29 Panini Recipes That Will Totally Make You Melt
Let’s face it: Paninis are the Brad Pitt of the sandwich world — they photograph well, they’re delicious and they make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. The lunchtime staple is often served on Italian or French bread, is usually grilled or toasted, and generally has some sort of cheese on it, making for a gooey, decadent dish.
And while paninis seem like they would require gourmet-level cooking skills, they aren’t particularly difficult to make. All you’ll need is a panini press, waffle maker or griddle, some crispy bread, and a selection of fillings. Needless to say, like Inglorious Bastards, Fight Club or Moneyball, these panini recipes are award-worthy.
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1. Prosciutto, Blue Cheese and Candied Pecan Panini
The saltiness of the prosciutto and blue cheese blends with the sweetness of the candied pecans, resulting in mouth-watering harmony. Securing a fresh baguette, however, is 100 percent necessary for the perfectly crispy outer shell—therefore, a trip to the bakery day-of is mandatory.
2. Mozzarella and Feta Pita Grilled Cheese
OK, not all grilled cheese sandwiches are paninis, but the prominent grill marks on this sammy make it fit both categories. And the feta-pita combo makes for a Mediterranean-style treat that will transport you to paradise.
3. Cuban Pork Sandwich
Traditionally, Cuban sandwiches are cooked on a flat plancha, according to Serious Eats, but if you have a ridged panini press, you can look forward to some delicious crispiness. RecipeTin Eats’ Cuban Pork Sandwich is inspired by the dish that was featured in the film Chef. All the food in the movie was designed by famous Los Angeles chef, Roy Choi, so you’d best believe this is nothing short of awesome.
4. Nutella Bacon French Toast Panini
I’m sorry, we just hallucinated…what? Nutella, bacon and French toast—three brunch superheroes—unite in this incredible sweet and salty panini. If you don’t wash this down with a mimosa, you’re doing it wrong.
5. Italian Panini Sandwiches
There are very few combinations out there that surpass that of mozzarella, tomato and basil. And although these Italian sandwiches radiate elegance, they’re seriously simple. Anne, the creator behind Upstate Ramblings, makes these for her family when her son has evening baseball games, and all they need to do is assemble and heat them on the skillet.
6. Cheesy Pizza Panini
Your favorite slice meets a drool-worthy sandwich in this epic crossover. Described as “melty and gooey,” all you’ll need aside from the bread is pizza sauce, cheese, pepperoni and butter.
7. Spicy Chicken Panini
Forget waiting in a drive-thru line for one of the many overrated fast food spicy chicken sandwiches. Whitney Bond’s Spicy Chicken Panini is bursting with flavor, calling for King’s Hawaiian Big Island Lava Sauce (available online), pepper jack cheese, blue cheese, carrots, green onions and celery. Yes, please.
8. Eggplant Panini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Whether you’re fully vegetarian or if you’re simply looking to observe the occasional meatless Monday, these veggie-filled paninis combine salty cheese with acidic balsamic and sweet sun-dried tomatoes. Just remember to grill the eggplant beforehand to bring out that charred taste we all love.
9. Fried Chicken Club Sandwich Panini
Although many paninis on this list can be executed in just a few steps, this one is slightly more complex, though it does have one of the bigger payouts. Inspired by the South’s legendary club sandwiches with baked ham and fried chicken, it tastes like something you’d sink your teeth into after a game of croquet, or while you’re relaxing by the pool underneath the palm trees.
10. Grilled Pesto Panini Sandwiches
Pesto is easily one of the greatest panini toppings out there—that herby flavor adds dimension, preventing a cheesy sandwich from feeling one-note. With that in mind, this recipe from Walking on Sunshine gives you the option of opting for red or green pesto, depending on your preference. We’ll try both and report back.
11. Grilled Vegetable Italian Panini
While some might think of a vegetable sandwich as dainty, this is anything but—with eggplant, roasted red peppers, portobellos and mozzarella, it’s practically bursting at the seams. Make sure you grill the veggies beforehand to get the best flavor out of the meal.
12. Blue Cheese Steak and Red Onion Jam Panini
If you’re in the mood for the ultimate power lunch, look no further than Rock Recipes’ Blue Cheese Steak and Red Onion Jam Panini. It’s easy to whip up during the summer, especially when you already have the grill going 24/7 anyway—just set aside a little extra steak so you can make sandwiches for tomorrow.
13. Leftover Ham and Cheese Panini
Created with holiday leftovers, this ham and cheese sandwich is several steps up from what you used to pack in your school lunch. In addition to whatever’s left of the ham you ate on Christmas morning, this easy recipe just calls for Primal Kitchen’s Ham Glaze (available on Amazon), sourdough bread, butter, Swiss cheese, cooking oil and spinach.
14. Chicken Panini with Butternut Squash
This is nothing like the margarine-soaked grilled cheese Lisa of Healthy Nibbles and Bits used to loathe in her school cafeteria. Combining chicken with butternut squash, cheese and spinach makes for a seriously well-balanced lunch. And luckily, she says, “colder weather = more paninis.” We couldn’t be more ready.
