Grilled Vegetable Panini Hummus (Printable)
Smoky grilled vegetables with creamy hummus and fresh basil on crispy ciabatta rolls.
# What You'll 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 (about 8 fluid ounces or 250 grams)
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 Steps:
01 - Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.
02 - Brush zucchini, bell pepper, eggplant, and red onion slices with olive oil; season with salt and black pepper.
03 - Cook the vegetables on the grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side until tender with slight charring. Remove and set aside.
04 - Optionally, lightly toast ciabatta rolls on the grill until golden.
05 - Spread a generous layer of hummus on the bottom half of each roll, then evenly layer grilled vegetables, followed by spinach and basil leaves. Drizzle balsamic glaze and sprinkle feta cheese if using.
06 - Place the top halves of the rolls to close each sandwich.
07 - Press sandwiches in a panini press or grill pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bread is crisp and fillings heated through.
08 - Slice sandwiches and serve immediately.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- The grill marks add real depth to vegetables that might otherwise feel plain.
- Hummus does the heavy lifting so you don't need cheese or mayo to keep things interesting.
- Everything comes together in 30 minutes, which means you can feed people without spending your whole afternoon in the kitchen.
02 -
- Grill vegetables in a single layer without crowding—they steam instead of char when they're packed together.
- Don't skip the pressing step; that's what makes it a panini and not just a sandwich.
03 -
- Prepare your vegetables and hummus ahead of time, then grill and assemble everything right before eating so the bread stays crispy.
- If you don't have a panini press, use a heavy skillet or even a cast iron pan with something weighted on top—a brick wrapped in foil works surprisingly well.