Roasted Vegetable, Caramelized Onion & Goat Cheese Panini
This sandwich is hearty from the vegetables and creamy from the goat cheese, all between two crispy pieces of ciabatta. Can it get any better?
There’s something about a warm panini sandwich with hearty vegetables being the star of the show. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cold cut classic sandwich or sub, however I find it refreshing to switch it up every now and then. Add goat cheese to these earthy vegetables, making it a perfect pair. I like to top it off with fresh basil and mixed greens for a pop of freshness. While this version is vegetarian, it could also be made vegan by substituting the goat cheese with a vegan friendly option or omitting it. The best part is that it is super versatile, and it can be catered to your own preferences!
- 2 Ciabatta rolls, or bread of your choice
- 1/2 Small to medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into flat strips
- 1/2 Onion, sliced
- 1/2 Bell Pepper, sliced
- 4 Tomato slices
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 2 oz Goat cheese (See notes)
- 1/3 cup Basil Leaves
- 1 cup Mixed Greens
- 2 tbsp Chicken Broth
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- Drizzle of Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Begin by caramelizing the onions by adding them to a pan on low heat with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Continue to stir and add in 1 Tbsp of the chicken broth.
- Keep the pan on low heat and stir frequently. You can keep the pan covered for a couple minutes at a time and stirring in-between to ensure the onions don’t burn. Once the onions start to become golden, add in the remainder 1 Tbsp of chicken broth and continue to stir.
- The onions will be caramelized once they are golden brown and a slightly creamy texture. It will reduce significantly.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400*F and add the zucchini and bell peppers to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika.
- Place the garlic cloves in a small piece of aluminum foil with olive oil and fold up into a small package and add to the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are roasted and the garlic is soft enough to spread.
- To assemble, spread the goat cheese on the bottom bun and on the top bun spread the roasted garlic. Layer on the roasted vegetables, caramelized onions, and tomato slices.
- Use a panini press if you have one or press in a pan on medium heat. I used a cast iron skillet on top of the sandwich to press down.
- Add the basil and mixed greens on each sandwich after it is pressed. Slice in half or keep as a whole and enjoy.
- Could sub feta cheese for the goat cheese. Would recommend the block feta so you can have a slice of feta on the bottom bun, as that doesn’t spread easily.