Pepperoni Pizza Panini

A pepperoni pizza in a panini! Warm flatbread with marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperonis, and fresh basil.

There's a reason that pepperoni pizza is the most popular pizza in America! My Dad has always said, "pepperoni pizza is for babies" but I have to disagree with my Dad on this one. I am no spring chicken and I can still eat pepperoni all day long and LIKE IT.

So why not make pepperoni pizza into a panini? What is a panini? A panini is a warm, toasty pressed sandwich. It's my favorite way to eat a sandwich! We use our panini press a lot in our home because I think meats and cheeses just taste better when they are ooey gooey and melted.

This Pepperoni Pizza Panini is made with flatbread or naan bread instead of sliced bread. The reason for this is because sliced bread becomes soggy when the marinara sauce is spread on it. The naan bread holds up beautifully to the marinara sauce and cheese. It holds up like a champ! I used the Stonefire naan bread in different sizes and it worked like a charm. This Pepperoni Pizza Panini is like a cross between a sandwich, a pepperoni pizza, and a stromboli. You get all of the flavors in a fraction of the time!

I love when my kid's friends come over while I am recipe testing because I get all of their opinions PLUS I don't have to eat all of the food that I make. It's a win-win. This is one of my favorite things to make them because I can feed a lot of them with just a few pepperoni paninis. It's like a homemade pizza pocket and tastes so much better!

How to make a Pepperoni Pizza Panini:

1.  Start by spreading marinara sauce on flatbread or naan bread. Spread it all the way to the edges to ensure even coating.
2. Top with an abundance of mozzarella cheese. A panini needs to be cheesy!
3. Arrange pepperoni slices on top of the cheese. You may toast your pepperoni ahead of time under a broiler if you want them to be crispy.
4. Scatter basil leaves over the pepperoni and cheese. Add more cheese if desired.
5. Fold the flatbread or naan bread in half. Spread butter all over panini, if so desired. Place in a panini press or in skillet. Grill until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Pepperoni Pizza Flatbread Panini

Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey

A cheesy toasted pepperoni pizza panini is a crowd favorite!

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Course Lunch or Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 Flatbreads such as Naan bread
• ½ cup Marinara Sauce plus more for dipping
• 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese shredded
• 4 - 6 ounces Pepperoni Slices
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Butter

Instructions

 

• Heat panini press or a skillet over medium heat.
• Spread marinara sauce over each naan flatbread. Sprinkle cheese over half of the bread. Layer on pepperoni. If you want the pepperoni to be toasted, place on a baking sheet under broil for several minutes.
• Top with fresh basil leaves.
• Fold the flatbread in half and spread butter over bread.
• Grill until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.
• Serve with marinara sauce.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I hope you love these homemade pizza pockets! Happy Cooking, my friends!