Roast Beef Panini
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Roast Beef Panini is the ultimate sandwich for a quick meal or get-togethers. Layers of thinly sliced deli roast beef and provolone cheese, pesto mayo, arugula, sliced red onion and tomato on a ciabatta loaf are grilled until toasty and delicious!
If you love hot beef sandwiches as much as we do, you need to try; French Dip Sandwich with Au Jus, Instant Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches, and Instant Pot Barbecue Beef Sandwiches too!
A few years ago, my daughter and I were shopping at Target and needed something fast for dinner. We bought a few different types of sandwiches, mine being roast beef with pesto and provolone on ciabatta.
I took it home and quickly realized that this sandwich would taste so much better warm. So I pulled out the panini press and took it to the next level of melty deliciousness! Target stopped selling this sandwich, so I started making my own.
And I learned how to use a camera! I originally shared this recipe June 2013. Updated January 2023.
Ingredients needed
All of these ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store.
- A loaf of ciabatta bread (mine was 10-inches long), or ciabatta sandwich rolls
- Basil pesto – homemade or store-bought, mixed with mayonnaise
- Rare deli roast beef that is thinly sliced, but not too thin, you want it to bend on the sandwich and not shred into little pieces
- Provolone cheese slices
- Fresh arugula or lettuce of your choice
- Thinly sliced red onion and tomato (which did not make it home from the grocery store).
Be sure to check out the detailed printable recipe card below
How to make a Roast Beef Pesto Panini Sandwich
Heat up a panini press according to manufacturers instructions. Mine does not have buttons, if it’s plugged in it is on.
Mix the pesto and mayonnaise together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Slice ciabatta loaf in half lengthwise with a bread knife.
Spread the pesto mayo evenly over both sides of bread.
Place the cheese slices over the pesto mayo.
Arrange the sliced roast beef over the bottom portion of the bread and top with the arugula.
Place the tomato and red onion slices on top of the arugula.
Carefully flip the top half of ciabatta over to cover the arugula.
Place the sandwich inside the heated panini grill. Lower the top down over the sandwich and cook until bread is lightly browned and cheese is melted.
Note – place in a cast iron skillet and weight down with a second pan if you do not have a panini press.
Slice into desired amount of slices and serve warm with your favorite sides.
Slicing Options
There are several options for slicing your panini, choose the one that works best for your family and situation. You can also slice into individual servings and make one sandwich at a time if you like.
Recipe Modifications
- Cheese – you could use Swiss, Gruyere, white cheddar, or any other cheese that melts easily.
- Pesto – sun-dried tomato pesto or roasted red pepper pesto would also be delicious in place of the basil pesto.
- Roasted Red Peppers – you could be used instead of tomato.
- Mayonnaise – it adds a creaminess and balances out the pesto, but it can easily be omitted if you prefer.
- Olive Oil – for a softer crust, brush the top and bottom of the ciabatta with olive olive oil before heating.
Serving Suggestions
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Couscous
- California Spa Salad
- Superfood Salad
- Potato Chips – Cape Cod Kettle Chips are my favorite!
Tools used to create this recipe
You can see the rest of my favorite kitchen tools and gadgets here in my Amazon Affiliate Page. I earn a small commission when you purchase through my links, at no cost to you, so I can keep bringing you more delicious recipes!
- Panini Press – my Breadman has been discontinued but this one looks very similar.
- Bread Knife & Cutting Board
More delicious deli meat sandwich recipes
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Enjoy!!
Roast Beef Pesto Panini
Equipment
- Panini Press
Ingredients
- .25 cup basil pesto
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread or 6 rolls
- 6 slices provolone cheese
- 1 pound medium-rare roast beef
- arugula, thinly sliced red onion, thinly sliced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon olive oil optional for softer bread
Instructions
- Heat up a panini press according to manufacturers instructions.
- Mix the pesto and mayonnaise together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Slice ciabatta loaf in half lengthwise with a bread knife. Spread the pesto mayo evenly over both sides of bread, then place the cheese slices on top.
- Arrange the sliced roast beef over the bottom portion of the bread and top with the arugula. Place the tomato and red onion slices on top of the arugula. Carefully flip the top half of ciabatta over to cover the arugula.
- Place the sandwich inside the heated panini grill. Lower the top down over the sandwich and cook until bread is lightly browned and cheese is melted. (or place in a cast iron skillet and weigh down with a second pan).
Notes
- There are several options for slicing your panini, choose the one that works best for your family and situation. Six is standard, four will give you large servings, and eight is closer to party size.
- You can also slice into individual servings and make one sandwich at a time if you like.
- Cheese – you could use Swiss, Gruyere, white cheddar, or any other cheese that melts easily.
- Pesto – sun-dried tomato pesto or roasted red pepper pesto would also be delicious in place of the basil pesto.
- Roasted Red Peppers – you could be used instead of tomato.
- Mayonnaise – it adds a creaminess and balances out the pesto, but it can easily be omitted if you prefer.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container or zipper top bags for 3 to 4 days. Serve cold or reheat in the panini press.
This is so my type of red meat sandwich! And toasted is definitely better. Can´t begin to tell you how much I love and use pesto!
I PREFER to follow food blogs by email. They get routed right into their own folder that I can browse when I want. My poor FB page is a jumble of family, friends, blogs and businesses that I try to keep up on.
And I can REALLY get lost wandering around Pinterest for HOURS! LOVE that site.
This looks so yummy!
Love me a good roast beef sandwich! This looks wonderful… but I’m not a huge basil pesto fan. Imagining a horseradish/avocado mayo perhaps?
And social media is such a time-sucker isn’t it?
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(¸.·´ (¸.·`¤… Jennifer
I use Bloglovin to keep up with the blogs I am following (and now like it better than Google Reader), Pinterest to help people look easily at my themed link ups. I can’t get my head around Google+ and to be honest after what Google did with Google Reader I don’t want to be more dependent on them – it’s bad enough to be on Blogger with them. Cheers
I get used to one type of media then they introduce another. It is so hard to keep up. I just do what I can and wing it. lol
This looks delicious and quite decadent for a quick meal! Yum!! I just signed up with Bloglovin. I’m intrigued by Goggle + too. Darn work gets in the way of my fun blogging time 🙂
Can you make one of these for me? 🙂 Looks great! I love paninis. I’ll have to make this sometime. Ken prefers hot sandwiches so this is perfect!
I sometimes feel that social media is my life. So much to do and keep track of as a blogger! But it does help me discover new blogs like yours.
That sandwich is making me drool. Love pesto and roast beef, but I’ve never paired them. I must remedy that soon.
Pinning this and planning to make it soon.
I love roast beef sandwiches and it looks delicious.This is definitely a going to make. I love the addition of pesto and your Italian Salad looks good as well.
You had me at Ciabatta & Pesto! Yum! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #17.
~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
Sandwiches are a favorite in our house during the summer – they’re quick and easy and generally don’t heat up the kitchen 🙂 This sounds great, Lisa!
WHOA DARLIN’! Now that is a roast beef sandwich I’d happily devour! 🙂 Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers!
Oh that sandwich looks so yummy! I love ciabatta bread, but only seem to have it when I’m out. I’ll need to remember to pick some up the next time I go shopping.
Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friday
Hey Lisa,
I’m featuring this on the Foodie Friday party this week! Hope to see you around again 🙂