Turkey Panini
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Tasty turkey, herby basil pesto, and melted cheddar are layered between warm grilled bread to make this delicious Turkey Panini! It’s an easy 15-minute recipe that can be made with or without a panini press!
Easy Turkey Panini Recipe
I love a good warm sandwich with melted cheese! From a classic Tuna Melt to a tasty Cuban Panini, in my house, we love them all. There is just something so comforting about biting into soft gooey cheese and meat layered between two slices of bread.
So one day when I was surfing the web and saw the words “turkey pesto sandwich”, I looked over at my panini maker and thought done deal! I always have leftover pesto in my freezer because I make my own. Then all I did was add a few more ingredients like some roasted red pepper, tomato, and cheese and this easy 15-minute Turkey Pesto Panini recipe was born!
It’s the perfect lunch with some Baked Zucchini Chips or a cup of Roasted Tomato Soup. And also a fantastic quick and easy dinner when served with a hearty Chopped Salad or Caesar Salad.
Why You’ll Love This Turkey Panini
- Quick And Easy! Super simple to make! This turkey panini requires basically no cooking at all and takes just 15-minutes to make!
- Herby Basil Pesto! The delicious pesto goes beautifully with the turkey and turns a simple turkey melt into an incredibly flavorful panini.
- Perfect Lunch or Dinner! Paninis are really versatile. They can be served for lunch with a bag of chips or for dinner with soup or salad.
- Bread – I made my turkey paninis with some dark rye, but feel free to use your favorite bread or buns.
- Turkey – Sliced cold cut style turkey is what I normally use, but any type of sliced turkey or chicken is fine. If you have leftover turkey, this would also be a great use for it.
- Roasted Red Peppers – They add a bit of sweetness to the panini. You will find them either jarred or canned in the aisle with the olives.
- Basil Pesto – Store-bought basil pesto works just fine or you can make your own pesto.
- Cheddar – I like to use cheddar cheese slices, but any type of sliced cheese that melts well will work, like provolone or Swiss cheese.
This easy recipe can be made in under 15 minutes in just 2-steps. Once you have gathered all the ingredients, you just build the sandwich, grill, and eat! Panini perfection in no time!
Preheat The Panini Maker
To start, turn on your panini press to get it nice and hot. You don’t want to waste any time waiting for it to heat up or try to grill the turkey panini on a press that isn’t hot enough. The results will not be as good. Also, you will want to check out your manufacturer’s guide for more details on how to use your model of panini maker.
Assemble The Panini
Once you’ve got all the ingredients laid out, it’s time to start building the panini sandwiches. Begin by spreading some basil pesto on one side of each slice of bread. Then top 2 of the slices of bread with the sliced turkey, cheese slices then roasted red pepper. Now, put the other 2 slices of bread on top and your paninis are assembled and ready to grill!
Grill And Serve
First, make sure your panini maker is hot. Then transfer the turkey pesto sandwiches to the press and grill them for about 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and grill marks have formed. How long they take to grill can vary depending on your model.
What Else Can I Add To My Panini?
Anything! Feel free to craft the sandwich any way you like by adding fresh spinach or arugula, different types of meat, bacon, or even making it totally vegetarian. There are no rules here! You can even make it with leftover Thanksgiving turkey instead of deli turkey.
Do I Need A Panini Maker TO Make This Recipe?
No, you can just use a grill pan and cook it like you do grilled cheese. Then use something heavy to press on it like a panini maker. As long as the sandwich is pressed and the cheese melts it will work.
Expert Tips
- Use the right bread. You need to use bread that isn’t going to fall apart when pressed by the panini maker. So focaccia, rolls, and thicker slices are the best choice.
- Lay on the pesto. Make sure to fully cover the bread with the flavorful pesto so that it comes through with each and every bite. After all, this is a turkey and pesto panini.
- Make and eat. For the best panini experience, grill the sandwiches to order. You can make them ahead of time, but when they first come off the press they are the most delicious.
Leftovers
Already grilled turkey pesto panini will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can simply put it back on the panini maker for a few minutes or put the sandwich in the oven at 350°F (177°C) on a sheet pan for about 7 minutes.
Other Great Sandwiches You’ll Love
- Croque Monsieur
- Reuben Sandwich
- Philly Cheesesteak
- Cucumber Sandwiches
- Club Sandwich
- Italian Sub Sandwich
- Hawaiian Ham And Cheese Stromboli
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Turkey Panini
Ingredients
- 4 slices dark rye bread (or focaccia )
- ¼ pound sliced turkey meat
- 1 roasted red peppers
- 4 tablespoons basil pesto
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Turn on your panini press to get it nice and hot.
- Once you’ve got all the ingredients laid out, it’s time to start building the panini sandwiches. Begin by spreading some basil pesto on one side of each slice of bread. Then top 2 of the slices of bread with the sliced turkey, cheese slices then roasted red pepper. Now, put the other 2 slices of bread on top and your paninis are assembled and ready to grill!
- Transfer the turkey pesto sandwiches to the press and grill them for about 3 minutes or until the cheese has melted and grill marks have formed.
Equipment
Notes
- Use the right bread. You need to use bread that isn’t going to fall apart when pressed by the panini maker. So focaccia, rolls, and thicker slices are the best choice.
- Lay on the pesto. Make sure to fully cover the bread with the flavorful pesto so that it comes through with each and every bite. After all, this is a turkey and pesto panini.
- Make and eat. For the best panini experience, grill the sandwiches to order. You can make them ahead of time, but when they first come off the press they are the most delicious.
- Already grilled turkey pesto panini will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, you can simply put it back on the panini maker for a few minutes or put the sandwich in the oven at 350°F (177°C) on a sheet pan for about 7 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Delicious way to make some inroads into all the leftover turkey from Canadian Thanksgiving. Served with a chopped salad with roasted sweet potato and apples and pears, and it was a delicious, low stress dinner. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
My pleasure!
My sister in law bought me a Panini maker, and I am looking up recipes to try with it this summer. Although I will buy the Pesto, instead of making it myself. I don’t much like avocado, so recipes will be w/o that.
Hi Jo!
Do you have a basil pesto recipe?
Love your blog!!
Gaby
Hi Gaby,
I have a pistachio pesto recipe here, basically all you need to do is replace the pistachios with pine nuts, and you have your basil pesto.
Hi Jo, is this a new look on the blog? looks beautiful. Love your recipes. will be in touch soon about getting together.
Ciao,
Dina
Hi Dina,
Yes it is, glad you like it. 🙂