Caprese Panini Recipe and Ideas for a Spring Menu
Is there anything better for a quick spring dinner than Caprese Panini? The gooey melted cheese, rich pesto and combination of fresh and sun dried tomatoes gives each bite a sweet tang of flavor.
Spring days are so busy at my house, getting the yard in order. There’s planting to do, weeding and basic clean up, so after a long day in the yard, the last thing I want is to cook a cumbersome dinner. I find that a grilled sandwich with a small salad really hits the spot.
My Caprese Panini recipe uses fresh homemade Pesto, but you could buy prepared pesto to make it even easier.
When making homemade pesto, I like to use walnuts instead of the traditional pine nuts. I always have walnuts on hand, and they give the pesto a rich warm flavor!
Are you ready for great inspiration for simple spring meals? Then join me for:
Cooking and Book Chat with New York Times
Bestselling Author, Janice MacLeod.
Janice has written several books with the City of Light as her inspiration and this new book, Dear Paris will delight it’s readers!
Janice will join us in our virtual class as we cook some of her favorite Parisian inspired dishes.
She will regale us with stories of Paris and answer questions you may have!
This beautiful menu would be stunning for Easter or Mother’s Day festivities.
When you register, you will receive a personalized and autographed copy of
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Caprese Panini
1 loaf French bread sliced in about ¾ inch slices
6 slices provolone cheese or fresh mozzarella
½ cup sun dried tomatoes drained and chopped
2 large tomatoes sliced thin and drained
1/3 cup fresh basil pesto
Olive oil
Brush grill pan with olive oil and turn burner to medium heat. Make sandwiches by spreading a generous amount of pesto on every other slice of bread. Sprinkle pesto with sundried tomatoes. Add cheese and fresh tomato slices and top with additional bread slice to create a sandwich. Place sandwiches on grill with a panini press on top; grill each side for about 2 minutes until golden brown.
Basil Pesto
1 ½ cups fresh basil compacted
2 garlic cloves
½ cup walnuts
1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
Place basil, garlic, walnuts, salt in food processor, pulse until smooth, add parmesan, olive oil and process until mixed well.
Enjoy Caprese Panini Recipe and Register NOW for Cooking and Book Chat!
See you soon!
XO
Lorie
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One Reply to “Caprese Panini Recipe and Ideas for a Spring Menu”
[…] I rely on my small food processor so much. I use it to make dips and spreads, to chop nuts, make butter compounds but my favorite use this time of year, is for making pesto. I love the fresh flavor of pesto, made with basil right out of the garden, it adds so much flavor to foods like my Caprese Panini. […]