This affordable and easy caprese panini recipe takes just ten minutes to make and requires four simple ingredients. Requiring just one pan, this tomato mozzarella sandwich is one of the best easy dinner ideas especially when you want fresh flavor.
This caprese sandwich recipe is a delicious recipe to make for a quick lunch or dinner. It takes your normal grilled cheese recipe and elevates it to the next level. This grilled caprese sandwich is a great recipe to make when having guests over, especially during the summer when juicy tomatoes are fresh and in season. It also is a kid friendly recipe.
This was inspired by my mozzarella prosciutto sandwich recipe on this site, and pairs well with these crispy onion chips or truffle fries.
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Ingredients
To make this caprese grilled cheese, you will need sourdough bread slices or another type of artisan bread. A good quality bread is very important. Fresh tomatoes such as heirloom tomatoes are great to use as the slice of tomato on this sandwich. Basil pesto is used to spread on the bread. Fresh creamy mozzarella is the cheese layer of this sandwich and the fresher the mozzarella the better.
- sourdough bread
- shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese
- pesto
- fresh tomatoes
- mayonnaise (to spread on bread to help it toast)
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of sourdough. Spread pesto on the opposite side of each slice of sourdough.
- Step 2: Place the bread slices in a hot pan with the mayonnaise side facing down. Cook on medium-high heat. Add sliced tomatoes and sliced mozzarella.
- Step 3: Add the other half of the sourdough slice on top of the mozzarella cheese. Cook until the bottom bread slice is golden brown and then flip.
- Step 4: Cook until the other half of the sandwich is golden brown and the cheese is melty, about 3-5 minutes.. Serve immediately.
Hint: if you are only cooking one sandwich at a time, an easy way to flip a sandwich like this is to scoop up your sandwich with your spatula and then flip the pan and put it on top of the sandwich. You then flip both the pan and the sandwich simultaneously. This avoids any chance of your sandwich falling apart and makes the flipping process much more simple.
Substitutions
- Frying Pan - instead of using a frying pan, use a panini press. This will give you those signature panini grill marks and will also make sure your bread is cooked perfectly. You can also use a grill pan on the stove
- Bread - you can really use any kind of bread you prefer in my opinion. I do like an artisan bread or a panini bread with this recipe though. You can also use gluten free sourdough if needed
- Pesto - you can replace store bought pesto with homemade pesto. To make vegan homemade pesto, you can switch out parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast, its delicious
- Mayonnaise - you can either replace the mayonnaise with soft butter or olive oil to help toast the bread
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes on top of the pesto to add some heat or add some hot, cooked peppers
- Meat - add some crispy prosciutto, bacon, or some grilled chicken seasoned with black pepper and kosher salt. Some fresh basil leaves add some delicious flavor to the fresh chicken as well
- French Onion - switch out the tomato and pesto for caramelized onions soaked in a little beef broth for a french onion version of a delicious grilled cheese. Add a burger patty for a patty melt version
- Balsamic Vinegar - add a drizzle of regular balsamic vinegar for an extra kick of flavor
See this French Onion Patty Melt on my website!
Equipment to make a Caprese Panini
For this recipe, you will need a cast iron skillet, panini maker or a grill pan for the stove.
You will also need a sharp knife and cutting board to cut the tomatoes.
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top Tip
Good quality ingredients make a huge difference with this recipe. You want to make sure you use ripe tomatoes, very fresh mozzarella cheese and a good basil pesto. For best results make a homemade pesto. The freshness of your sourdough also makes a huge difference. Homemade sourdough will also give the best results.
FAQ
You can either make it yourself or I typically buy my sourdough from Trader Joe's. Making it yourself will give you the best, most fresh results but I find that Trader Joe's has a delicious sour dough that is very affordable.
A classic caprese salad is a great way to enjoy the caprese flavors. A platter of juicy tomato slices, sweet basil and sliced mozzarella with a balsamic glaze drizzle is another great way to enjoy these flavors. The best flavor comes from a simple caprese panini though.
Sourdough is a delicious option. A fresh ciabatta roll, italian bread or french baguette can also be a delicious option. There are also many gluten-free bread options that are great for panini recipes.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this caprese grilled cheese:
📖 Recipe
Caprese Panini Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
- 4 slices sourdough
- 4 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 tomato sliced
- 4 tablespoon pesto
- 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
Instructions
- Slice the tomato.
- Spread the mayonnaise on one half of two slices of bread. Place on the cast iron skillet on medium heat.
- Spread the mozzarella cheese evenly on the slice of bread. Spread the tomato slices evenly on top of the cheese.
- Spread pesto on one half of the additional slices of bread. Place on top of the tomatoes.
- Spread mayonnaise on top of the top slice of bread.
- Once the cheese on the bottom is melted (about 3-4 minutes) flip the grilled cheese. Cook another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
If you have any questions about how to make these caprese panini sandwiches or need other sandwich recipe suggestions, leave a comment below!
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