At first glance, the panini is a pretty basic creation. It's essentially a sandwich, but grilled on a panini press that toasts the slices of bread and warms the ingredients within. But the panini has a certain je ne sais quoi that the boring old sandwich or the grilled cheese, its less classy cousin, lack.
If the sandwich were a person, it would be the awkward misunderstood girl with glasses in every movie about high school. Then, some well-meaning popular girl decides to get her community service in by giving Sandwich Girl a makeover. And suddenly, simply by investing in contact lenses and showering once in a while, Sandwich Girl transforms into Panini Girl, who is prom queen and the girlfriend of the quarterback of the football team (who is usually named Brad).
Basically, the panini is always the hottest girl at the party. So think of these recipes as 17 ways for you to get lucky at lunchtime.
1. The Bacon & Guacamole Panini
Photo by Gabby Phi
Let the Bacon & Guacamole panini get you out of bed in the morning.
2. The PB&J Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Throw it back to your favorite childhood lunch with this PB&J Panini.
3. The Caprese Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Keep it classic with this Caprese Panini.
4. The Cuban Panini
Photo by Bernard Wen
Add a little island flair to your lunchtime routine with this Cuban Panini.
5. Dark Chocolate, Raspberry & Brie Panini
Photo by Bernard Wen
Make this Dark Chocolate, Raspberry & Brie Panini for your special someone.
6. Peanut Butter & Bacon Panini
Photo by Christin Urso
Get your post-workout protein boost with this Peanut Butter & Bacon Panini.
7. The Pizza Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
When you can't decide what you want for lunch, just have it all with this Pizza Panini.
8. Bacon, Ham & Cheese Panini
Photo by Kirby Barth
This Bacon, Ham & Cheese Panini is for all you meatheads out there.
9. Strawberry Nutella Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Treat yo'self with this sweet Strawberry Nutella Panini recipe.
10. The Green Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
This Green Panini may not stop global warming, but it can fight your hunger.
11. The BL(ae)T Panini
Photo by Tiare Brown
Make this BL(ae)T Panini your bae.
12. The S'mores Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Let this S'mores Panini take your camping trip to a whole new level.
13. Red Pepper, Pesto & Mozzarella Panini
Photo by Libby Perold
Pretend you're at an Italian bistro with this fresh Red Pepper, Pesto & Mozzarella Panini.
14. The Liz Lemon Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Work on your night cheese with a Liz Lemon panini that will 30 Rock your world.
15. Spinach & Artichoke Dip Panini
Photo by Tess Wei
Make the timeless appetizer into the star of the show with this Spinach & Artichoke Dip Panini.
16. The Red, Wheat & Blue Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Your pursuit of happiness (and the perfect lunch) ends with this Red, Wheat & Blue Panini.
17. Almond Butter, Apple & Goat Cheese Panini
Photo by Tarika Narain
Get all the tastes of fall with this Almond Butter, Apple & Goat Cheese Panini.
This post was created by Tarika Narain for Spoon University.
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