25 Best Panini Recipes (2024)

Here’s a collection of the 25 Best Panini Recipes so you can make the best sandwich ever on your panini press!

August 11th is National Panini Day. Celebrate this day by making your favorite panini sandwich from this bunch of the best panini recipes! Share your creation on social media by using the hashtag #NationalPaniniDay, #PaniniDay and #RecipesForHolidays. Be sure to check out my August Food Holidays page so you can follow all the food holidays for the month of August!

“Too few people understand a really good sandwich.”
-James Beard

The History of Panini:

The word, “panini” is Italian in origin– coming from the word, “panino.” Panini is an Americanized word. It refers to a grilled sandwich, usually stuffed with meats, cheeses and vegetables.

The first reference to a panini comes from a 16th century Italian cookbook. Though the panini is said to have mostly originated in Lombardy, Italy (perhaps in the 1950’s) in response to demand from Milanese office workers who wanted a quick lunch that was delicious too.

In 1956, an article in the New York Times mentioned panini when writing about an Italian food festival in Harlem.

Panini became trendy eats in Milanese bars in New York City in the 70’s and 80’s.

The Breville panini press became available to consumers in 1974.

Philly Cheesesteak Panini by My Sequined Life. This panini features thinly-sliced chuck roast, provolone cheese, and lots of caramelized onions for a delicious and easy lunch or dinner.

Pesto Meatball Panini by Oh Sweet Basil. It’s like a mashup between your favorite meatball sub and a classic chicken panini.

Pesto Caprese Panini by Honey What’s Cooking. This panini is cheesy and delicious made on sourdough with spinach, balsamic and tomato.

Pesto and Mozzarella Panini by Homemade Mastery. This panini is filled with pesto, mozzarella, olives and fresh tomatoes.

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Veggie Panini by Vanilla and Bean. Flavor packed and texture rich, enjoy this veggie panini recipe toasty warm or chilled.

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Panini by Feel Good Foodie. This panini is made with turkey, thyme, cranberry sauce and melty provolone cheese.

Italian Style Panini by How to Feed a Loon. The Italian cured meats, along with the fresh pesto and mozzarella cheese work beautifully with the grilled bread.

Ham Brie Apple and Spinach Panini by A Dish of Daily Life. This panini has ham, brie, apple slices, and a handful of baby spinachdressed with honey mustard.

Cuban Panini Burger by A Family Feast. A delicious mash-up of all of the traditional flavors you’d find in a Cuban sandwich – combined with a super juicy grilled burger.

Corned Beef Panini by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures. Marble rye bread, corned beef, cheddar and Guinness infused onions make this “corned beef” version of a patty melt irresistible!

Chipotle Turkey Panini by Baking Mischief. This panini has chipotle aioli, crunchy red onions, sliced turkey, melty cheese, and avocado.

Chicken Pesto Panini by Chisel and Fork. Chicken with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh mozzarella sandwiched between tasty ciabatta bread

Chicken Pepperoni Parmesan Panini by What’s Cooking Love. It’s like chicken parm in a sandwich with added pepperoni- yum!

Chicken Brie and Apple Panini by What Should I Make For. This panini is sweetened with a drizzle of honey and comes together in minutes for a quick weeknight dinner.

Cheesy Hummus Veggie Panini by The Live In Kitchen. This is the dreamiest vegetarian sandwich option you’ll ever find!

Bruschetta Panini by Lil Luna. This panini includes basil, tomato and mozzarella so it also has that Caprese taste to it.

Grilled Balsamic Blueberry and Cheese Panini by Best Friends for Frosting. The salty balsamic vinegar and sweet blueberries are basically a match made in food heaven.

Apple Cheddar Turkey Panini by The Novice Chef. These are packed full of cheddar cheese, tart granny smith apples, and turkey meat.