15. Spinach Artichoke Turkey Panini
Everyone knows that spinach artichoke dip is the superior app, but what you may not realize is it makes for a killer spread on sandwiches too. Your turkey panini will never be the same.
16. Asparagus Panini with Pesto and Grilled Chicken
We always love a fresh take on the classic chicken pesto sandwich. With homemade lemon grilled asparagus (which is honestly incredible on its own), it’s simultaneously super flavorful and relatively healthy—it’s safe to say we could all use one of these in lieu of a sad desk lunch this week.
17. Hawaiian Grilled Cheese
OK, we know Hawaiian pizza is highly controversial, but what about a Hawaiian Grilled Cheese that’s actually made on the grill? Combining cheese, ham and pineapple makes for the ultimate sweet-salty combo…maybe we do understand the hype surrounding the ever-polarizing slice.
18. Roast Pork and Nectarine Panini with Tomato Jam
This sophisticated sandwich from Clean Eating Mag may be a little complex, to say the least, but it’s beyond rewarding, and will make you feel like the classy chef you really are. You’ll be making your own tomato jam from scratch and roasting the pork beforehand, but once all is said and done, you’ll be thrilled you put in all that effort.
19. Chicken Cordon Bleu Panini
Emulating the classic French dish, this tastes like a $75 meal—in the form of a handheld sandwich. And even though it’s a little more intensive, we recommend opting to pan-fry the chicken instead of grilling it. The extra effort is worth the extra flavor. Trust.
20. Pesto Panini with Arugula, Avocado, & Sun-Dried Tomato
There’s something incredibly satisfying about eating a boatload of vegetables at lunch—and it absolutely does not have to be in the form of a salad. This loads vitamin-packed arugula, healthy fats from avocado and antioxidants in the form of sun-dried tomatoes into a pesto panini.
21. Scallop Po’Boy Wrap Panini
Bring the taste of New Orleans to your kitchen by whipping up a spin on the classic Po’ Boy. By broiling the scallops instead of frying them, swapping out mayo for a homemade lemon-avocado sauce and using a tortilla instead of thick French bread, this one is going to be a little lighter—that way, you won’t fall into a food coma during your 9 to 5.
22. Turkey, Apple, and Cheese Panini with Hot Pepper Jelly
Those who crave the kick of spice will love this augmented turkey and cheese sandwich, which calls for a generous layer of hot pepper jelly. In the cheese department, it’s chef’s choice—either camembert or brie—but regardless of what you have lying around, it’s bound to make all of those holiday leftovers taste so much better.
23. Pancetta Mac and Cheese Panini
Mac and cheese with pancetta on a sandwich may sound incredibly heavy, but it’s most likely about to be our go-to comfort meal on every upcoming snow day. The mac—which is made with cheddar, Asiago and romano—makes for an extra-fulfilling alternative to just plain cheese, and the salty pancetta is seriously to die for.
24. Vegan Balsamic Veggie & Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus Panini
Yes, vegan paninis do exist—and this combination of flavors is arguably one of our favorites. Swapping cheese for hummus makes for an equally creamy filling, and the balsamic adds some much-needed acidity.
25. Honey, Peach, and Brie Panini with Bacon Butter
Deemed “not your average panini,” this sammy blends bacon butter with honey, peach and brie. It’s undoubtedly the perfect summer creation, after you’ve picked more peaches than you know what to do with. Just remember to make a little extra bacon butter, because you’ll want to slather it on everything going forward.
26. Prosciutto, Pineapple and Pesto Paninis
Somewhat akin to a Hawaiian slice, these paninis bring homemade pesto into the mix, adding an extra savory element. Ali, the creator behind Gimme Some Oven, heavily stresses the importance of getting fresh mozzarella instead of the pre-shredded kind—it’ll create a better cheese pull in the end (and that’s what we’re all here for, right?).
27. Strawberry, Basil, and Goat Cheese Panini
Who knew that stuffing sweet, warm strawberries, sharp goat cheese and refreshing basil leaves between two slices of golden, buttery whole grain bread could be so delectable? It’s served with a side of homemade balsamic honey dipping sauce, which is inspired by a recipe from an Alice Medrich recipe—we promise you’ll be licking your fingers when you’re done.
28. Grilled Chicken Broccoli Wrap
Wrapping up the iconic duo of grilled chicken and broccoli into a tortilla—and then grilling it—really changes the game. It mostly requires ingredients you likely already have on hand: chicken, mozzarella, some spices, sour cream and tortillas. To make sure your tortilla doesn’t break, though, we’d advise heating it in the microwave for a few seconds before wrapping it all up.
29. Italian Grilled Chicken Panini Sandwich
Eric Jules, the creator behind Dude That Cookz, says it best: Eating this panini transports you to a small Italian sandwich shop. Pressing marinated chicken breast, melty provolone, basil pesto, tomato sauce and spinach between buttery slices of sourdough makes for a simple, yet delicious on-the-go lunch.
