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    Home » Our latest posts » Main Courses with Meat

    Italian Sub-style Panini Makes a Quick and Easy Meal

    April 12, 2020 Filed Under: Main Courses with Meat, Pork

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Add classic Italian Sub fillings to a grilled panini sandwich for a quick, easy and delicious meal.

    This Italian Sub-style Panini takes the classic flavors of an Italian Sub and melts it into a crispy gooey panini sandwich.

    close up of sandwich with text overlay "Italian sub panini sandwich"

    Panini is Italian for "bread roll", a diminutive form of "pane" or bread. It usually refers to a sandwich made with Italian bread.

    Here in America, the sandwich is most often grilled to heat the ingredients and toast the bread with grill marks.

    They sound so fancy when you see them on a menu, but they are actually quite simple to make at home.

    Secret Ingredient for Crispy Italian Sub-style Panini

    For those that like a crispy outer crust to your grilled cheese/ panini sandwiches I have a secret ingredient... mayonnaise.

    Instead of buttering the bread before cooking, spread on a thin layer of mayo.

    It is easier to spread on soft bread, crisps up better and tastes delicious. Just hide it for your whiny mayonnaise hating tween if needed.

    Make Panini without a Panini Press

    Panini are often made with a special machine or pan. Here's a nice electric panini press that has a floating lid so you can make a thick sandwich. And here's a cast iron pan that can be used on the stove, in an oven or over a campfire.

    If you don't own a panini press fear not! You can achieve the same effect with a grill pan (or a gas grill with indirect heat) and a cast iron skillet.

    Put the sandwich on the grill, place a piece of foil on top and then place your skillet on top of the foil to press it down onto the grill. Flip and repeat to grill both sides.

    sandwich on griddle with cast iron skillet on top

    All the Grilled Cheese! from Our Family Table

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    Need more Grilled Cheese Sandwich inspirations? Check out these delicious combinations from some of my favorite bloggers:

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    We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!

    Italian Sub Style Panini Sandwich

    close up of sandwich with text overlay "Italian sub panini sandwich"
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Ingredients
     

    • ½ small red onion (sliced thin)
    • 4 slices thick-cut artisanal white or wheat bread
    • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
    • 2 Romaine lettuce leaves (washed and dried, tough ribs at bottom removed)
    • 1 ripe tomato (washed, dried and sliced)
    • 4 ounces hard salami
    • 4 ounces Italian deli ham
    • 2 ounces pepperoni slices
    • 4 ounces sliced provolone cheese
    • salt and pepper (to taste)

    Instructions
     

    • Thinly spread mayonnaise on one side of all four bread slices. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat and add 2 slices of bread, mayonnaise side down. (If the pan is not cast iron, spray with non-stick spray first).
    • Add lettuce, tomato, red onion, salami, ham, pepperoni and provolone cheese on top of the bread slices in the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired. Top assembled sandwiches with remaining 2 bread slices, mayonnaise side up.
    • Place a piece of aluminum foil on top of the sandwiches. Place a cast iron skillet on top of the foil, applying even pressure to the top of the assembled sandwiches.
    • When the bread on the bottom is golden brown, carefully flip each sandwich and repeat until the other slice of bread is also evenly browned. Serve immediately.

    Notes

    For best results, soak the red onion slices in water for at least half an hour to soften before serving. This will also yield a milder flavor. Remove onion from water and pat dry before placing on the sandwich.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marilyn Lesniak

      July 02, 2019 at 5:45 pm

      Thanks for hosting! This week I am bringing goodness from the garden. Carnival Squash with Apples and Thyme kicks off the list. Then Sautéed Zucchini Coins and my husband’s Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes round out the list. Enjoy!

      Reply
    2. Erlene

      July 03, 2019 at 10:40 am

      Thank you for hosting. Have a wonderful July 4th

      Reply
    3. Hezzi-D

      April 12, 2020 at 8:43 am

      Oh my husband will LOVE these! They sound like they have tons of flavor!

      Reply
    4. Cindy

      April 12, 2020 at 10:11 am

      You have all the good stuff in here!

      Reply
    5. Karen

      April 12, 2020 at 2:31 pm

      This sounds delicious!! Thanks for the mayonnaise tip!

      Reply
    6. Lisa Kerhin

      April 13, 2020 at 7:42 am

      This would go over BIG in my house!

      Reply
    7. Inger @ Art of Natural Liivng

      April 13, 2020 at 10:58 am

      I love Italian sub flavors. How great to put them in a grilled cheese!

      Reply
    8. Christie

      April 19, 2020 at 9:39 am

      You had me at pepperoni! This looks perfectly delicious!

      Reply
    9. Jim Tarrant

      June 03, 2022 at 7:23 pm

      For those who own a waffle iron, this method can easily be adapted to the waffle iron for extra crispy results.

      Reply
      • Audrey

        June 11, 2022 at 5:18 pm

        That would be fun to try.

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