Grilled Vegetable Panini Hummus (Printable)
Smoky grilled vegetables and creamy hummus pressed inside crisp ciabatta rolls with fresh herbs and greens.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise
02 - 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
03 - 1 small eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
04 - 1 red onion, sliced into thick rings
05 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Panini
08 - 4 ciabatta rolls or other crusty sandwich rolls, halved
09 - 1 cup hummus (approximately 8 fl oz or 250 g)
10 - 1 cup baby spinach leaves
11 - 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
→ Optional Extras
12 - 1 tablespoon balsamic glaze
13 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (omit for vegan)
# How-To:
01 - Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Brush sliced zucchini, red bell pepper, eggplant, and red onion with olive oil, then season with salt and black pepper.
03 - Grill the vegetables for 3 to 4 minutes per side until tender and slightly charred. Remove from heat and set aside.
04 - Optionally, lightly toast ciabatta rolls on the grill until golden brown.
05 - Spread a generous layer of hummus on the bottom half of each roll. Arrange grilled vegetables evenly over the hummus, then top with baby spinach and fresh basil leaves. If desired, add balsamic glaze and sprinkle feta cheese.
06 - Close sandwiches with the top halves of the rolls. Place them in a panini press or grill pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the bread is crisp and fillings are heated through.
07 - Slice the panini and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The grill marks on the vegetables actually taste like something—charred, slightly smoky, nothing like raw salad.
- It comes together in thirty minutes but feels fancier than it has any right to be.
- You can play with whatever vegetables you have on hand and it'll still work beautifully.
02 -
- Pat your vegetables dry before grilling or they'll release steam and never develop color—I learned this the hard way with soggy eggplant.
- Don't press the panini too hard or you'll squeeze all the filling right out the sides, which sounds funny until it happens to you.
03 -
- Make your hummus spread thicker than you think—it's the glue that holds everything together and prevents sogginess.
- If you're batch cooking for a crowd, grill all the vegetables ahead of time and store them at room temperature, then assemble and press the sandwiches to order so the bread stays crispy.