How to Grill a Sandwich Without a Panini Press

Do you like panini sandwiches?

Of course, you do!  

And you’re not alone.  In fact, one of the most popular ways of preparing sandwiches throughout the world is to simply take them and grill them under the weight of a press.  

But have you ever thought about why?  

I mean obviously grilling a sandwich gets the interior hot and allows any cheese to melt.  But It’s about more than just making our sandwiches warm.  

You see grilling also makes the exterior of the sandwich crunchy which provides a nice contrast of textures.   And by pressing down the sandwich with a weight, you flatten it, allowing for a much more manageable eating experience.  

So in short, it just makes a sandwich better.

However, a lot of people are under the impression that you need to own a panini press in order to make delicious grilled sandwiches at home.  And if you happen to be the proud owner of one then good for you, stop reading now and go make yourself a panini.

But for those of you that don’t own a panini press, I have some good news.  You don’t need one! In fact, I’ve been making grilled panini sandwiches for over a decade and have never owned one.  All you need is a skillet and something that’s flat and heavy to press down on the sandwich.  

How to grill a sandwich without a panini press

For starters, you are going to want to decide what kind of skillet you want to use.  You can use either one that has grill lines, or one that doesn’t. And honestly, it doesn’t really matter, both will work just fine and produce a great grilled sandwich.  The only reason you would want to use one with grill lines is if you wanted the visual aspect of the lines.  

After you’ve chosen your skillet you are going to need an object that is both heavy and has a large flat side to it.  And while you can use practically any object that fits that description, I personally recommend you use one of two objects.  Either a cast-iron skillet or a large paver brick.

First, let’s take a look at the cast-iron skillet.  It’s a great choice, it’s heavy, it has a large flat bottom, and it’s probably something that you already own.  The only reason you might not want to use this option is the fact that you will have to clean the cast iron skillet after you use it.  Not that that’s a serious issue, it’s just something that you need to consider.

The second option and my personal go-to is a large paver brick.  Sure you might not have one lying around the house but you can easily purchase one from your local home and garden store for a buck or two.  And what makes it better than a cast-iron skillet, in my opinion, is that there’s no cleaning involved.  Simply wrap the brick with some aluminum foil, and discard the foil after cooking. That’s it!

Ok, now that you’ve got your skillet chosen and the weight picked out it’s time to make our panini sandwiches.

1. Assemble your sandwich, today I am making mine out of some leftover ropa vieja, which makes a great panini.
2. Grease up your skillet with either some spray oil or some butter.
3. Place the skillet over high heat.
4. Once the skillet is hot plop your sandwich down and carefully place the weight on top of the sandwich.
5. Let it grill for 2 to 3 minutes, take the weight off, flip the sandwich, place the weight back on, and let it continue grilling for another 2 to 3 minutes
6. Take the sandwich off the grill and eat immediately!

You see, that was pretty easy, wasn’t it!  

Print Recipe

Making a panini sandwich without a panini press

Prep Time1 minute min

Cook Time6 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 1 Skillet
• 1 Brick
• Aluminum foil

Instructions

• Assemble your sandwich
• Grease up your skillet with either some spray oil or some butter.
• Place the skillet over high heat.
• Once the skillet is hot plop your sandwich down and carefully place the weight on top of the sandwich.
• Let it grill for 2 to 3 minutes, take the weight off, flip the sandwich, place the weight back on, and let it continue grilling for another 2 to 3 minutes
• Take the sandwich off the grill and eat immediately!

Check out these panini recipe ideas

Rotisserie Chicken Panini from The Taste of Home

Veggie Panini From Lil Luna

Roast Beef Panini From She Wears Many Hats