A panini is one of my favorite quick meal ideas for both lunch and dinner. I love this vegetarian panini recipe because not only is it healthy, but it is loaded with Italian flavors, provolone cheese and basil pesto. This sandwich is especially delicious if you happen to have some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes on hand!
Until I owned a panini press, I never really thought it was an important small appliance for my kitchen. When my daughter wanted to serve grilled paninis as one of her food stations at her wedding, suddenly I needed to buy a lot of them! That was three years ago and I still use my panini presses all the time! I don’t know what it is about smoothing together all kinds of yummy ingredients and grilling them until they are toasty and melted, but it makes any boring sandwich 100% better.
Panini presses come in all styles and price ranges but these inexpensive ones from Amazon have lasted 3 years and my family uses them all the time. My kiddos especially love to make their own sandwich creations with these panini presses.
This is my favorite vegetarian panini recipe, but feel free to play with it and make it your own. Sometimes I will swap out the pesto for some olive tapenade or garlic hummus. It is amazing how changing one ingredient can completely change the flavor profile.
Heat your panini press or grill pan to high. Spread the pesto on one slice of bread, then layer on the provolone cheese, fresh spinach, red onion and sliced tomatoes. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the sandwich before topping it with the second slice of bread.
Place in the panini press or grill pan and cook until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Serving Size:1 sandwich
Calories:395
Sugar:4g
Sodium:928mg
Fat:16g
Saturated Fat:4g
Unsaturated Fat:1g
Trans Fat:0g
Carbohydrates:21mg
Fiber:4g
Protein:15g
Cholesterol:21mg
**My friend, this post contains Amazon affiliate links which means I receive a small compensation if you make a purchase using my link, at no additional cost to you. And no worries….I only link to products that I both use and love! ~Carole
Carole Jones
Carole Jones is an Arizona-based cookbook author & food blogger. She's authored The 30 Minute Cooking From Frozen Cookbook and the self-published Take 5: Chicken e-cookbook. For the past 15 years, Carole has shared her culinary adventures cooking and baking for her six brutally honest children here on My Kitchen Escapades. Hot, crusty bread is Carole's love language, but her two adorable grandchildren are a close second. Yes, second. Don't judge.
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