Simple Turkey Pesto Panini
Sandwiches are a great, quick, portable meal that can be filling & delicious! But by the time most of us reach adulthood, we’ve eaten so many PB&Js & turkey sandwiches, that the thought of another cold sandwich doesn’t exactly excite us!
For that reason, anytime that I get a chance to dress a sandwich up, I try to do it! That’s how this Turkey Pesto Panini recipe started.
Growing up, my mom made grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches (essentially a grilled cheese with turkey). Now my kids & husband love these sandwiches (I do too), but sometimes I want a little something extra, so I threw in a few additional ingredients that turn these Turkey pesto paninis into a delicious meal!
I used to make these in a regular skillet or on a griddle (& you certainly can too), but if you want a panini, you can use a indoor grill, panini press or even a grill pan! I have a panini press similar to this one (I even use it to grill chicken!).
How to Make A Turkey Pesto Panini
A panini is a grilled sandwich that has meat, cheese & traditionally Italian bread. Most paninis have grill marks from a grill or panini press, and they are cut diagonally (which I didn’t know until after taking my pics! Oops!).
It’s a real treat to sit down to a warm, flavorful sandwich like this one!
Start out with a good, rustic bread & spread butter on one side of each slice. I use thinly sliced turkey & mozzarella or provolone cheese (preferably sliced cheese). Baby spinach & red onion make the sandwiches look & taste fresh & delicious! This is a perfect combination for a yummy sandwich!
Turkey Pesto Panini
Equipment
- panini press, grill pan or griddle
Ingredients
- 8 slices rustic bread of choice
- 2 tbsp salted butter, softened
- 8 oz deli turkey, sliced very thinly
- 4 slices provolone or mozzarella cheese
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves tough stems removed
- 2 tbsp basil pesto
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup red onion, sliced thinly
Instructions
- Warm grill pan or panini press or low to medium heat.
- Spread softened butter on 1 side of the bread.
- Mix pesto & mayo together & spread up to 1/2 tbsp on 4 slices of bread.
- Layer onion, cheese, spinach, turkey & the other piece of bread on top of the first piece.
- Place on the grill & toast until bread is lightly toasted/brown.
- Remove from press or pan & serve warm.
What I love about these sandwiches is that they are so easy, but still seem special! Enjoy these turkey pesto paninis as a quick dinner with roasted potatoes! Warm up leftover sandwiches for a nice lunch treat. Or even serve them for lunch with friends along with pasta salad, fruit, cowboy cookies, and strawberry lemonade!
Have you tried this recipe for turkey pesto paninis? What did you think? Share in the comments below!
