Roasted Vegetable Panini
My daughter and I devoured this sandwich! I used some frozen homemade pesto I had made when we had an abundance of basil in our garden. A jarred pesto would work just fine here, too. You may need to drain off some of the oil from the jar or just stir very well before using. Pesto is incredibly easy to make, if you’re up to making your own.
You can switch up the vegetables on this ingredient list if you prefer, but be sure they can be cut in the same size as all the other vegetables you use, or you’ll need to change your roasting times. The veggies I have listed soften well and can be roasted for the same amounts of time. Tomato slices will basically disintegrate in the oven, so if you want tomato, add fresh slices while assembling your sandwich
If you do not own a panini press, not to worry. You can handle this as you would a grilled cheese, toasting on each side in a shallow skillet. The panini press that I own can hold 2 to 3 sandwiches at once, which makes it nice for a few extra dinner guests.
Don’t be steered away from this recipe because you automatically think CARBS! when you see the word “sandwich.” Even if you are on a keto/low carb diet, breads labeled “Keto” or “Low Carb” are available to use for this recipe.
Roasted vegeatables are super easy to make. I love thems as a side to just about any meal, but paired with pesto and cheese sandwiched together on toasted bread…. Oh, my!
Roasted Vegetable Panini
Equipment
- Panini Press, handy, but not necessary
- Large cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini, sliced 1/4' thick
- 2 small yellow squash, sliced 1/4" thick
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4" thick
- 3 bell peppers, any color, seeded, sliced 3/4" thick strips
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- 1 eggplant, sliced into 1/4" rounds
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded, cut into 3 large pieces
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup pesto, store-bought or my Homemade Pesto recipe
- 8 slices Havarti cheese
- Bread, see Notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Place the zucchini, squash, bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, eggplant and poblanos in a large bowl. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables. Add a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss the vegetables to coat evenly.
- Wrapping foil around your cookie sheet helps with easy clean up. Lightly spray the pan with a nonstick spray such as Pam. Pour the vegetables onto the pan and spread them even. Use 2 pans if necessary, so that your veggies are mostly in one layer.
- Bake the vegetables in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until softened. If you’d like some caramelization on your veggies, allow to bake a little longer, checking every few minutes to not burn them.
- Preheat your panini press, or you can heat a shallow skillet over medium to medium-high heat. (If you use a pan instead of a Panini, you’ll have to carefully flip the sandwich in order to toast the other side.)
- Place 2 slices of bread on a plate or cutting board. On one side of a piece of bread spread 2 tablespoons of the pesto.
- (You should have enough veggies to make 4 sandwiches.) Place a quarter of the roasted vegetables on top of the pesto, top with 2 slices of cheese, then place with another piece of bread.
- Place the sandwich on the preheated panini press and close the lid. (You can continue to hold down the lid with some gentle pressure, or allow the machine to work on its own. It might brown quicker and get those nice lines we all like if you do hold it down for a couple of minutes. Either way is fine.)
- Allow the panini press to brown the bread, approximately 2-5 minutes, depending on your appliance.
- Once browned, remove the sandwich and cut it in half using a serrate knife. Continue to make the remaining sandwiches.
- Serve while still very warm.
0 Comments