Fun Facts about Panini:

Thomas Edison invented a sandwich grill, but it was largely ignored.
Foccaccia, ciabatta and sourdough bread are the most common types of bread used for making panini sandwiches.
A classic Italian panini is made with mozzarella, tomato, arugula and proscuitto.
Other versions of panini can include fontina and prosciutto, grilled vegetables and cheese, prosciutto with cheese and olive tapenade and so many more.
Ideally, everything being put into a panini sandwich should be flat.
When making a panini, you’re not cooking anything… you’re just heating it.

FAQs

What is the secret to a good panini? ›

Go for the crunch.

It's the grilling! Grilled bread is the hallmark of panini – make the most of it by brushing olive oil or melted butter on top for a crostini-like crunch. Or, to save a few calories, Columbus Foodie recommends spraying butter flavored cooking spray, another great idea.

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What's the best bread for paninis? ›

Use Half-Inch Thick Bread To Make A Panini

These include ciabatta, focaccia, rye, French, and sourdough. But no matter which bread you use, your slices should always be about a ½-inch thick. If you use slices that are thicker than that, you'll taste way too much bread when you bite into your panini.

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Should I butter bread before panini press? ›

Butter the outside for crispy grilled bread that heightens the flavour of my favourite panini.

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Can you put aluminum foil in a panini press? ›

While there is nothing wrong with putting aluminium foil in a sandwich press, we've found that it can stick to certain breads. If you want to protect the plates and make the cleaning job easier, we recommend using baking paper instead.

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How long should you panini press? ›

Carefully place the sandwich in the panini maker and press the lid down, gently enough so that it doesn't completely smoosh the sandwich but enough that both sides are touching the heated grates. Let the sandwich to cook for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread has crisped, 5 to 7 minutes.

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Do you butter the inside of a panini? ›

Spread olive oil on the inside of your bread.

Use a brush or butter knife to distribute a small around of olive oil over the inside surface of your bread. You want to achieve a thin coating here, so make sure not to glob a lot of olive oil onto the bread. If you use too much oil, your bread will get soggy!

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Should you use mayo or butter for paninis? ›

But when it comes to panini, mayo is simply better than softened butter. For one, there's no putzing around while the butter softens. And two, the browning is so much better.

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What is a traditional panini sandwich? ›

The key to a good panini is using high-quality Italian bread (think ciabatta or focaccia) and focusing on the best ingredients without overstuffing the sandwich. Some classic panini recipes are: Mozzarella, tomato, prosciutto, and arugula. Prosciutto and fontina cheese. Prosciutto, cheese, and tapenade.

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What is a real panini? ›

A “panino” is just a sandwich made with bread loaf or bread slices. The bread used for it depends on the ingredients or the local traditions. It could be a ciabatta, a baguette, a loaf, bread slices or a bun. The fillings could be anything: hams, cold cuts, veggies, cheeses, relishes, etc.

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What is the difference between Italian panini and American panini? ›

The Italian panini does not need to be roasted. Whereas, in the panini shops in the US, you are most likely to find grilled stuffing and the bread is also toasted. The quality of bread is paramount in the making of panini. Usually, high-quality Italian bread like ciabatta or focaccia is used.

Do you butter both sides of a panini? ›

Brush melted butter or olive oil on the outside of the bread, and if you're including "wet" ingredients like tomatoes, layer them in the center of the sandwich with meats and/or cheeses on either side so they don't drown the bread.

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Should I spray my panini press? ›

You can use either cooking spray or a different oil you have on hand. Regardless of which type of oil you use, take your basting brush and run the oil all over the grill to make sure it's coated entirely. If your panini press has a non-stick coating, you can skip this step.

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Do you put lettuce on a panini? ›

Directions

Chop the lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, turkey, bacon, cheese, and eggs into 1/2-inch pieces and put them into a large bowl. ...
Slice the rolls horizontally. ...
Place each sandwich on a preheated panini press and grill until the bread is toasted and the cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes.

How to make a panini not soggy? ›

For maximum crunch.

Brush melted butter or olive oil on the outside of the bread, and if you're including "wet" ingredients like tomatoes, layer them in the center of the sandwich with meats and/or cheeses on either side so they don't drown the bread.