Caramelized eggplant makes for a sweet delicious filling in this crisp, cheesy Eggplant Panini. Serve with a side salad, chips, or fresh fruit and veggies to make it a full meal.
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If you’ve only known eggplant in the form of eggplant parmesan, stick around, because there’s plenty to love about this purple vegetable.
I’m absolutely in love with soft, brown, caramelized eggplant. Stick it in some crispy bread with melty cheese and we’re totally onto something. It makes a deliciously soft filling, while still feeling healthy enough to be called a light lunch.
This meal comes together in about 30 minutes, so it could also be a quick and easy dinner on a busy night. I like to serve these with baby carrots on the side, but chips, fruit, or a simple salad would also be great.
Ingredients
- Eggplant
- Ciabatta bread
- Pesto
- Tomato
- Provolone
How to make an eggplant panini
- Preheat your oven’s broiler to high and place an oven rack in the highest position. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Preheat a griddle or panini press on high.
- Slice eggplant into ½″ thick disks, discarding the ends. Brush each side of the eggplant lightly with olive oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes per side.
- On a clean work surface, lay out the four bottom pieces of ciabatta. Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto onto each sandwich. Top with a slice of cheese, followed by tomato, eggplant, and another slice of cheese. Cover with the top half of the bread. Brush both sides of the sandwich with olive oil. Cook sandwiches in the panini press until crisp and melty, about 8 minutes.
Top tips
Get good bread
Bread will make or break a sandwich, in my opinion. I like to get a loaf of ciabatta and cut it up into sandwich sized pieces, but you could also get individual ciabatta rolls if that’s more convenient for you.
This recipe just will not work with regular sandwich bread because it is too soft to hold up against the vegetable filling, so if you can’t find ciabatta try another crusty bread.
Make ahead
You can prepare and cook the eggplant up to 3 days in advance, making this a very quick dinner recipe!
How to store
This sandwich is best eaten right after making, but leftovers can be kept wrapped in plastic in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I recommend reheating by microwaving for 30 seconds, then finishing it in the oven to make sure it’s hot in the middle and crispy on the outside.
Tips for customizing eggplant paninis
- Swap the provolone for fresh mozzarella, smoked mozzarella, or fontina
- Use any flavor pesto such as pistachio pesto, spinach pesto, or walnut arugula pesto
- Add other veggies you have on hand, such as fresh spinach, sautéed mushrooms, or caramelized onions
- Use whatever crusty bread you have on hand such as kaiser rolls, sourdough bread, or French baguette
FAQ
Eggplant is also known as aubergine, brinjal, or baigan in some parts of the world. They are all names for the same thing, and can be used interchangeably.
I love my Cuisinart Griddler (affiliate link) for making paninis and pretty much anything else that would require a grill, press, or griddle. It has plates that are smooth on one side and ridged like a grill plate on the other, so you can get those great grill marks on your sandwich!
You can make this recipe with or without the peel, so peeling the eggplant is up to you. The skin of an eggplant is edible, but I like to remove it because it can separate from the flesh of the eggplant as it cooks anyways and kind of get in the way.
More vegetarian sandwich recipes
- The Best Veggie Sandwich
- Cheesy Hummus and Veggie Panini
- Oven Roasted Tomato and Pesto Panini
- Cajun Tofu Wraps
- Double Bean Pita Sandwich
- Peach, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Sandwich
- Hummus Sandwich
- Greek Chickpea Wraps
- Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich
- Harissa Grilled Cheese
- Butternut Squash and Sage Pesto Grilled Cheese
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Eggplant Panini
Ingredients
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread, cut into four equal sections and sliced open horizontally
- 1 medium eggplant
- 4 tablespoons pesto
- 1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
- 8 slices provolone cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven’s broiler to high and place an oven rack in the highest position. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Preheat a griddle or panini press on high.
- Slice eggplant into ½″ thick disks, discarding the ends. Brush each side of the eggplant lightly with olive oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Broil until lightly browned and tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 minutes per side.
- On a clean work surface, lay out the four bottom pieces of ciabatta. Spread 1 tablespoon of pesto onto each sandwich. Top with a slice of cheese, followed by tomato, eggplant, and another slice of cheese. Cover with the top half of the bread. Brush both sides of the sandwich with olive oil. Cook sandwiches in the panini press until crisp and melty, about 8 minutes. Slice in half and serve with giardiniera, chips, or fruit.
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