Before going full keto, I ate a paleo diet for almost ten years. I was paleo before it was cool. I’m an OG paleo hipster. I’m not anymore, mainly because I do better with low carb, but also because I really, really love dairy. But being paleo for so long meant that I really didn’t eat much in the way of bread, for years. I still don’t, because I keep gluten-free even though I’m no longer officially paleo. My joints and tummy don’t like gluten at all, so I don’t eat it.
Needless to say, being both keto and GF means that my options for sandwiches are limited. And every now and then, you just want a dang sandwich. Thankfully, there are options. I’ve already extolled the virtues of 90-second bread, and it’s perfect for this recipe, which is incredibly easy and tastes awesome. Plus, it’s vegetarian! I know that there are vegetarian keto folks out there, so if you’re one of them, please let me know how you like this!
Start by making your favorite version of 90-second bread. I use the one from Wholesome Yum, but there are plenty out there, so if you’ve used a different one in the past and liked it, feel free to use it. I’m sure a standard low-carb bread would work too, but I’ve never tried them so I can’t vouch for certain. When it’s done, set it aside to cool a bit while you prep the interior of the sandwich. Slice up a roma tomato. You’ll use about 3-4 slices, depending on how big your tomato is and the size of the container you use for the bread. I used about half the tomato in mine. Then slice up about 2 ounces of fresh mozzarella. I use the kind that’s kind of a tube shape, and I make two approximately one-ounce slices, then cut each one in half. If you have square shaped bread, you can put the flat side of the half-circle on each side, and then have the round half in the middle. This should cover most if not all of the bread. To assemble the sandwich, slice your 90-second bread in half to make two thin slices, then put the tomato on the bottom slice, then top it with the cheese, then put some basil pesto on the top slice before you put it on top of the sandwich. I used about a half tablespoon of pesto.
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a grill pan over medium-low heat, then carefully place the sandwich, pesto side down, on the pan. If you have a panini press, you can use it instead, but I’ve never used one so I’ll leave it for you to figure out how long it has to stay on there. While it’s in the grill pan, press it down with a spatula so you can get the nice grill marks like a real panini. Once the cheese starts to melt a bit, flip it carefully and do the same on the other side. This should take about six minutes total. You’ll want the interior to be warm and melty when it’s done, so make sure you don’t take it out until the cheese has melted. If it’s giving you trouble, you can put a lid on the pan for a minute to help it along.
Slice on the diagonal and serve immediately. If you’d like, my zucchini chips would be a perfect side dish for this.
Caprese Panini
Equipment
- Grill pan or panini press
Ingredients
- 1 serving 90-second bread see above
- 1/2 medium roma tomato sliced
- 2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 tbsp prepared basil pesto
- 1 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Prepare your 90-second bread according to instructions. Set it aside to cool.
- Slice the tomato and mozzarella. Slice the bread in half to create two thin slices. Place the tomatoes on the bottom slice, then add the cheese, then spread the pesto on the top slice before placing it on top of the sandwich,
- Melt the butter in a grill pan over medium heat. Place the sandwich in the pan, pesto side down, and press it down with a spatula as it cooks. In approximately 3 minutes, or once the cheese begins to melt, carefully flip it and repeat on the other side. Cut on the diagonal and serve immediately.
- Macros per serving: 520 calories, 7 grams net carbs, 20 grams protein, 45 grams fat.
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