Deceptively delicious, this panini is ALL about the Citrus Pistachio Pesto. Melty with a crunch from the pistachios and a zing from the orange and lemon, this is what sandwich dreams are made of.
The Citrus Pistachio Pesto recipe I shared last week is just SO good. It’s been haunting my dreams. I love the crunch the pistachios give it and the unexpected zing of the orange and lemon. YUM!
But I wanted to come up with a recipe that is not pasta that would really highlight the pesto. I landed on trying a pesto grilled cheese sandwich. Simple. And trust me, it was delicious. But I felt like the addition of sliced turkey to the mix really makes this sandwich feel like a meal, not just a snack. So I tried it again and bingo! We had a winner.
I know this sandwich seems obvious. But believe me–this is ALL about the pesto. The citrus pistachio pesto really gets highlighted here and becomes the absolute star of this sandwich. My husband declared it better than a restaurant sandwich–that’s all thanks to the pesto.
There’s something about making your own pesto for a simple sandwich like this that really elevates it from ordinary to special. And this pesto in particular really stands out as the lemon and basil marry with the turkey and pistachios complement the havarti cheese. Store-bought pesto could never compete.
The sandwich itself is very straightforward. Make your pesto first. You will definitely want to follow my tricks for keeping the pesto a bit more coarse for this recipe as it makes it more spreadable without being runny. Then place four slices of sourdough (or your bread of choice) on a plate. Layer two pieces with turkey and havarti. Then on the other two pieces, spread the pesto fairly thick–about two tablespoons per slice. Don’t skimp on the pesto!
Then place the pesto bread on top of the turkey and cheese bread. Butter the outer slices of bread and then place it in the panini maker. Or alternatively, you could toast this on a frying pan over medium low heat for a few minutes. Get the bread toasty and the cheese melty.
My husband actually serves this with extra pesto for dipping. I don’t blame him! The citrus pistachio pesto is irresistible!
This sandwich makes a delicious lunch or dinner. Serve with soup or chips on the side, and you have a meal ready to go. This is a must try–it absolutely defies its own simplicity and is an extremely memorable meal.
Turkey, Havarti, and Citrus Pistachio Pesto Panini
2
Sandwiches15
minutes10
minutesDeceptively delicious, this panini is ALL about the Citrus Pistachio Pesto. Melty with a crunch from the pistachios and a zing from the orange and lemon, this is what sandwich dreams are made of.
Ingredients
4 slices sourdough bread
2 Tbsp butter, softened
6 slices deli turkey
4 slices havarti
4 Tbsp Citrus Pistachio Pesto
Directions
- Heat panini maker.
- On a plate, lay out 4 slices of sourdough bread. Spread the softened butter thinly over each slice. Flip two slices over so buttered side is facing down. On that bread, build your sandwich by placing 3 slices of turkey and 2 slices of havarti cheese on each slice.
- On the other two slices of buttered bread, flip them over so the buttered side is facing down. Spread the bread thickly with the pesto–about two tablespoons per slice. Place the pesto bread on top of the turkey and cheese bread with buttered side facing out on both sides.
- When the panini maker is hot, place the sandwiches inside and bring the top down. Toast the sandwiches until the cheese is melted and they are browning on top. Using a spatula, remove from the panini maker. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- These can also be made on the stove top. Follow directions up to step 4. Once the sandwiches are ready, heat a pan over medium low heat. Place both sandwiches in the pan and toast on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side until lightly brown. Serve and enjoy!
