Panini Recipes

I don’t know about you, but I love a good sandwich. But sometimes cold cuts just don’t cut it- that’s where a panini sandwich comes in! A hot pressed sandwich full if delicious ingredients, what’s not to love?

Traditionally, a panini sandwich recipe is made up of meats like ham, salami or turkey, sliced cheese like provolone, swiss or cheddar, and then grilled to perfection.

Since its origin, paninis have gone from grilled deli sandwiches to works of art! If you can dream it up, you can put it on a panini- even desserts!

Best Panini Recipes

Italian Chicken Panini Recipe

4.21 from 29 votes

Italian Chicken Panini Recipe – Crusty bread filled with gooey mozzarella cheese, roasted red pepper, shredded chicken and lots and lots of garlicky pesto.

See The Recipe!

Grilled Chicken Quesadilla Paninis

These Grilled Chicken Quesadilla Paninis are a fast and easy dinner, ready in under 20 minutes and leave you with no dishes to clean at the end!

See The Recipe!

Dulce de Leche Dessert Panini

5 from 2 votes

Dulce de Leche & Strawberry Croissant Panini- layers of decadent dulce de leche (or caramel), gooey marshmallow and freshly sliced berries all in a buttery croissant. This desserts only takes 10 minutes and is OH so good!

See The Recipe!

California Smoked Chicken Panini

Quite possibly the BEST chicken panini recipe. This one has it all — creamy avocado, bell pepper aioli, two melty cheeses and tender smoked chicken, piled on crusty sourdough. Not your average smoked chicken sandwich.

See The Recipe!

Authentic Cuban Sandwich

Make this (in)Authentic Cuban Sandwich today for a twist on the classic Cuban sandwich — with deli ham, roast pork, pickles, cheese, mustard and real cuban sandwich bread.  It’s a Cuban panini worth savoring!

See The Recipe!

Grilled Panini Sandwich

This panini sandwich recipe is wonderfully simple and easy to make, yet tastes like you ordered it from a gourmet sandwich shop!

See The Recipe!

Turkey Pesto Panini

These easy Turkey Pesto Panini’s are a favorite with homemade pesto, turkey, and veggies!

See The Recipe!

Tuna Melt Panini

A fun twist on the classic sandwich, this Tuna Melt Panini starts with a crunch and ends with a cheesy, flavor packed tuna mixture in the center! 

See The Recipe!

Grilled Caprese Panini

Grilled caprese panini sandwiches are a delicious, easy-to-make meal. Mozzarella cheese, basil pesto, and tomatoes are tucked between 2 slices of sourdough, then grilled on a panini press!

See The Recipe!

Hatch Chile Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Chipotle mayo is so easy to make and it’s the perfect condiment to go with this Hatch Chile Bacon Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

See The Recipe!

Aubergine & Halloumi Panini

A real vegetarian treat, this Aubergine & Halloumi Panini features layers of rich tomato paste, squeaky salty halloumi and slightly charred aubergine rounds!

See The Recipe!

Pepperoni Panini

Pepperoni Panini is a mix of Italian ingredients melted into a perfect meal. This grilled sandwich is a good thing to serve if cheese melts are a family favorite dish!

See The Recipe!

Ham and Brie Panini

Welcome, sandwich lovers, to an experience of gourmet delight – the Ham and Brie Panini. This recipe takes the everyday sandwich and elevates it to new heights of cooking delight!

See The Recipe!

Gluten Free Panini Sandwich

A gluten free panini sandwich is a fun and delicious meal. Quick, satisfying, and oh-so-tasty!

See The Recipe!

Pesto Chicken Panini with Balsamic Roasted Tomatoes

This pesto chicken panini sandwich is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, full of flavor, and oozing with melty cheese. Need I say more?

See The Recipe!

Popular Panini Sandwich Ingredients

While each sandwich recipe is going to be different, these are some popular ingredients to keep on hand if you want to make the best sandwich of your life. It also helps to have a grill pan, panini press or panini maker.

• Vegetables – Make a veggie panini with ingredients like sliced tomato, onion, avocado, red peppers, spinach, fresh basil leaves, eggplant or mushroom.
• Cheese – Of course, slices of cheese are always a great addition too. Swiss cheese, cheddar cheese, brie, fresh mozzarella or provolone cheese are some of my favorites.
• Meat – No sandwich is complete without meat! Popular panini meats are turkey, ham, beef, chicken, pork and bacon.
• Sauces – And if you know me, you know how much I love sauces! Adding a sauce like mayo, honey mustard, a garlic aioli or pesto adds so much flavor.
• Bread – To me, panini bread matters. I like using something like sourdough bread, rye bread or fresh italian bread.

What to Serve with a Panini Sandwich

As with any sandwich, a panini is best served with something like a bowl of soup or pretty much any other side you can think of. I like to serve mine with a creamy tomato soup or side salad.

You can also serve paninis with some crunchy kettle chips or even a vegetable. Something like broccoli or carrots would be nice.

For the dessert paninis, serve with a side of chocolate sauce for dipping!

More Easy Sandwich Recipes

If you like a good sandwich, you will love some of our favorites!