13 Best Panini Recipes That Are Easy to Make at Home
on Apr 02, 2022, Updated Nov 19, 2023
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Find quick and easy Panini Recipes for any meal of the day, including healthy vegetarian panini, chicken panini, turkey panini sandwich and more.
Whatever you’re craving we’ll bring you over a dozen options. What’s the best bread for Panini, or the best cheese? We’ll answer that as well.
What Kind of Bread is Best for a Panini?
The best bread for a panini is Ciabatta! It’s an Italian bread made with olive oil. If that isn’t up your alley, then a baguette is the way to go as they too can stand up to the pressure of a panini press while holding all those ooey-gooey and wet ingredients.
What Kind of Cheese is Best for a Panini?
Typically you want to top your panini with fresh slices of mozzarella but you can also use fontina, Gorgonzola, and provolone cheese.
What’s the Difference Between a Panini and a Grilled Sandwich?
A panini is made with a specific type of bread and then pressed in a panini maker, while a grilled sandwich is typically made with sliced bread and then grilled on the stove or barbeque.
Healthy Vegetarian Panini Recipes
Starbucks Panini with Roasted Tomato and Mozzarella
With this recipe, you can easily skip those long lines at Starbucks and make Panini with roasted tomatoes and mozzarella in the comfort of your home. All you need is focaccia bread, mozzarella, tomatoes, spinach leaves, and basil pesto. The best part? You don’t even need a panini press.
Veggie Panini
You definitely won’t be missing the meat in this veggie panini! It’s the go-to sandwich for lunch or dinner and pairs perfectly with a garden salad. With only a few minutes to prepare, this panini can be made with focaccia bread, sourdough, ciabatta, or a baguette.
Caprese Panini with Avocado Basil Pesto
This Caprese panini with avocado basil is a must-try! Grab the mozzarella, basil, and tomato for a taste of freshness – plus you can make the avocado basil pesto from scratch to really get your taste buds tingling.
Chicken Panini Sandwich Recipes
Chicken Pesto Panini
This chicken pesto panini might become your family’s new favorite panini. Made with Panella Italian bread, pesto, grilled chicken, tomatoes, and mozzarella, this panini is ready in less than 25 minutes.
Copycat Panera Frontega Chicken Panini
Simple and delicious, this copycat Panera Frontega chicken panini is really easy to make. Simply stuff the chewy focaccia bread with pulled chicken, mozzarella cheese, tomato, red onion, fresh basil, and chipotle mayo. Press until hot and crisp!
Italian Grilled Chicken Panini Sandwich
Grilled and seasoned chicken breasts are completed with melted provolone cheese, basil pesto, crushed tomato sauce, and spinach – all of the goodness is filled in between buttery sourdough bread! You might just say this is the perfect meal!
Buffalo Chicken Panini
This one is for those who love buffalo chicken wings, cheese, and sourdough bread! Buffalo chicken panini is a triple combo of awesomeness! Simply bake, mix and press until your sandwich is hot, crusty, and oh so good!
Other Popular Panini Press Recipes
Breakfast Panini
Take your breakfast to the next level! Sun-Dried tomato pita bread, pesto, three kinds of cheese, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, roasted red peppers, and scallions. A delicious and hearty breakfast sandwich that will keep you going all morning. Ready in less than 30 minutes!
Ham and Cheese Panini
It’s a grilled cheese sandwich kicked up a notch! Read this recipe closely to ensure you have a comforting and satisfying panini! You’re promised flawless cheesy goodness every time!
Turkey Panini
Looking for a way to use that leftover turkey from dinner? Then fret not because this recipe will use it up in no time. Using cranberry sauce and thyme, this sandwich is all that Thanksgiving goodness wrapped up and pressed into one! Enjoy!
Easy Italian Panini
Nothing better than an appetizing panini than an Easy Italian Panini. It is a tasty combination of deli meats, cheese, and fresh veggies all enveloped in two toasted Italian bread loaves.
Panini Pizza
It’s a pizza and it’s also a panini…it’s a pizza panini! This recipe has a homemade tomato sauce combined with cheese and pepperoni, all grilled inside of a sandwich for pizza lovers.
Cuban Panini
It’s Cuba meets Italy! This Cuban Panini is for true panini lovers and connoisseurs. Made with pork tenderloin, orange juice, garlic, cucumbers and so much more, this panini will surely impress your family!
How to Make a Panini?
Making a panini is easier than you may think! All you have to do is to grab 2 slices of ciabatta, focaccia, baguettes, or sourdough bread, and then place your favorite cheese, meat, and maybe even your favorite sauce in between – then just press in a panini maker and enjoy!
What’s the Best Panini Maker?
- Cuisinart Panini Press: A cost-saving option for those who want to be a part of the panini world but without the hefty price tag. This machine produces succulent steaks, juicy burgers, and crispy grilled sandwiches. It’s essentially two machines in one – it can be used for pressing a panini or switching it to a flat tabletop grill. And when your dish is ready, cleanup is a breeze with removable plates that are dishwasher safe!
- Breville Panini Press: Thanks to the 7 adjustable height control settings, you can easily make Panini, crostini, and even amaretti with this equipment. Plus, the ribbed, non-stick cooking plates let excess fat drain from your food as it cooks. Although it’s a little on the pricier side, this press will let you create bistro-style paninis right at home.
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Easy Veggie Panini
Ingredients
- 2 small ciabatta roll, halved horizontally
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 slices Mozzarella cheese
- 4 slices tomato
- a handful basil leaves
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Set panini maker to medium-high heat.
- Spread 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on the bottom piece of the bread.
- Place a piece of mozzarella on top. Then layer tomato slice and basil leaves on top. Season with salt and pepper. Then place the top bun on.
- Grill it in a panini press until the cheese is fully melted and the outside is nice and crunchy. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition information provided is an estimate only and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods used.