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Updating the classic grilled cheese sandwich with this Artichoke and Broccoli Pesto Brie Panini with Thyme Honey. Artichokes, broccoli, and pesto, layered between two slices of bread with Brie and sweet honey. This sandwich is toasted in the panini press (or in a skillet) until the cheese is melty and the bread is crisp. It’s savory, sweet, a touch salty, and the most perfect spring/summer grilled cheese for just about any day of the week.
Cheesy paninis for your Wednesday night dinner? Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
This is definitely not your average grilled cheese. This panini is stuffed with artichokes and broccoli, layered with pesto, topped with brie, and finished with a little drizzle of sweet honey. Absolutely nothing not to love here!
In all seriousness, this sandwich is truly delicious. But you want to know the truth? I was not going to share the recipe. As often happens, I don’t love these photos. I’ve said this with pretty much every sandwich recipe I’ve ever shared here on HBH.
I just don’t like photographing any kind of melty sandwich. It’s hard, and I always end up disappointed with how the photos turn out. It’s OK, I know that I just have to accept that sandwiches are a challenge for me. But I’m also learning to accept that it’s not a reason to never share new sandwiches recipes.
Because really, sandwiches…especially warm sandwiches with melty cheese…are delicious. These are the kinds of recipes that are meant to be shared. So today I bring you the brie panini.
It’s just as delicious as it sounds.
The simple details to make this sandwich…
As with most sandwich recipes, this is quick to throw together.
Start with the artichoke and broccoli mix. I wanted the inside of this panini to be creamy and cheesy. To achieve this, I used jarred marinated artichoke hearts, chopped broccoli, and then added in yogurt for creaminess. Fontina cheese is my choice of cheese, but mozzarella is equally great.
Toss in fresh thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat. That’s the filling. Simple, but flavorful, and packed with veggies too…so you know, it’s totally healthy.
Next, the bread. I used challah bread because this is what I had on hand. But I would also recommend sliced sourdough or ciabatta bread. Either will be great. Spread the bread with either store-bought or homemade basil pesto. Then add slices of brie cheese.
Tip: leave the rind on the brie for this recipe. The rind is edible and helps to keep the brie inside the sandwich instead of melting all over the place.
At this point, stuff the artichoke and broccoli in over top of the brie. Drizzle with honey (trust me, you must add the honey). Add the top pieces of bread and cook in a panini press until the brie is melted and the bread toasty.
Did you read all of that? Pesto? Brie? Honey? Toasted bread?
All the very best ingredients combine into one sandwich. It. Is. So. GOOD! Think extra cheesy, packed with spring’s best vegetables, savory, but a little sweet, and spicy too. My favorite kind of flavors.
Substitutions, swaps, and suggestions.
No panini press? Not a problem, you can easily just cook this melty Brie sandwich as you would a grilled cheese, in a skillet.
That said, I like to use my grill pan when making paninis and would highly recommend this pan if you enjoy grilling inside or making your own paninis. Or if you want to go the panini press route, I’d recommend this one.
And the real added bonus here? Many of these ingredients may already be in your fridge or in your pantry right now. Personally, I always keep jarred artichokes stocked on my pantry shelves, broccoli in the freezer, and brie in the fridge.
But if you don’t have a certain ingredient, don’t hesitate to swap it out. All vegetables work. Zucchini with sun-dried tomatoes would be delicious. If you don’t have Fontina or mozzarella cheese, but do have cheddar cheese, that works too! Have fun with this one. The three ingredients you must have?
Pesto, Brie, and bread!
Paninis for lunch? Dinner? Both are great options.
Looking for other melty sandwiches to enjoy? Here are a few of my springtime favorites:
Antipasto Mozzarella Sandwich with Lemony Basil Pesto.
