Tomato Mozzarella Panini (Better Than Starbucks)

If you love the Starbucks Tomato Mozzarella Panini, then you are going to love this panini recipe.

I love Starbucks, but let’s be honest, it’s PRICEY, and I can’t always afford a run there. You can make this Starbucks copycat recipe for a fraction of the cost and quicker than it would arrive via Uber Eats. Plus, it’s a bonafide lazy girl dinner, and you won’t believe how easy it is to make this fancy Tomato Mozzarella panini.

Why Panini’s Are the Best Lazy Girl Dinner?

At the time that I am writing this post, the “lazy girl” trend is at its height. This reference will most likely outdate itself in less than 3 months, but let’s be honest, there are some nights that we all NEED a “lazy girl” recipe. This tomato mozzarella (better than Starbucks) recipe is one of my go-to’s since it is just a shortcut pesto-y Margherita pizza.

And let’s be real, I am all about recipes that are low-effort but look like I spent time preparing them. Paninis are one of my absolute favorite weeknight meals, because I can have dinner on a plate in a snap, and there is just something about a hot toasty sandwich that feels like luxury. Is that just me? I don’t think so.  It only takes 20 minutes tops (including 3 minutes of prep) to throw together a DELICIOUS restaurant-worthy dinner that’s elevated from a normal sandwich dinner.

Do I Need to Buy a Panini Press? 

Here’s the deal, if you don’t have a panini press NO SWEAT. You can absolutely 10000% make this tomato mozzarella panini without a panini press. A Panini Press is a gadget that I refuse to buy. I am not a panini press Scrooge, and if you have one, that’s great, use it for this recipe. But I live in a very small apartment, so space is at a premium when it comes to kitchen storage. Sure, yes, there are benefits to having a panini press I am sure, but I dislike stocking my kitchen with single-use appliances that I will only get out occasionally.

What Can I Use Instead of a Panini Press?

Here are my favorite and most-used alternatives that you most likely already own:

A George Foreman grill

This works perfectly! The only issue I have with it is that it can be slightly slanted. I just make sure to adjust the top bun if needed after the cheese gets a bit melty.

A waffle iron

Why not? This appliance does the same thing—AND as a bonus- it has extra groves to make the panini EXTRA crispy. You might want to opt for a softer bread like sourdough (yum), but if your bread is a bit thicker or more firm just let it sit and let the cheese start getting melty in the waffle iron before squishing it down.

A frying pan on the stovetop

Fry it up like you would a grilled cheese and press it down with a spatula. There is no shame in this. I find that it doesn’t have crispy grooves this way unless you are using a grill pan, but it works in a pinch. You may also need to add a little oil or butter to your pan for this option.

Are Tomato Mozzerella Paninis Budget Friendly?

Definitely! I purchased all the ingredients at ALDI for right around $11 (in 2023) that’s a cost of around $1.83 per sandwich. And you will still have almost a whole jar of pesto left to make pasta or another dinner.

One of the big reasons that this recipe is so inexpensive is that it is meatless. My husband and I use the flexitarian diet as a method to reduce our grocery bills and food waste. The flexitarian diet is pretty simple, in other words, we are non-strict “semi-vegetarians”, which means that we choose to eat meatless for 2-3 days a week. Of our 21 meals a week I try to aim to make around 9-12 of the meals meatless.

It is a really fantastic way to cut down on your grocery bill since meat costs are a HUGE part of the grocery bill. Incorporating the Flexitarian diet into our weekly shopping behaviors has helped us to eat YUMMY food for less than the USDA “thrifty” shopping grocery budget per month (note this is in our neighborhood for our current family). This meal feels like a splurge, but it doesn’t have many ingredients and is perfect for a vegetarian meal. If you are looking for a way to cut down on your grocery bill, then I highly recommend adding a few more meatless nights into your week.

Tomato Mozzarella Panini Ingredients

Tomato

I love using just plain beefsteak or Roma tomatoes for this recipe, although sliced cherry tomatoes work just as well.

Pesto

I use premade pesto in this recipe as a shortcut. You can pick up the bottle of green pesto at ALDI, although you can try out homemade pesto or any other variety of pesto you like. I prefer my pesto mayo on the lighter pesto side, but if you LOVE your pesto to be bold, try adding in 2 tbsp instead of one.

Mayo

I use mayo here because it just coats everything else so well.

Ciabatta Rolls

The ALDI ciabatta rolls for are perfect for panini making, but any type of ciabatta will do. You can even switch up the bread to your preferences. Sourdough or focaccia (that’s the original Starbucks bread) are such great alternatives in this recipe as well.

Fresh Basil

I use large big leaves of basil in my panini to make this taste like a Margherita pizza, but the original Starbucks sandwich uses spinach. You can also put spinach in your panini too if you like, but I prefer just having the big fresh bite of basil.

Fresh mozzarella

A pre-sliced log of fresh mozzarella is where it’s at in terms of ease. You can also slice a ball of mozzarella. I suggest using fresh mozzarella, it’s a bit more expensive than the shredded stuff, but it’s SO worth it.

What Should I Serve With A Tomato Mozzarella Panini

 Some of my favorite sides include:

• Homemade Healthy Applesauce
• Fruit chips like apple chips or freeze-dried strawberries
• Cucumber slices with a drizzle of balsamic dressing and a pinch of flaky salt (mouth-watering)
• Copycat Chick-fil-A Kale Crunch Salad

How Can I Store Leftover Tomato Mozzarella Panini?

If you are planning on eating some of these sandwiches later, then let them cool on a cooling rack to avoid soggy bread. When they are completely cool, you can cover them and place them in the fridge for up to 3 days. I like to reheat mine in the toaster oven for a little bit, to restore the crunch, and then I heat the middle by microwaving the toasty sandwich for 30 seconds. My husband likes to eat them cold straight from his lunchbox. You can also just pre-prep the sandwiches and grill the panini right before you eat it.