Caprese Panini

Caprese Panini starts with buttered sourdough bread that's grilled to perfection. It surrounds mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil and a tangy balsamic glaze. A sandwich to love!

What's Special About This Recipe?

I'm a panini kind of girl. Give me some gooey mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and basil, and I'll be happy for life. Did I say anything about the crunchy, buttery sourdough bread grilled to perfection?

Oh! I almost forgot. There's balsamic glaze in there. You can actually see it oozing through the tiny holes on the top of the bread. The glaze came from my local grocery store, but I've included a recipe if you can't find any.

There's nothing difficult about making this beauty. With just 5 ingredients, it will be in your tummy in no time. And it's reasonably healthy, right? It kinda looks like a salad withe bread if you ask me.

What's the Difference Between a Sandwich and a Panini?

A panini is basically the Italian name for a grilled sandwich. When my friends and I opened a Cafe' many years ago, we served paninis hot off the grill that were simply amazing.

The panini press left delicious ridges in the bread which added a crunch like no other sandwich our little town had seen before. They were so popular, the line for lunch went out the door and down the sidewalk.

In my opinion, every sandwich should be made with a panini press, but if you don't have one, grilling in a cast iron skillet comes very close since it retains heat and creates a crispy crust.

Easy Ingredient List

• thin sourdough bread
• balsamic glaze
• mozzarella cheese
• small tomatoes
• basil leaves
• melted butter

How to Make It

All you need is some sourdough bread, sliced mozzarella, fresh basil, tomatoes and balsamic glaze. Oh yeah, and butter...to grill the bread. That's it! Mmmm.

Just drizzle the balsamic glaze on both sides of bread and start layering beginning with cheese, then tomatoes, and basil. Close the sandwich, then spread melted butter on both sides.

Pop the sandwich into a cast iron skillet, grill it slowly, then turn over half way through.

What to Serve with Caprese Panini

Caprese Panini is a great sandwich all by itself, but even yummier alongside these great soups and salads...

• All the Love Potato Soup
• Fire Roasted Tomato Soup
• Vegetable Beef Soup
• Strawberry Pecan Salad
• Red Skin Potato Salad

Recipe Card

Caprese Panini

Caprese Panini starts with buttered sourdough bread which is grilled to perfection. It surrounds mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, basil, and a tangy balsamic glaze.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sandwiches

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

ServingsServings: 2

Calories: 513kcal

Author: Debi Morgan | Quiche My Grits

*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 slices thin sourdough bread
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. balsamic glaze
• ▢ 8 small slices of mozzarella cheese
• ▢ 8 slices small tomatoes I use Campari
• ▢ 4 basil leaves
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. melted butter

Instructions

• Spread the inside of 4 slices of bread with balsamic glaze.  
• Build sandwiches by adding mozzarella, then tomatoes, then basil leaves to two slices of bread (glazed sides facing in).
• Top the sandwiches with the other two slices of bread (plain sides facing out).
• Brush tops and bottoms of bread slices with melted butter.
• Grill sandwiches in a cast iron skillet over medium heat until crispy and golden brown, turning once during grilling process.
• If you wish, you can press the sandwiches with a panini press or heavy pan while cooking. This gives the sandwich a crispier crust.

Notes

• If you can't find balsamic glaze in your store, make it by boiling 8 oz. balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup brown sugar together for 20 minutes over medium heat. Let it cool about 10 minutes before using, then store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Sodium: 787mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.

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