Roasted Vegetable Panini
I love roasted vegetables as a side to just about any meal, but paired with pesto and cheese sandwiched together on toasted bread…. Oh, my!
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.
Notes
The number of servings depends on what size bread you use and how much of the veggies you use per sandwich. Serving sizes are approximate.
As I said earlier, I used pesto, but other spreads that would be delicious are stone ground mustard or an aioli. Even a vinaigrette drizzled over the vegetables before putting on the press would taste wonderful. If you can get your hands on a good au jus from a restaurant that sells prime rib, that would be good for dipping. I’m sure there are recipes out there for a homemade au jus if you don’t have the actual pan juices from a roast. There are sauce packets that you could purchase and “just add water,“ but I cannot imagine them tasting like a true au jus.
I used a Tuscan Boule loaf from my local Publix. This bread is delicious for Paninis. It can hold up to the oil from the pesto and makes a wonderful crunch when toasted. I would try to steer you from using traditional sandwich bread. It would “smush” to almost nothing in the press. Look for something in the bakery section of your grocery store.
I chose different colors of bell peppers to add a splash of color, like red and yellow, but you can use any color (s).
You are welcome to change up the cheese. I think even a blue cheese might be good! I like the creaminess of the Havarti, but the cheese is something you can easily switch up. Even Velveeta could be good, if not a lot is used so you still taste the veggies. Have fun with it!
Nutrition Facts
Roasted Vegetable Panini
Amount per Serving
Calories
647
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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