Next Post
One Skillet French Onion Tater Tot Casserole.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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.Â
Hello! Did you cook the broccoli or did you leave it fully raw?
Thanks!
Hey Stephanie,
I did not cook the broccoli:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I am making these tonight and I forgot to buy yogurt, and suggestions for substitutes?
Hey Whitney,
You could use sour cream in place of the yogurt! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’ve been eyeing this recipe for a while now, finally decided to make it. I was positive it would be delicious, but mother of god it was fantastic! I added grilled chicken thighs to it and seriously this is probably the best sandwich I’ve ever had. The flavors all work so well together. Thank you!
Hey Sarah,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a go! xxTieghan
I made this panini following the recipe exactly and WOWZA! This was SO delicious!!! This goes in my repeat file and I can’t wait to share it with other people. Thank you so much! We are have tremendous success with recipes on your site.
Thank you so much Pam!! xTieghan
So i am posting quite a few reviews tonight, since I made Tieghan’s coconut zucchini bread and everyone was like ‘her stuff is always the best’.
And it’s true. These are so good. I made them for Mother’s Day and my brother ate so many we were laughing, Use the right bread, I did a crusty LaBrea Italian loaf. Oregano doesn’t need to be fresh. Skipped the broccoli because these seemed healthy enough with greek yogurt 😉
Every recipe is so memorable, unique and craveable – time and time again.
Aw that is so amazing to hear!! Thank you so much for trying this one, Katie! xTieghan
Hello! I am so excited to make this this week! I love Brie but my husband…not so much. Do you have a recommendation for another cheese? Thank you for making meal planning fun. Love all your recipes!
Hey Adrinan,
Honestly any cheese that your husband enjoys will work in this recipe! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I have made this recipe so many times since discovering it and could not love it more. It’s the perfect combo of easy and gourmet- and everyone I have served it to raves about it!! Bravo!
Thank you so much Michaela! I am really glad you have been loving this! xTieghan
This sandwich is so good. I was worried that the broccoli would be raw. It was perfect. Love the touch of honey.
Thank you so much Shannon! xTieghan
These were incredible!!!
Thank you so much Jenny!! xTieghan
Made this on the grill today! Added some sliced cherry tomatoes to the veggie mixture and grilled in along side 1/2 chicken breast to throw on top. Squeezed a little lemon on as well. So good. My husband threw some avocado on the top of his too because our 7 month old was eating some and it needed to go. He said it was even better with the avocado. Basically got a salads worth of veggies into a sandwich today. Delicious!
Sounds amazing! I am really glad you all enjoyed this, Bri! xTieghan
I left out the yogurt but this still SO SO good and flavourful. You are my food HERO. Every one of the many recipes from your site that I’ve tried have been incredible!
Thank you so much Courtney! That is really so amazing to hear! xTieghan
I’m writing this review as I’m devouring it and it’s amazing healthier comfort food WOW. The thyme honey really puts it over the edge.
Thank you so much Emily! I am so glad you loved this recipe! xTieghan
So delicious! I didn’t have fontina cheese or yogurt, so I just used a little mayo and it was delicious!
Thank you so much Lyndsay! xTieghan
One of my favorite sandwiches ever. Tastes likes something out of a French boulangerie but so easy to make. I’ve made it 3 times already!
Thank you!! xTieghan
Ever since I tried one of your other broccoli paninis, the greek yogurt-cheese-broccoli mix has been a lunch staple! Thank you for always providing simple, surprising combos, AND showing new ways to play with them. So fun to add in different cheeses and toppings (we added left over carne asada from the taco recipe this week). Note: Don’t try to make ahead and store in the fridge because this gets stinky fast. Shouldn’t be a problem, because its easy to mix up day-of. For any other 9-12 hr/day workers like me, chop your broccoli on a Sunday and this assembles/cooks in less than 15 min.
Thank you so much!! So glad this turned out so well for you! I hope you continue to enjoy other recipes of mine! xTieghan