Meet your new favorite summer sandwich: the mozzarella tomato basil panini. Buon appetito!

The only thing better than a gooey grilled cheese? How about a gooey grilled cheese made with creamy mozzarella, slices of juicy tomato and fragrant basil! In other words, your favorite caprese salad in sandwich form. To create this Italian-inspired sandwich, follow our step-by-step guide for making the best-ever mozzarella tomato basil panini.

Choose Fresh Ingredients

Before you get started, make sure you have fresh ingredients. Whether it’s basil from your herb garden, tomatoes from the farmers market or fresh mozzarella, better quality ingredients will give your sandwich the best flavor.

How to Make a Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Panini

The original recipe (you can find it here) comes from Kathryn Hudson in Pennsylvania.

Ingredients

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
8 slices sourdough bread
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Set up your base

Set out four slices of sourdough bread. Then layer the cheese, basil and tomatoes on top of each slice. (If you want to make your own sourdough bread, try this tasty recipe!)

Step 2: Top off the sandwiches

Sprinkle the tomatoes with salt and pepper. Top each stack with the four remaining slices of bread.

Step 3: Add butter

Spread the outsides of the sandwiches with butter. This will prevent them from sticking to the pan as well as add flavor.

Editor’s Tip: To soften butter quickly (aka if you forgot to take it out of the fridge beforehand), roll it out between two sheets of wax paper with a rolling pin or cream it in a stand mixer.

Step 4: Heat it up

Cook the sandwiches in a preheated panini maker like this or indoor electric grill until the bread is browned and cheese is melted. Yum!

How to Upgrade Your Panini

There are plenty of ways to level up your sandwich. For instance, you can mix up your filling by adding sliced avocado for more healthy fats or mixed greens for a punch of veggies. You could even coat the outside of the sandwiches with a tangy balsamic glaze rather than butter.

Find More Recipes for Panini Goodness

Rotisserie Chicken PaniniThis ooey-gooey, melty delight is packed with bacon, chicken, cheese and just enough lemon to tickle your taste buds. Other chicken panini recipes don’t compare!—Terri McCarty, Oro Grande, California

Grilled Eggplant Panini with Basil AioliI love being able to use the bounty of fresh vegetables and herbs from my garden for summer meals. This sandwich is loaded with veggies and has such a satisfying crunch. The melty provolone finishes things off perfectly. —Joseph A. Sciascia, San Mateo, California

Fig, Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese PaniniA taste of this sandwich whisks you to the Italian countryside. It combines sweet honey, dried figs, tangy goat cheese, nutty Asiago and salty prosciutto. We often pack it in our picnic basket for summer or fall outings. —Maria Brennan, Middlebury, Connecticut

Triple Pepper Steak SandwichesMake parts of this steak sandwich recipe ahead of time and you can assemble the sandwich quickly for a weeknight meal. This fork-and-knife sandwich works very well with leftover fajita meat and peppers, or as a way to use leftover grilled steak or chicken. The chipotle cream sauce can be made up to three days in advance.—Robert Taylor, Shawnee, Kansas

Cuban-Style Pork SandwichesLoaded with tangy flavor, this is a lighter version of a favorite restaurant-style sandwich. If you don’t have a panini maker, tuck the sandwiches under the broiler until the bread is browned and the cheese melted. —Robin Haas, Cranston, Rhode Island

Tandoori Chicken PaniniThe tandoori-style spices in this chicken give it a bold flavor that’s so hard to resist. It tastes incredible tucked between pieces of naan, then grilled to make Indian-inspired panini. —Yasmin Arif, Manassas, Virginia

Mediterranean Turkey PaniniThe word panini refers to sandwiches that are pressed and toasted. I make panini for my fellow teachers and friends. For potlucks, make several and cut them into fourths. —Martha Muellenberg, Vermillion, South Dakota

Prosciutto Egg PaniniWith mustard, maple syrup, prosciutto and eggs, this is a yummy twist on the usual bacon-and-egg sandwich. Your family will agree that this is one breakfast worth waking up for! —Erin Renouf Mylroie, Santa Clara, Utah

Bistro Apple PaniniMy family loves panini press recipes. The bacon, apple and tarragon in this recipe go together so well. If you don’t have a panini maker or an indoor grill, you can easily pan-fry or broil these excellent sandwiches.—Noelle Myers, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Chicken & Caramelized Onion Grilled CheeseMy grilled cheese sandwich combines chicken with sweet caramelized onions, red peppers, Swiss cheese and sourdough bread. It’s oh-my goodness. —Kadija Bridgewater, Boca Raton, Florida

Cuban PaniniOut of all the panini recipes I make, this is my favorite. The Cuban sandwich is a twist on the old ham and cheese, usually with ham, Swiss, pickles, condiments and sometimes, as in this hearty version, smoked turkey. —Janet Sanders, Pine Mountain, Georgia

Cuban Roasted Pork SandwichesFor an incredible hot sandwich, slowly roast pork in a seasoned citrus marinade, then layer slices of the meat with pickles, zippy mustard, ham and cheese. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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The post How to Make a Mozzarella Tomato Basil Panini Like a Pro first appeared on AfterCuriosity.

This post first appeared on AfterCuriosity, please read the originial post: here

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How to Make a Mozzarella Tomato Basil Panini Like a Pro