Smoked Turkey, Pepper Jack Cheese, and Basil Panini Sandwich
Sneak Preview: This Smoked Turkey, Pepper Jack Cheese, and Basil Panini Sandwich is a crispy panini stuffed with flavor–inspired by Oprah’s Love Sandwich.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Have you ever heard of the 5-second rule about dropping food on the floor? It’s possible I made it up.
As a teenage girl, I spent many summer days driving a tractor by myself in the fields of our Indiana farm. Either Mom would bring me
Sometimes, I would accidentally drop my sandwich on the ground. Since it was all there was to eat, I wasn’t about to throw it away. If I could rescue it and brush the dirt off faster than the germs could hop on (less than 5 seconds), then all was good. Right?
A hot lunch is so much better when possible…
While I never got sick from this immunity-building exercise, I did get tired of bologna sandwiches. In fact, I pretty much avoid cold sandwiches altogether, especially now that I can make a warm and crusty panini instead.
Discovering the “Love Sandwich”
A few years ago, Oprah published the recipe for her “Love Sandwich,” which is the basis for this recipe. As Oprah suggested, I use smoked turkey instead of plain, roasted turkey. Add tomato slices (dried by pressing between paper towels) for more color and flavor.
Ingredients and substitutions:
Basil is the unique calling card of this sandwich. Substitute spinach or another green if you prefer.
Instead of smoked turkey, use roast turkey or ham.
Pepper Jack cheese adds spicy interest,t but a milder cheese like Muenster or mild Cheddar sounds good, too.
Looking for more ideas and information about panini?
I’m not an expert, but I know someone who is. Check out Panini Happy. Kathy’s blog contains creative recipes and helpful hints about making a panini. She also gives advice for buying a panini maker, or you can read about making one using two skillets.
Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.
Smoked Turkey, Pepper Jack Cheese, and Basil Panini
Ingredients
- 2 slices of sourdough bread
- 4 squirts olive oil spray
- 1 tablespoon olive oil mayo
- 2 ounces (56 g) thinly sliced Pepper Jack Cheese
- 2 ounces (56 g) thinly sliced smoked turkey – or rotisserie chicken
- 1 small tomato – thinly sliced and patted dry
- Basil leaves – whole
Instructions
- Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil.
- Spread a light coating of mayo on reverse side of the bread.
- Stack slices of cheese, turkey, tomato, basil and more cheese on top of mayo-covered side of bread. Cover with remaining slice of bread–mayonnaise side to the top layer of cheese.
- Cook on a panini grill preheated to HIGH or use a heavy skillet with another skillet placed on top of the sandwich–in which case you will need to flip the sandwich after a couple of minutes. Allow the sandwich to grill until the cheese melts and the bread is golden brown and toasty.
Paula Rhodes, author
I’m a retired home economist, wife, mother, grandmother, and creator of Saladinajar.com. I believe you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Here you’ll find time-saving tips, troubleshooting advice, and confidence-inspiring recipes to make life in the kitchen more fun, appetizing, and satisfying.