as the toppings. It is a mixture of briny mayonnaise with olives and capers, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Spread it generously on Italian bread, squeeze and enjoy this explosion of sweet and savory flavors.
Recipe: Roasted Squash Panini with Cumin and Feta
Cajun Turkey Po’boy-Ish Panini
We all know that turkey can be a little bland on its own, but nothing cures bland food like the word Cajun. This panini is packed with powerful Louisiana flavors, turning turkey into a canvas for spices, vegetables and a delicious remoulade sauce. The vegetables are two of the classic Cajun holy trinity, peppers and onions, along with garlic, while the spices, including cayenne pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder, are mixed with mayonnaise for an easy remoulade. The real secret weapon is topping the meat with meat, in this case with a few slices of spicy andouille sausage. You never realized how much flavor you could add to a turkey sandwich until you tried this.
Recipe: Cajun Turkey Po’boy-Ish Panini
Pepperoni pizza panini
Sandwiches work a lot like meals in general: when all else fails, make them a pizza. This panini gives you the folded pizza flavor of a pepperoni calzone, but with much less time and hassle. Between the bread, there’s pepperoni and marinara sauce, of course, but the cheese layer doesn’t stop at standard mozzarella. You also get sliced provolone to enhance the flavor of the normally mild melty cheese. And you really don’t need anything extra to make a great meal. If you want great pizza flavor in front of you in less than 10 minutes, this is the way to do it.
Recipe: Pepperoni Pizza Panini
Chicken and Pesto Panini
Paninis are definitely a great place to get creative, but sometimes you don’t want to spoil the success. This panini is built around the ever-popular flavors of two Italian classics: pesto and caprese. Pesto is spread over the seared chicken breast and directly onto the bread for maximum herby deliciousness, and the chicken is topped with the timeless combo of mozzarella and basil, giving you the best of two great sandwiches. Sun-dried tomatoes replace your standard sliced tomatoes for a little extra sweetness, and the spinach rounds it all out with a lovely earthy, hearty flavor.
Recipe: Chicken and Pesto Panini
Broccoli, Cheddar and Roasted Garlic Panini
It’s basically broccoli and cheddar soup in sandwich form. Need we say more? Well, it also happens that this panini is as simple to prepare as possible. Using the microwave to steam broccoli speeds up the cooking, and chopped greens and shredded cheese are the only two toppings you need to make this panini delicious. The only surprise comes from the roasted garlic, which is mixed with the mayonnaise and spread on the outside of the sandwich before being pressed, giving the panini a perfectly golden crust and tons of extra rich flavor.
Recipe: Broccoli, Cheddar and Roasted Garlic Panini
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