Ingredients to Keep on Hand

If you have certain basic items on hand at all times great panini will just be minutes away. Of course, it’s all a matter of personal taste. After making a few different panini you’ll start to recognize the flavors you like best. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Bread

MUST HAVE: Sliced sourdough – it grills well and is also excellent for non-grilled sandwiches and breakfast toast, so you’re not likely to waste it
NICE TO HAVE: Pita, rye, ciabatta, focaccia, raisin bread, puff pastry, English muffins, french rolls

Cheese

MUST HAVE: Sliced cheddar – goes well with many types of sandwiches, or great as a snack on its own
NICE TO HAVE: Asiago, mozzarella, pepper jack, blue cheese, swiss, havarti, gruyere, provolone

Meat

MUST HAVE: Deli meats – any deli meat can be a good candidate for panini
NICE TO HAVE: Rotisserie chicken, fish filets, eggs, bacon, prosciutto, flank or skirt steak, turkey, shrimp, pulled pork

Condiments

MUST HAVE: Mustard, mayonnaise, olive oil, butter – these versatile ingredients are great accompaniments to nearly all types of panini
NICE TO HAVE: Pesto spread, olive tapenade, sundried tomato spread, mango chutney, peanut butter, preserves

“Goodies”

Often it’s the “extras” that make the sandwich: red onion, avocado, apples, spinach, arugula, tomatoes, chocolate

Stock your refrigerator and pantry and get grilling!

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KathyPanini Happy, online since 2008, is more than just a sandwich blog. Here, you'll find hundreds of my original panini recipes, my guide to choosing a panini press and a whole lot of other creative uses for the panini press.
~ Kathy Strahs
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2 Comments

  1. Buster Carrier wrote:

    Can you use a George Foreman Grill as a Panini Press? It has a slight incline to it to drain off fat when grilling. I think that would be the only drawback as a Panini Press. What do you think?
    Thanks.

    Posted 11.27.09 Reply