Light Grilled Vegetable Panini
Light Grilled Vegetable Panini is a great lunch or dinner sandwich that is sure to satisfy. It comes together very quickly and is extremely filling. If you have a really hearty appetite, try adding a few slices of low fat, low sodium deli style ham or turkey.
Equipment
- 1 grill pan
- 1 strong spatula
- plastic wrap
- 1 blender
Ingredients
- ⅛ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch disks (or 1 small regular eggplant)
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch disks
- 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch disks
- 1 large baguette (french bread or ciabatta bread work best)
- ¼ cup spinach pesto (recipe follows)
- 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced
- ¼ cup roasted red peppers
- 1 large tomato, sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
Spinach Pesto:
- 1 cup fresh spinach leaves
- 1 garlic cloves, peeled
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛-¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the olive oil over the eggplant, zucchini, and onion slices, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until they are tender and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
- Cut the baguette into 4 equal pieces. Slice each piece in half lengthwise, and spread both sides with the pesto. On the “bottom” slice of baguette, stack 2 slices of eggplant, 2 slices zucchini, 1 slice onion, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, and 1 slice of roasted pepper (for each sandwich).
- Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place top half of baguette on top of veggies. Place the assembled sandwiches back on the grill pan and using a strong spatula, press down firmly for 30-45 seconds; turn the sandwich over and repeat (this will “smush” the sandwich together to make it easier to eat).
- The sandwiches can be made several hours before you plan on serving them, just wrap them well with plastic wrap and stick them in the fridge. When ready to serve, heat them in the toaster oven for a few minutes until warmed through.
Spinach Pesto:
- In a blender, pulse the spinach, garlic, salt, and pepper until finely chopped. With the blender still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth, thick consistency.
- Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese. (The pesto can be made 2 days ahead, just keep it covered in the fridge until ready to use.)
Video
Notes
Don't skimp on the sauce: The secret to a truly flavorful panini lies in the sauce. Whether it's a tangy pesto, a creamy aioli, or a zesty vinaigrette, make sure to generously spread it on the bread to enhance the overall taste of the sandwich. Don't hold back!