30 Minute Basil Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich.
Lastly, if you make this Artichoke and Broccoli Pesto Brie Panini with Thyme Honey, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Artichoke and Broccoli Pesto Brie Panini with Thyme Honey.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 722 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup marinated jarred artichokes chopped
- 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried thyme)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano (or 2 teaspoons dried oregano)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3/4 cup basil pesto homemade or store-bought
- 6 ounces Brie, rind left on, and sliced
- extra virgin olive oil for rubbing
- 8 slices challah, sourdough, or ciabatta bread
- 1/4 cup honey
Instructions
- 1. In a medium bowl, combine the artichokes, broccoli, yogurt, fontina cheese, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. 2. Rub the outsides of the bread generously with olive oil. Spread the basil pesto on the inside of each piece of bread. Evenly layer the brie and artichoke/broccoli mix. Drizzle honey over top and sprinkle with black pepper. Add the top piece of bread.3. Heat a panini press or large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the sandwiches, one at a time, into the panini press and cook until the cheese is melted. Alternately, you can cook the sandwiches in a skillet as you would a grilled cheese. 4. Serve each sandwich with a drizzle of honey, black pepper, and fresh thyme. EAT.
Make this immediately. Used a crusty Italian loaf. Cheated and used store bought pesto. Family doesn’t love broccoli so I did sauteed spinach instead. Used pre-shredded mozz which is usually against my rules, but I also made Half Baked Harvest avacodo brownies and the blackberry ruffle milk pie – so I didn’t want to exhaust myself.
Do not sleep on the honey drizzle.
KILLED IT! This is a MUST make. Thank you, Tieghan!
Wow I am so glad all of the recipes turned out so amazing for you, Katie!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Made this for lunch today. I added some extra honey to mine, as I don’t often like the peppery-ness of raw broccoli. It really hit the spot 🙂 Such a unique combo, too!
Thank you Sophia!! That is so amazing! xTieghan
This is my new favorite sammich ever! The thyme and honey were key. Thank you for the recipe!
Yes!! Love that! Thank you so much for trying this one, Kim! xTieghan
Tasty! Easy and quick too. We had these with tomato soup I’d made earlier that I just thawed from my freezer. Simple and nourishing too. Thank you!
Thank you Amy!! I am really happy to hear that! xTieghan
Is there a good side dish or soup you would recommend with these? I’m making them tomorrow and will follow up! 🙂
So delicious! I will definitely make these again. The mix of flavors was perfect and so yummy when hot and everything was melted.
I am so glad this turned out so well for you, Sarah! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
This is what’s for dinner tonight and I can’t wait!! Quick question though… what would be a good substitute for yogurt? Cream cheese or mayo? Or just leave it out?
Thanks so much!
Hi Courtney! I usually suggest sour cream for yogurt! I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
This was amazing! Thank you!
Thank you so much Nicole! xTieghan
Pretty good. I can imagine with tomatoes too. Maybe even shredded carrots or cauliflower. But also no reason to mess with it as it was delicious as is.
Thank you so much Mary! xTieghan
This is brilliant! I am all about paninis lately and I love these creative ideas for an upgrade!
Thank you so much Ashley! I hope you love this recipe if you get a chance to try it! xTieghan
This looks wonderful. Look forward to trying this. Tieghan, your photography is fabulous!
Thank you so much! I am so glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Another hit! Made these for lunch today. SO Good! Followed the recipe as written. Honey is a great addition.
Thank you so much Shelby! xTieghan
The picture is beautiful and the exact reason I stopped to read the recipe! I have a quick question about the broccoli. You mentioned keeping frozen broccoli in the freezer… is that what you used in this recipe? Which is better, fresh or frozen? Do you cook the broccoli before adding it to the sandwich mixture? Thank you in advance for your help!
Hi Brook,
I used raw broccoli here, but it is so nice to have on hand in the freezer. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
If it’s any help, your photos are always amazing and I have loved every single sandwich recipe you have ever shared, they are so unique, creative and delicious and I am looking forward already to the next one!
Thank you so much Maddy! That is so amazing to hear! xTieghan
Wow, I really love how this both sounds and looks! Artichokes are my favorites and I think it sounds great incorporated into this type of sandwich!
Thank you so much Melissa! xTieghan