You'll recognize Italian-style panini sandwiches by the telltale grill marks seared into the bread. This classic sandwich is pressed between two hot grill plates, which sear the bread while smooshing ingredients into a semi-union of melty deliciousness. And while there are many tasty ways to put a panini together, you'll typically find some combination of meat, cheese, and veggies sandwiched between two slices of Italian bread. Delizioso! Is your mouth watering yet? To achieve panini pro status (whether you have a panini press or not), check out our tips and top-rated recipes.
Panini Like a Pro
From assembly to cooking, follow these easy tips for panini success.
Start with the right bread. We recommend using a bread that can take the heat. Literally. Italian breads like focaccia, ciabatta, and baguettes are usually heartier than, say, sourdough, and they hold up better to grilling.
Bring the heat. Be sure to get your grill nice and hot before putting your panini on—it'll make for better grill marks.
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.
Keep the goods contained. Though you'll want to keep the fillings to a respectable minimum, if you're worried about things spilling out while cooking—particularly if there's a good dose of cheese in there—wrap your panini in parchment paper to keep everything together before putting it on the grill.
No panini press? No problem! If you have a grill on your stove top, you can grill one side at a time. Mimic a traditional press by placing something heavy on top of the panini like a couple stacked plates or a heavy pan. You can do the same thing on an outdoor grill, or even in a frying pan—even without the grill marks, you're still in for a delicious meal. Another great way to panini without a press? Use a waffle iron! Place the sandwich in the waffle iron, close the lid, and press it down with a heavy skillet.
Top-Rated Panini Recipes
Now that your brain is primed with pro tips, let's work on putting paninis on your plate with these tasty recipes:
Adobo sauce gives this recipe a spicy kick that recipe-submitter chefmommy says is "also excellent as a vegetarian sandwich if you leave out the turkey and bacon."
To make this easy, light panini, spread avocado mayo onto ciabatta rolls, then layer on provolone, mesquite smoked turkey, roasted red peppers, and fresh spinach.
It's two classic Italian favorites in one! Recipe-submitter Raquel Teixeira says this "grilled pizza panini is a creative way to jazz up the boring sandwich and predictable pizza. Great to heat up as leftovers also for lunch the next day!"
We recommend using a bread that can take the heat. Literally. Italian breads like focaccia, ciabatta, and baguettes are usually heartier than, say, sourdough, and they hold up better to grilling. Bring the heat.
8 Best Cheeses for Melting in Pastas, Paninis, Omelets, Casseroles, and More
Fontina. Fontina can be buttery and a bit fruity; Fontina Val d'Aosta, from Italy's Aosta Valley, is firmer, more pungent, and nuttier (and always made of raw milk). ...
"A good sandwich comes down to the condiments," Fidanza says. "You can use anything—turkey, tuna, vegetables, a hard-boiled egg—as the base of a sandwich. But having good condiments to make them taste better is key, whether that's mayonnaise, mustard, or some kind of relish.
Unlike butter, which burns quickly, mayonnaise is an oil-based fat with a higher smoke point. In other words, you can turn up the heat and the mayo won't burn your bread, allowing you to achieve a photo-worthy, golden exterior.
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.
Prepare the panini ahead of time and grill them right before you're ready to serve. If you must reheat panini, a toaster oven is best – about 8-10 minutes at 275 degrees. DO NOT MICROWAVE PANINI (unless you have a tool like the Micro Grill), as it will make the bread chewy and soggy and that's just not appetizing.
Keep lettuce or other raw vegetables crisp by adding them after you grill the sandwich. 9. Clean Cut. Use a straight-edged, not serrated, knife to cut panini so that you get a clean, even slice.
Assemble your sandwich. (If you need ideas, we've got 50 favorites.) Wrap your sandwich completely in foil. Grill your foil-wrapped sandwich over medium heat for about 3 minutes per side, pressing down with a spatula every once in a while.
It is almost like the American grilled cheese, but has much more inside. A panini press is used to mash the bread flat so that it stays thin when serving. Any type of meat or vegetable can be used in a panini. They are usually made with Italian bread or sourdough, but you can use any bread that you prefer.
The bread needs to be a hearty size and is cut horizontally as opposed to the vertical cut for the traditional sandwich. The original panini sandwich uses strongly flavored meats such as prosciutto (raw cured Italian ham) and salami with cheeses such as provolone, asiago and/or mozzarella.
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