When the craving strikes, nothing beats a Mortadella, Burrata, and Pesto Panino! The combination of Italian flavors is irresistible and the texture of toasted focaccia, tender mortadella, creamy burrata, and crunchy pistachios is unmatched. Hungry yet? It takes just 10 minutes to make this impressive panino!
Get ready to sink your teeth into a symphony of flavors and textures! This sandwich is a quintessential Italian classic. Who can resist rich mortadella, creamy burrata, pillowy focaccia, and a vibrant pesto that brings everything together? Pair it with an aranciata, refreshing matcha lemonade, or iced coffee for the ultimate lunch.
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Why You'll Love This Sandwich
- Taste - The combination of mortadella, burrata, and focaccia is uniquely rich and and satisfying.
- Texture - The burrata is creamy, the mortadella is smooth, and the focaccia is firm yet fluffy.
- Effort - All you need to do is toast the bread then assemble the sandwich.
Key Ingredients
The key with simple recipes is to use high-quality ingredients. This allows each ingredient to have a meaningful role in the panino and truly shine! For this recipe, we recommend visiting your local Italian deli or premium market.
- Mortadella - Mortadella is a rich cured meat with pistachios for added flavor and texture. Be sure to ask your deli to slice the mortadella as thinly as possible! The thin texture almost melts in your mouth.
- Burrata - Burrata is a buttery creamy Italian cheese from the province of Bari, featuring stretched mozzarella cheese filled with creamy stracciatella.
- Pesto - Pesto provides an herby and nutty accent. Use a fresh, high-quality store-bought pesto or make from scratch! This is the perfect opportunity to use one of our popular homemade pesto recipes, like pistachio pesto, spinach pesto, 5-minute kale and walnut pesto, or authentic pesto alla genovese.
- Olive oil and flaky sea salt - Add a drizzle of olive oil for a little moisture and a pinch of flaky sea salt to add complexity to the burrata.
- Pistachio - Pistachio nuts add a light crunch. Use raw or lightly toasted pistachios.
- Focaccia - Focaccia is a savory Italian bread.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions andVariations
- Meat - Mortadella is the hero ingredient in this panino; however, this panino will also be delicious with prosciutto, capicola, bresaola, soppressata, or even lardo.
- Mozzarella - If you don't have burrata, use fresh mozzarella (also known as fior di latte) or stracciatella di bufala (a type of mozzarella made with shreds of mozzarella curds and fresh cream) instead.
- Bread - Use a high-quality baguette, ciabatta, sourdough, or a rustic bread of choice -- it will still be delicious.
- Mini sandwiches - Use on a long loaf of bread and cut into small servings or use mini focaccia or ciabatta to serve as light bites or appetizers.
How to Make the Panino
- Slice and toast focaccia - Using a serrated knife, cut the focaccia crosswise, then slice the focaccia into two servings. Toast the focaccia until warm and lightly toasted. (Photo 1)
- Assemble panino - Spread pesto on the bottom slices. Add a layer of mortadella, folding the pieces to give the sandwich more texture. (Photo 2 and 3)
- Add toppings - Then, tear the burrata ball in half and evenly distribute on top of the pesto. Top the burrata with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped pistachios, and a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired. Place the tops of the bread on each sandwich and gently press with your hands. Enjoy immediately or wrap tightly to enjoy later that day. (Photo 4)
Top Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients! Since this is such a simple recipe, the quality of the ingredients you use will absolutely impact the recipe results. This may mean going on a fun adventure to your local Italian deli or premium grocer.
- Don't over-toast your bread. This is the vehicle for your ingredients. You want to make sure it's lightly toasted so it doesn't hurt the roof of your mouth.
- Ask your deli to slice the mortadella as thinly as possible! Thin slices are delectable and melt in your mouth.
- Make panini for a picnic. Make up to one day ahead and wrap in parchment paper and twine, as seen in our caprese panino with truffle salt recipe.
FAQ
No, while they look similar, mortadella has more texture, flavorful spices, and little pistachio pieces.
Mild or nutty hard cheeses pair best with mortadella. Some mild cheeses include fresh mozzarella, stracciatella di bufala, and burrata. Nutty aged cheeses include parmigiano-reggiano, pecorino romano, asiago, and grana padano.
Related Recipes
Did You Like This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Mortadella, Burrata, and Pesto Panino (Sandwich)
Equipment
- 1 knife
Ingredients
- 1 focaccia cut into two servings and crosswise
- 1-2 tablespoon pesto
- 8-10 mortadella slices
- 1 4 oz burrata ball
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios
- 1 pinch flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Slice and toast focaccia - Using a serrated knife, cut the focaccia crosswise, then slice the focaccia into two servings. Toast the focaccia until warm and lightly toasted.1 focaccia
- Assemble panino - Spread pesto on the bottom slices. Add a layer of mortadella, folding the slices in half to give the sandwich more texture. Then, tear the burrata ball in half and evenly distribute on top of the pesto. Top the burrata with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped pistachios, and a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired. Place the tops of the bread on each sandwich and gently press with your hands. Enjoy immediately or wrap tightly to enjoy later that day.1-2 tablespoon pesto, 8-10 mortadella slices, 1 4 oz burrata ball, 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios, 1 pinch flaky sea salt
Video
Notes
Top Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients! Since this is such a simple recipe, the quality of the ingredients you use will absolutely impact the recipe results. This may mean going on a fun adventure to your local Italian deli or premium grocer.
- Don't over-toast your bread. This is the vehicle for your ingredients. You want to make sure it's lightly toasted so it doesn't hurt the roof of your mouth.
- Ask your deli to slice the mortadella as thinly as possible! Thin slices are delectable and melt in your mouth.
- Make panini for a picnic. Make up to one day ahead and wrap in parchment paper and twine, as seen in our caprese panino with truffle salt recipe.
Storage
- If you have leftover sandwich, refrigerate it in an air-tight container or zip loc bag for up to 2 days. If the bread gets soggy, you can toast some new bread when you are ready to enjoy your sandwich.
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