How to Make Panini Sandwiches Like a Pro (2024)

FAQs

What temperature do you press panini for sandwiches? ›

The best temperature to use for a panini press is a medium to high temperature between 325° and 375°.

Keep it Crispy

One of the hallmarks of a great panini is the signature crispy crunch of the bread when you bite in. In order to make sure that you get the crunch you crave, brush olive oil or butter on the outside before toasting. That will help to brown and harden the bread for a delicious bite.

Use Half-Inch Thick Bread To Make A Panini

There are all kinds of bread that you can use that will be thick enough for a smooth grilling process resulting in a hearty sandwich. These include ciabatta, focaccia, rye, French, and sourdough.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Place sandwich onto the hot pan. Place another heavy pan onto the sandwich, then add two heavy cans to the top pan. Press down on the cans to compress the sandwich.

Carefully place the sandwich in the panini maker and press the lid down, gently enough so that it doesn't completely smoosh the sandwich but enough that both sides are touching the heated grates. Let the sandwich to cook for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and the bread has crisped, 5 to 7 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat; spray lightly with cooking spray. Place sandwich on grill pan; weigh it down with a heavy pan. Cook until cheese is melted and grill marks appear, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Butter goes in the pan not on the bread. To ensure golden (not burned) toastiness, the exterior of the sandwich should be slicked with mayonnaise, which has a higher smoke point and possesses the combined browning power of oil and egg yolks.

Avoid making a sandwich with warm ingredients.

If your sandwich includes cooked ingredients, let them cool completely before assembling your sandwich. Warm ingredients tend to give off condensation (which can make bread soggy), so cold or room-temperature ingredients are your best bet for sandwiches that will keep.

Season your panini grill: Seasoning is essential to keep the unit from rusting and food from sticking. Once you've completely cleaned and dried your panini grill after the first use, spread a light layer of cooking oil on the cast-iron plates and turn the heat to the highest setting.

Do you flip a panini? ›

Close the sandwich up, place on the panini maker or skillet, and grill for 5 minutes. If using a skillet, flip the sandwich over at the 3 minute mark and grill for an additional 2 minutes. Cut in half and serve immediately.

How high should I heat the grill? That depends on what you need the heat to do for your sandwich. With thinner panini like simple grilled cheese, where all you need to do is melt the cheese and grill the bread, a medium-high temperature (about 375 degrees) works great – 3 minutes and it's perfect.

Grill your sandwich and then insert anything you'd like to keep leafy – lettuce, spinach, arugula, cilantro to name a few – right before serving.

The Italian panini does not need to be roasted. Whereas, in the panini shops in the US, you are most likely to find grilled stuffing and the bread is also toasted. The quality of bread is paramount in the making of panini. Usually, high-quality Italian bread like ciabatta or focaccia is used.

“Grilled or panini sandwiches are really popular, but are usually prepared with lots of oils or butter to give them a crusty texture,” she says. Instead, just have the bread toasted if you want the flavor of a hot sandwich with fewer calories and less fat, Klamer says.

The key to a good panini is using high-quality Italian bread (think ciabatta or focaccia) and focusing on the best ingredients without overstuffing the sandwich. Some classic panini recipes are: Mozzarella, tomato, prosciutto, and arugula. Prosciutto and fontina cheese. Prosciutto, cheese, and tapenade.

Ciabatta. Outside of Italy, Ciabatta is the type of bread that is typically used to make your panini sandwich. You want to use a hearty bread choice that can withstand the pressure of your panini press or panini grill while still being able to melt the sandwich ingredients together.

And if panini making is your primary intent, seek out a waffle maker with removable grids, which are easier to clean.

“You can't go wrong with the traditional Italian options — focaccia is a sturdy bread that could bring some great taste to the grilled sandwich,” he says. “And, of course, the French baguette is a good, tough loaf of bread that's perfect for paninis.”

Is mayo good on a panini? ›

But when it comes to panini, mayo is simply better than softened butter. For one, there's no putzing around while the butter softens. And two, the browning is so much better.

Grilled cheese sandwiches differ from panini in that they are made on a frying pan or skillet. The bread is not necessarily grilled on both sides. For the best panini results, everything needs to be flat; bread, cheese slices, meat, vegetables, and other fillings.

You can use your oven's usual baking setting to give your toast the perfect texture. For this method, preheat your oven to 350-400º. A heat of 350º will cause your toast to be more browned, while a heat of 400º will result in a crunchy texture.

Conventional oven: This is a great option if you are pulling your sandwich out of the refrigerator. Preheat to 350 degrees. Pull your sandwich out of the foil bag and place it on top of the bag. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flip sandwich (hey its hot) and cook an additional 10-12 minutes.