Pepperoni Pizza Panini Recipe

Panini are pressed Italian sandwiches often filled with meats, cheeses, and dressings or sauces. The singular form is actually panino, but it's frequently referred to as a panini whether we're talking one or two in the U.S. This panini recipe combines the essence of pepperoni pizza with the crunchy, compact cheesiness of a grilled sandwich, and you won't be able to stop eating. 

Recipe developer Leah Maroney knows the importance of pressing the sandwich low and slow: "You need to be able to warm all of the cheeses and meats on the inside of the sandwich before the outside gets too brown. So, make sure you're not heating this on too high of heat. A panini press works great and takes out some of the guesswork," says Maroney.

Panini are totally customizable, which is what makes them so special! You can use whatever meats and cheeses you have on hand, so don't be afraid to get creative with this one. Adding in fresh, sliced Roma tomatoes and bright green pesto are two of Maroney's favorite variations. 

With only seven ingredients, this panini is simple but packs a ton of flavor. Sourdough bread is slathered in good, salted butter. Then, garlic powder is sprinkled over the top to seal in even more delicious flavor in the bread. Two cheeses are better than one, so we used a fresh mozzarella and a sharp provolone. You can also use smoked or mild provolone. Shredded mozzarella cheese can also be used in place of fresh mozzarella. Pick a good quality, chunky tomato sauce and layer the cheeses, sauce, and pepperoni together. Deli pepperoni works especially well for this recipe because of its large surface area. It's also very thin, so it's easy to bite through. However, you can also use smaller pepperoni slices. Once everything is pressed together and cooked to a crisp, golden brown, serve it with extra marinara sauce for dipping.

Spread the butter over one side of all 4 slices of the sourdough bread. Sprinkle with garlic powder.

Flip over 2 of the slices of bread and layer on 3 slices of provolone, half of the pepperoni, and half of the marinara sauce over each slice.

Top each with half of the mozzarella cheese.

Place the remaining slices of bread, butter side facing up, over the sandwich.

Heat a panini press on medium-high heat.

Add the sandwiches to the press and cook, pressing down, for about 5 minutes. Watch carefully for burning.

Flip the sandwiches and cook for another 5 minutes on the other side.

Once both sides are golden brown and the cheese is melted, cut and serve.

Soup, salad, and sandwiches make for an epic combination. Nothing screams coziness like a melted, cheesy panini and a bowl of steaming, hot soup. You can't go wrong dunking this pepperoni pizza panini in a deep bowl of creamy tomato soup instead of the side of marinara sauce used here. We're partial to the Italian spin on grilled cheese and tomato soup, but any Italian-style soup will go nicely alongside the pizza panini, too — try Italian wedding soup or pasta e fagioli. A nice, crunchy, garlicky Caesar salad or a chopped caprese salad on the side perfectly rounds out this meal with fresh notes. You also can't go wrong by adding in grilled chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken to the sandwich alongside the pepperoni for extra protein. For a nutty bite, consider adding a dusting of grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Homemade sourdough bread is king for any panino, but you can use store-bought sourdough bread, too. You'll want to avoid softer breads when you are making grilled sandwiches, especially this pepperoni pizza rendition. The tomato sauce adds a lot of moisture to the sandwich and will soak right through regular white sandwich bread — talk about a big, sloppy mess! The two cheeses also add a lot of gooeyness that works best with sturdier bread. Thick, hearty, crusty breads that have a large surface area are your best bet. They can be white, whole wheat, or even seedless rye as long as they're not soft. And, look for a bread that doesn't have too many large holes either (like a ciabatta); this can result in a lot of cheese and sauce spillage. For even more flavor, these ingredients are absolutely epic when sandwiched between a square of focaccia.