Turkey Pesto Panini (Starbucks Copycat)
When you find yourself needing a healthy, quick, and delicious meal, this savory turkey turkey panini should be on your list! With major layers of flavor – melty provolone cheese, flavorful pesto, deli turkey, and roasted red peppers – and toasted bread, you’ll love how it comes together. Just like my tomato mozzarella panini (also a Starbucks copycat), I add a ton more filling than the turkey pesto panini you’ll get at Starbucks so it’s extra delicious and much more satisfying.
If you love Starbucks copycat recipes, be sure to try my sweet cream cold foam cold brew, lavender cream matcha, or brown sugar shaken espresso next time, and check out my list of 31 kids drinks at Starbucks if you’re bringing the kids.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
What You’ll Love About this Turkey Pesto Panini
- Bold flavors
- Easy recipe
- Perfect way to
- Made with just 5 simple ingredients
- Just 5 minutes of prep time
- Ready in just 15 minutes
Ingredients
- Bread – Look for a ciabatta roll. Take-and-bake rolls are a great option, but you can also look for ciabatta bread and then cut it into individual pieces or your favorite artisan or sourdough bread.
- Pesto – Use store-bought or homemade pesto. Use leftover pesto in 10-minute pesto tortellini!
- Turkey – Use your favorite deli turkey meat or any sliced turkey (leftovers from dry brine spatchcock turkey would work!). You could also use crockpot pesto chicken if you prefer.
- Roasted red peppers – I use store-bought roasted red peppers to cut down on prep, but you can also roast your own if you prefer or use sun-dried tomatoes for some different flavor.
- Provolone cheese – Use high-quality provolone slices for the best flavor. You could use shredded or sliced mozzarella cheese, goat cheese, or sharp cheddar cheese if you prefer.
How to Make a Turkey Panini
This is an overview on how to make a turkey panini, the full recipe can be found below in the recipe card.
NOTE: I recommend doing this on the stovetop for a more traditional version, but you can also bake them and I’ve included directions for that below.
How to Bake Turkey Panini:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until cheese is melty. Press the sandwich down with a heavy pan. (Leave on while baking if it’s oven-safe.)
FAQs
What’s in the Starbucks turkey pesto panini?
Here are the Starbucks turkey pesto panini ingredients, taken from Starbucks.com:
CIABATTA ROLL [ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SOUR CULTURE, SEMOLINA, YEAST, SALT, SEA SALT, ACACIA GUM], TURKEY BREAST RAISED WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS [TURKEY BREAST, WATER, SALT, TURBINADO SUGAR, VEGETABLE OIL (SOYBEAN, COTTONSEED AND/OR PEANUT OIL)], PROVOLONE CHEESE [PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES], BASIL PESTO [BASIL, CANOLA OIL, PARMESAN CHEESE (MILK, CHEESE CULTURE, SALT, ENZYMES), GARLIC PUREE (WATER, GRANULATED GARLIC), RICE VINEGAR, BUTTER (MILK), ASCORBIC ACID, SEA SALT, BLACK PEPPER], ROASTED RED BELL PEPPERS [PEPPERS, CANOLA OIL, SALT]
What kind of bread is best to make paninis?
Starbucks turkey panini is made with ciabatta bread but you have a few options. You can use ciabatta rolls, a loaf of ciabatta bread, Italian bread, or even your favorite artisan bread, sliced.
How many calories are in the Starbucks turkey pesto panini?
The Starbucks turkey and pesto panini has 550 calories. My copycat version has an estimate of 657 calories, higher than the original as it has more fillings, I think it is much more satisfying and flavorful, but you could also cut down on some of the fillings if need be.
Can I make this with leftover Thanksgiving turkey?
Yes! This would be delicious with Thanksgiving leftovers! Layer leftover turkey and add extra Thanksgiving flavors like cranberry sauce (I would probably skip the pesto!), mashed potatoes, or any other leftovers you like.
Storage Instructions
Store the components in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to prep ahead:
If you would like to assemble the turkey pesto panini recipe ahead of time, you could do this as it’s essentially what is done if you get it from Starbucks! Assemble the sandwich, store it in the refrigerator for a day or two, and then cook sandwiches in a skillet or on a panini press.
What to Serve with Turkey Paninis
All this delicious turkey sandwich needs is a few simple sides:
- Veggies and Greek Yogurt Veggie Dip
- Fresh fruit
- Potato chips
- Lemon Kale Salad
- Greek Orzo Salad
How to Feed Turkey Pesto Paninis to the Whole Family
I get it, feeding kids can be tough! But following the Division of Responsibility and knowing your job and your child’s job makes it SO much more enjoyable. You’ll be able to feed your kids any meal, which will help ensure that they are eating a variety of nutritious foods – with plenty of play food sprinkled in.
Serving this has some nuance to it, so much so that I actually did a whole video on it. I recommend serving sandwiches deconstructed so I put out all of the components on the table, but didn’t make a sandwich for them (I asked them if they wanted it as a sandwich first). Then everyone could make their own sandwich (or un-sandwich) according to their preferences.
More Easy Sandwich Recipes
If you like this turkey panini recipe, you might also like some of these other easy sandwich recipes:
- Spicy Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Mediterranean Pita Sandwich
- Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Deli Turkey Sliders
Turkey Pesto Panini
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Skillet
Description
This turkey pesto panini has delicious layers of melty provolone, flavorful pesto, sweet red peppers, and turkey. YUM! (Starbucks copycat)
Ingredients
- 14 oz. ciabatta or focaccia bread (take and bake is perfect)
- 8 Tbsp. pesto (1/2 cup)
- 8 oz. deli turkey
- 1 cup sliced roasted red peppers
- 4 oz. provolone cheese (8 thin slices)
Instructions
- Bake bread and let cool if necessary.
- Spread both sides of bread with pesto sauce.
- Top with red peppers, turkey, and provolone cheese.
- Place assembled sandwiches in a lightly oiled nonstick skillet or grill pan over medium heat. Place a heavy pan or pot on top of sandwiches and cook for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Flip over sandwiches, add weight on top, and cook another 3-4 minutes, until cheese is melty and both sides are golden brown.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
- If you prefer, you can also bake these. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 7-9 minutes, or until cheese is melty. Press sandwich down with weighted pan. (Leave on while baking if it’s oven-safe.)
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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