I made this panini for lunch the other day and it turned out great! My husband and I were not in the mood for a traditional grilled cheese sandwich, so I turned to my fridge and pulled out what little ingredients I had that I thought would go well in a panini. Instead of layering everything individually, I chopped and pre-mixed everything in a bowl and added some prepared salsa to give it that extra kick!
After spooning this mixture in-between two slices of sour dough bread and grilling the panini with some butter, they turned out delicious! I usually need some hot sauce or ketchup on the side, but because I added salsa inside, the panini tasted perfect by itself. This dish goes perfectly with a side of sauteed brussel sprouts.
I’ve made this recipe several times when I’ve had unexpected guests visiting and staying for lunch or dinner. Pre-mixing all the ingredients for a panini saves you the time from having to layer each one-by-one.
Southwestern Cheese Panini
Bump up your grilled cheese with this southwestern cheese mixture! Mix everything together and grill in a panini press or pan!
Servings: 3 sandwiches
Calories: 470kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 3/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese , shredded
- 1/2 fresh jalapeno , chopped
- 1/2 tomato , finely diced
- 2 green onions , chopped
- 2-3 tbsp prepared salsa , such as Cholula or any thick fresh salsa
- 6 slices sour dough bread or whole grain bread , gluten-free option: use your favorite gluten-free bread
- vegan butter , for grilling
- freshly ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded vegan cheese, chopped jalapeno, diced tomatoes, chopped green onions, freshly ground black pepper, and salsa. Mix with a fork or spoon until all the ingredients are combined. (note: the amounts indicated above are an approx. feel free to add more or less depending on your preference).
- Spoon the mixture evenly on top of 1/2 the slices of bread and top with the remaining bread to close the sandwich.
- Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat. Spread butter directly on the pan. Place one panini on the buttered pan and grill until that side is golden, pressing lightly.
- Butter the pan again and flip the panini. Grill until the other side is golden as well and the cheese mixture inside is completely melted.
- Slice the panini in half and serve hot with your favorite hot sauce.
NUTRITION
Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1014mg | Potassium: 271mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 327IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you Make this Recipe ?Mention @VegetarianGastronomy or tag #vegetariangastronomy!
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Gita
I just tried these last night – sooooo good!! Great twist on a classic grilled cheese. I especially love the combo of the cheese and salsa – a great way to bind all the ingredients together. Only change for next time will be the type of bread I use – last night I used Trader Joe’s sourdough bread. It was okay, but will try a more “fluffy” sourdough for next time. All in all, delicious! 🙂
Avani V
Made this today! Pretty much already had everything except the bread! I made a few modifications! I used white onions instead of green because I’m not a fan of green! Also, didn’t put in the tomatoes because Akash doesn’t like them! Turned out great! A quick and easy yet delicious meal!
Gastronomers - Amman & Anjali
Thanks for the comments and nice to know you guys enjoyed the sandwich as much as we did! Try out the Green Panini next!