Grilled Caprese Panini takes a simple grilled cheese sandwich and elevates it to a whole other level! Made with summer-ripe, thick-sliced tomatoes, fresh creamy mozzarella, and flavorful fresh basil, all of the elements on a classic caprese salad are present in a delicious, toasted grilled caprese panini!
EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO MAKE A GRILLED CAPRESE PANINI
While it’s super helpful to have a panini press like this one to make these grilled caprese panini, you can pretty much the same effect using a grill pan.
Just heat your grill pan well, then place the panini in the pan and press down on the top of the sandwich for 20 seconds with another heavy pot or pan. Leave the pot or pan sitting on top of the sandwich while the bottom cooks and gets grill marks, then flip and repeat on the other side.
And if you don’t have a panini press or a grill pan, you can always just prepare this like a normal grilled cheese. Just be careful when flipping the sandwich to grill the second side that you don’t let all the insides of the panini slip out!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ciabatta roll or 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 slices fresh mozzarella
- 1/2 tomato, sliced
- Handful of basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Slice the ciabatta roll in half. Brush the outside of the bottom roll with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and place on a hot panini press or grill pan.
- Layer the sliced fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato, and basil leaves, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with just a little salt & pepper, to taste.
- Brush the top of the ciabatta roll with remaining olive oil and place over sandwich, then lower the panini press lid or place a heavy pan on top of the sandwich in the grill pan over medium heat and press down for 20 seconds, then leave the pan sitting on the sandwich as it cooks. You will need to flip the sandwich if using the grill press once the bottom is toasted in order to grill the other side. Grill until toasted to a golden brown and the mozzarella starts to get a little melted around the sides but is not melted completely through.
