Best 5 Basic Grilled Panini Recipes

Are you ready to elevate your lunch game with a classic and satisfying grilled panini? Imagine biting into a perfectly toasted sandwich with melted cheese stretching between layers of flavorful fillings. The alluring aroma of grilled bread and sizzling ingredients will fill your kitchen, creating an irresistible invitation to indulge in a culinary delight. Whether you prefer classic combinations or adventurous fusions, this guide will equip you with all the essential tips and techniques to create the best grilled panini that will leave you and your loved ones longing for more.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI

Grilled Vegetable Panini image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories main-dish

Time 30m

Yield 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 small Japanese eggplants or 1 medium to large regular eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 baguettes (each about 2 feet long)
1/2 cup Basil Pesto, recipe follows
8 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup roasted red peppers
8 large basil leaves, optional

Steps:

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and onions until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Cool completely.
Cut each baguette into 6 pieces. Working with one baguette piece at a time, slice in half and spread both sides with the pesto. Working with the bottom slice of the baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place top half of baguette on top and continue with remaining baguette. (The sandwiches can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (about) extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese. Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes

BASIC GRILLED PANINI

Basic Grilled Panini image

This is a great grilled sandwich! Panini get their character or distinct look from the grill marks on the sandwich. I serve it with soup or even salad. This is the basic recipe. Enjoy!

Provided by ERRINL

Categories Main Dish Recipes Pork Ham

Time 16m

Yield 1

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-light olive oil, or as needed
2 slices Italian bread
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 slices Cheddar cheese
3 slices deli ham, or more to taste
1 slice firm-ripe tomato
1 thin slice onion
cooking spray

Steps:

Drizzle olive oil on 1 side of each bread slice. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on the other side of each slice. Pile Cheddar cheese, ham, tomato, and onion on top. Top with other bread slice, mayonnaise side down.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat; spray lightly with cooking spray. Place sandwich on grill; weigh it down with a heavy pan. Cook until cheese is melted and grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 802.2 calories, Carbohydrate 26.7 g, Cholesterol 117.9 mg, Fat 63.2 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 32.2 g, SaturatedFat 19.9 g, Sodium 1839.8 mg, Sugar 2 g

GRILLED EGGPLANT PANINI WITH BASIL AIOLI

Grilled Eggplant Panini with Basil Aioli image

I love being able to use the bounty of fresh vegetables and herbs from my garden for summer meals. This sandwich is loaded with veggies and has such a satisfying crunch. The melty provolone finishes things off perfectly. -Joseph A. Sciascia, San Mateo, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 45m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large eggplant, cut into 8 slices
2 large sweet red peppers, cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ciabatta rolls, split
8 slices provolone cheese

Steps:

For aioli, place the first 8 ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. , Brush vegetables with oil. Place in broiling pan and broil 3-4 inches from heat, or grill, covered, over medium heat until tender, 4-5 minutes per side. Chop the peppers when cool enough to handle. , Spread cut sides of each roll with 2 tablespoons aioli; top each with cheese. Layer bottoms with eggplant and peppers. Replace tops., In a panini press, grill sandwiches until cheese is melted, 5-7 minutes. Serve remaining aioli with sandwiches or save for another use.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 732 calories, Fat 38g fat (11g saturated fat), Cholesterol 33mg cholesterol, Sodium 1116mg sodium, Carbohydrate 83g carbohydrate (12g sugars, Fiber 9g fiber), Protein 23g protein.

GRILLED VEGETABLE PANINI WITH BASIL PESTO

Grilled Vegetable Panini With Basil Pesto image

This recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis. This is a tasty way to work veggies into your diet. It's pretty easy to make, loaded with flavor, and also filling!

Provided by Juenessa

Categories Lunch/Snacks

Time 40m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
2 small Japanese eggplants or 1 large regular eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
salt & freshly ground black pepper
2 French baguettes (each about 2 feet long)
1/2 cup basil pesto, recipe follows
8 ounces water-packed fresh mozzarella cheese, drained, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup roasted red pepper
8 large basil leaves (optional)
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/3 cup about extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Steps:

For Panini:.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Working in batches, grill the eggplant, zucchini, and onions until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side.
Cool completely.
Cut each baguette into 6 pieces.
Working with one baguette piece at a time, slice in half and spread both sides with the pesto.
Working with the bottom slice of the baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place top half of baguette on top and continue with remaining baguette.
(The sandwiches can be made 4 hours ahead. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate.).
For Basil Pesto:.
In a blender, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until finely chopped.
With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency.
Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of cheese.
Season the pesto with more salt and pepper, to taste.
(The pesto can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Yields 1 cup and takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 434.5, Fat 20.5, SaturatedFat 5.3, Cholesterol 18.6, Sodium 827, Carbohydrate 49.6, Fiber 7.2, Sugar 3.7, Protein 14.9

GRILLED PEACH PANINI RECIPE BY TASTY

Grilled Peach Panini Recipe by Tasty image

This is the perfect sandwich for those long summer days when peaches are at their ripest. Ooey, gooey Brie is paired with salty pesto and sweet peaches and sandwiched between two slices of crusty bread for a panini that's truly unforgettable.

Provided by Matt Ciampa

Categories Lunch

Time 25m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

4 slices sourdough bread, or crusty artisan bread
4 tablespoons pesto
3 oz brie cheese, sliced
1 large peach, pitted and thinly sliced
1 ½ teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
1 large peach, pitted and cut into ½-inch (1.24 cm) wedges
8 oz arugula
olive oil, for drizzling
aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Steps:

Make the panini: Heat a panini press to high heat.
Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto on each slice of bread. Layer 3-4 Brie slices, 4-5 peach slices, and a drizzle of aged balsamic on 2 slices of bread. Place the other slices of bread, pesto-side down, on top.
Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on one side of each sandwich.
Grease the panini press lightly with nonstick spray. Place a sandwich on the panini press, buttered-side down. Butter the top slice bread, then close the panini press. Cook until the cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes. Remove the panini from the press and repeat with the remaining sandwich.
Make the salad: Arrange the peach wedges on the panini press and cook until grill marks appear, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the press.
In a medium bowl, drizzle the arugula with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. Toss well. Add the grilled peaches.
Serve the panini with the salad alongside.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 863 calories, Carbohydrate 59 grams, Fat 62 grams, Fiber 6 grams, Protein 23 grams, Sugar 24 grams

Tips:

Use a sturdy bread that can hold up to the heat of the grill and the fillings.
Spread butter or olive oil on the outside of the bread to help it grill evenly.
Don't overload the sandwich with fillings, or it will be difficult to close and may fall apart.
Use a hot grill to quickly cook the sandwich and prevent the bread from becoming soggy.
Press down on the sandwich with a spatula or panini press to ensure that it cooks evenly.
Let the sandwich rest for a few minutes before slicing it, so that the juices have time to redistribute.

Conclusion:

Grilled Paninis are a delicious and versatile meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. With a variety of breads, fillings, and toppings to choose from, there are endless possibilities for creating your own unique panini. Whether you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a fun and festive party appetizer, grilled paninis are sure to please everyone.