Grilled Cheese Panini Recipe
Swiss, pepper jack & cheddar cheeses with tomatoes on house bread and choice of 1 side.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Sandwich
Optional finishing
Choice of side (pick 1)
Method
Sandwich
Prep bread and butter
Spread softened unsalted butter evenly on the outside face of both bread slices (the faces that will contact the grill/pan). If you prefer a lighter crust, brush outer faces with olive oil instead.
Assemble cheeses and tomato
Place one slice of bread buttered-side down on a clean work surface. Layer Swiss, pepper jack, and cheddar slices in that order across the bread so cheese covers most of the slice. Arrange tomato slices on top of the cheese. Sprinkle the tomato lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper. If using basil, tuck the leaves between tomatoes and cheese. Top with the second bread slice, buttered-side up.
Preheat panini press or skillet
Preheat a panini press to medium heat (about 375°F / 190°C) or heat a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-low to medium heat. If using a skillet, also have a heatproof weight (another skillet or foil-wrapped brick) ready to press the sandwich.
Grill the sandwich
Place the assembled sandwich onto the preheated panini press and close. Grill 3 to 5 minutes until bread is golden brown and cheese is fully melted. If using a skillet, place sandwich in the skillet, press with the weight, and cook 2.5 to 4 minutes per side, checking after 2.5 minutes and flipping once, until bread is golden and cheese is melted. Adjust heat if bread browns too quickly before cheese melts—lower to medium-low and cover loosely with a lid for a minute to help melt.
Rest and slice
Remove the sandwich from the press or skillet and transfer to a cutting board. Let rest 1 minute to allow cheese to set slightly, then slice diagonally or down the middle with a sharp knife. If desired, brush the top with 1/2 tsp olive oil for sheen.
Choice of side
Serve the grilled cheese panini immediately with one chosen side: a house salad (toss mixed greens with dressing), a portion of kettle chips, or a side of fries. If serving fries or chips, place them on the plate beside the sandwich. For salad, spoon the greens into a bowl and dress lightly so they stay crisp beside the sandwich.