Spinach mushroom panini with reduced balsamic sauce

Summer food at my house has always got to be quick, easy, and light – like my spinach mushroom panini with reduced balsamic sauce. Even though I’ll make a hundred or so grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to get through the summer lunch rush, finding a little more grown-up fare is essential to my journey to become healthier. Not only that, I want it to taste amazing, because who wants to eat the same old sandwich every day? This isn’t your typical sandwich, and it’s so yummy that I can eat it every day without complaint. It’s so good, in fact, that my girls now ask for them since sneaking a bite off my plate.

It may look fancy, but don’t let it fool you! This is one of the fastest meals in my arsenal of easy recipes. Alright, enough chatting, let’s make a spinach mushroom panini!

Spinach Mushroom Panini Recipe:

Ingredients
1/3 fresh sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup fresh baby spinach
2 thin slices of provolone cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 French bun, sliced in half (or any other yummy, chewy bread)

Tools
a well seasoned saute pan
some tongs
a spatula
heavy can (like tomatoes)
a wet paper towel

You could also use a sandwich press if you have one.

Directions:
First, melt the butter in your saute pan over medium heat. Dip the top of the bun and the bottom of the bun (on the outside part) into the butter to give it a light coat.

Put mushrooms into the pan, and saute until both sides are golden and mushrooms are cooked. While they are still in the pan, pour in balsamic vinegar and let it reduce until thick and sticky (it takes 4-5 minutes).

Back to the bun – start making your sandwich by placing a slice of thinly cut provolone on the bottom of the bun. When your mushrooms are finished, put them on top of the cheese, leaving all of the glaze in the pan. Next, pile up the baby spinach on top, then the second piece of thin provolone.

Before you top off the bun, use the top bun to soak up all of the balsamic sauce (cut side down), then put on top of the sandwich.

Use the wet paper towel to clean out your pan, then put the sandwich in bottom side down. Place the whole can of tomatoes on top to act as a sandwich press, or you can use a panini maker, or heavy pan. You want it to squish the sandwich flat. Let cook 2-3 minutes, flip with the spatula and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Once golden brown, cut & serve.

{If you are feeding a crowd, making them on a griddle will make your cooking time much faster.}

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Spinach mushroom panini with reduced balsamic sauce

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword balsamic sauce, panini, spinach mushroom panini

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1/3 fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1/3 cup fresh baby spinach
• 2 thin slices of provolone cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 French bun sliced in half (or any other yummy, chewy bread)

Instructions

1. First, melt the butter in your saute pan over medium heat. Dip the top of the bun and the bottom of the bun (on the outside part) into the butter to give it a light coat.
2. Put mushrooms into the pan, and saute until both sides are golden and mushrooms are cooked. While they are still in the pan, pour in balsamic vinegar and let it reduce until thick and sticky (it takes 4-5 minutes).
3. Back to the bun - start making your sandwich by placing a slice of thinly cut provolone on the bottom of the bun. When your mushrooms are finished, put them on top of the cheese, leaving all of the glaze in the pan. Next, pile up the baby spinach on top, then the second piece of thin provolone.
4. Before you top off the bun, use the top bun to soak up all of the balsamic sauce (cut side down), then put on top of the sandwich.
5. Use the wet paper towel to clean out your pan, then put the sandwich in bottom side down. Place the whole can of tomatoes on top to act as a sandwich press, or you can use a panini maker, or heavy pan. You want it to squish the sandwich flat. Let cook 2-3 minutes, flip with the spatula and cook an additional 2 minutes.
6. Once golden brown, cut & serve.

If you like Spinach Mushroom Recipes, you might also enjoy…

• Spinach Mushroom Tart – it’s kind of like a pizza, but so much fancier! Because it’s so easy, it’s the perfect recipe for brunch and entertaining.
• Crispy Spinach, Mushroom & Avocado Quesadilla – Because if you like panini’s, then this is probably right up your alley.
• 50 panini recipes – If you have a panini press, you should put it to good use!