Let this mozzarella pesto panini transform your lunch into a dining experience. The saltiness of the pesto combined with the acidity of the tomatoes is the perfect balance of flavours.
If you are a fan of grilled cheese then you will love this mozzarella pesto panini. It’s a grilled cheese on steroids! Figuratively speaking of course.
The prep is simple, and only takes a couple of extra minutes versus a standard grilled cheese, but it tastes like a gourmet sandwich!
It’s a play on a caprese sandwich which is not toasted and includes fresh basil, buffalo mozzarella and tomato. Though the ingredients seem similar this panini tastes and feels very different.
The balance between the acidity of the tomatoes and the saltiness of the pesto is perfect. Add ooey gooey melty cheesy goodness and you’ve just made the perfect vegetarian toasted sandwich!
Yup, that’s right, this recipe is vegetarian. If you’re a skeptical meat eater I vouch for this meeting your standards. However, if you feel that you just can’t skip a meal add some grilled chicken to this mozzarella pesto panini and you’re all set!
Preparing the Mozzarella Pesto Panini
Ingredients
Tomatoes on the vine: Tomatoes are actually a fruit, despite most people believing them to be vegetables. For this recipe, we use tomatoes on the vine. They are larger tomatoes sold still attached to the vine. They are the perfect size for slicing and have a slightly sweet flavour when fully ripe. They contain vitamins C, E and A and are a great addition to any sandwich. Burger or wrap.
Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella is a stretched curd cheese. Though there are many varieties, for this recipe I use pizza mozzarella. It has a mild flavour and melts into a stringy texture.
Pesto: Traditionally pesto is a sauce made from grinding fresh basil, with oil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese. This dish originated in Italy and is used as a spread or a sauce. It is high in calories and fat from the oil and cheese and is also packed with protein, fiber, iron and magnesium thanks to the basil and pine nuts.
TIP: Pesto will store in the fridge for a while but once it has been opened it is susceptible to mould after a while. The best way to preserve pesto, if you don’t plan on using it within a. couple of weeks, is to freeze it.
Italian loaf or rye bread: Bread is made from water and flour, and sometimes other ingredients, and is baked as a loaf. It comes in many different varieties, shapes and sizes. It’s most commonly made from wheat however there are many different flours that yield delicious bread. Our favourites for this recipe are Italian loaf and rye bread.
What is the best bread for a panini?
Italian loaf is a very soft bread so it does flatten quite a bit when turning it into a panini using a panini press. Since for this recipe we are using a pan, we don’t run into this issue.
If you opt for using a panini press or indoor grill, try rye bread or ciabatta bun instead.
Butter: Butter is churned milk or cream and is high in fat. It is solidified when refrigerated, holds a semi-soft, spreadable consistency at room temperature, or can be liquefied when heated.
How to Make Mozzarella Pesto Panini
This recipe is very simple and quick and the only cooking is actually toasting. So, get all of your ingredients out right away to make sure you’re ready for a quick assembly.
Prep the Ingredients
Start by prepping the cheese and tomato. Slice both into 1/8-inch slices and set aside.
Get your pesto and butter out and grab a knife for each. You can also use a spoon for the pesto but I find it easier to spread it with a butter knife.
Assemble the Sandwich
Now, for the assembly. Butter a slice of bread on one side then flip and spread the pesto onto the other side.
I like to put the buttered side down on the matching piece of bread to prevent a mess. Repeat for the other sandwich.
Place the bread buttered side down in a large pan and turn the heat to medium. Top the pesto side with tomato slices, pepper, and cheese slices then close the sandwich with the remaining bread slices. But, before you close the sandwich, butter the outside of the remaining slices.
TIP: You can use a panini press or indoor grill for this recipe. If you do, you can skip buttering the sandwich on the outside and simply spray the grill with cooking spray instead.
Cook the Panini
Cover the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes. Keep an eye on the sandwich to make sure the bread doesn’t burn.
Once the sandwich is toasted, the cheese should also be melted. At this point, flip the sandwich using two spatulas and cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes. The cooking time is much shorter now because the pan is fully heated.
Remove from heat and serve.
Serving Mozzarella Pesto Panini
Like its sister grilled cheese sandwich, this mozzarella pesto panini is a great side to tomato soup. In fact, it pairs well with any soup!
You can also serve it with a side salad instead. Try our simple spinach salad or Caesar salad with homemade dressing.
Let us know in the comments if you have any questions. And if you like this recipe be sure to leave us a five-star rating below.
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Mozzarella Pesto Panini Recipe
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 50 g tomato approx. ½ a medium tomato or 4 slices
- 90 g pizza mozzarella
- 2 tbsp pesto
- 4 slices of Italian loaf or rye bread
- 2 tbsp butter or cooking spray if using a panini press or indoor grill
- Pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
- Slice the tomato and cheese, if you are using a block of cheese.50 g tomato, 90 g pizza mozzarella
- Get your room-temperature butter and the pesto ready.
- Butter two slices of bread on one side then flip and spread the pesto onto the bare side.2 tbsp pesto, 2 tbsp butter, 4 slices of Italian loaf or rye bread
- Move the slices with butter and pesto to a pan, buttered side down. Turn the heat to medium. Then top the pesto side with tomato, ground black pepper and cheese.
- Butter the remaining two slices. Make sure you butter the right side to match the slices in the pan. Now close the sandwich by topping it with the buttered slices, buttered side up.Pinch ground black pepper
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes. Then flip the sandwiches using two spatulas and cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes. Pay close attention not to over toast the bread.
- Remove the sandwiches from the pan and serve. Be careful, they’ll be very hot inside!
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