Vegan Panini with Marinated Tofu and Avocado

A flavorful vegan panini sandwich layered with marinated tofu, avocado, and sautéed vegetables. All grilled between hearty crisp whole grain bread.

Close up of the inside of a vegan panini sandwich filled with tofu, avocado and avocado.

This post is sponsored by Silver Hills Bakery, but all opinions are my own.

“Make a delicious plant-based sandwich, but also make me feel satisfied with it.” Coming right up!

One of my favorite sandwiches growing up were the grilled kind. Paninis are just perfection: warm, gooey, crispy outside. They are just so good. So I wanted to make an equally satisfying vegan panini to help me relive those childhood sandwiches, it’s really easy and can be made without a panini press.

What It Takes to Stay Energized

When I think about a sandwich, I want it to be filling and energizing, especially if I’m enjoying it for lunch. I need my lunch-time meal to keep me from feeling sluggish and unproductive. So there’s a couple of things I keep in mind when building my dream lunchtime sandwich. It needs to be:

  • Filled with Plant-Based Protein
  • Rich in Fiber
  • Balanced in complex carbohydrates that will keep my energy stable
Tofu sandwich stacked on top of each other in front of a bag of Silver Hills food.

An Energizing Sandwich

So far, I’ve mentioned plant-based protein, fiber, and complex carbohydrates as being really important nutrients for an energizing sandwich. We satisfy some of those nutrients by including marinated tofu as our main protein source and the vegetable filling to help fill in for fiber. To help maximize on these nutritious fillings, pairing it with sprouted grain bread helps not only fill in for our complex carbohydrate, but also provides additional fiber and protein.

Because of these extra nutrients, sprouted grains are a great little hack for sustaining energy better. The process of sprouting helps to unlock these nutrients that are often left dormant in our grains.

  • Sprouting helps to increase the amount and type of fibers in grains, and that fiber helps to keep our blood sugars more stable to avoid those afternoon slumps in energy.
  • Proteins also become more available and easier to digest during the sprouting process that helps lead us to feeling more satisfied with a meal.

And more meals that highlight these basic needs tend to also make us feel good. Better food, better mood, happy me.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Soft Wheat Sprouted Bread: This Organic Sprouted Power bread from Silver Hills is hearty and can sustain the power of the panini press.
  • Tofu: I used extra firm tofu, but you can also replace the pressing process by opting for super firm tofu.
  • Easy Marinade: Includes a mix of soy sauce, mustard, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder and nutritional yeast.
  • Vegetables: I used sautéed mushrooms and onions as well as some mashed avocado for the filling to give that gooey center feeling.

How to Make a Vegan Panini

Before starting, make sure you have pressed your tofu of excess water. After prepping, mix together your marinade ingredients in a large container. Slice the tofu into slabs at the thickness you like then place into your marinade. Seal the container and gently shake to coat the tofu.  Cook the tofu for 2-3 minutes then flip to cook on the other side.

As your tofu cooks, you can prepare your mushrooms and onions. Add them to a heated skillet to cook down with a pinch of salt and pepper. Once cooked, set aside.

To a slice of bread, add your mashed avocado. Top with spinach, the cooked tofu slices, and then the mushrooms and onions. Mix together some vegan butter and miso to spread on the other piece of toast and use it to top the sandwich, butter side up. Now, place the sandwich butter side down on the griddle. Spread some of the butter mixture on top of the sandwich bread and then close the griddle down between your sandwich.

Gently press down to help seal the sandwich and allow to cook for about 2 minutes or until you get some nice grill marks. Then, serve your sandwich immediately.

Tips for the Perfect Crispy Panini

  • Spread a little butter on the outside of your bread before placing on the panini press. The butter will help crisp up the edges. You can also use a little olive oil brushed on the bread to crisp it as well.
  • Make sure you don’t use too many wet ingredients. I like to cook my mushrooms and onions down to remove a good amount of liquid so they aren’t soggy before adding them to the sandwich.
  • Heat up your pan first to make sure it is hot before placing your sandwich on the plate. This will make sure it sears well and gets nice and crispy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What bread is best for paninis?

Hearty breads that can withstand the pressure of a panini press are best. So if you are aiming to use a sandwich bread, make sure it is hearty. Sandwich bread options like Silver Hills Soft Wheat Sprouted Bread work well for panini sandwiches like this one. And if looking for more traditional breads, Ciabatta bread and French Baguettes are good at withstanding the pressure of the panini press.

Do you need to butter your bread for a panini?

I included a miso butter spread for this panini. While butter is not an absolute necessity for a panini, buttering the bread does help to effectively give it those nice crisp edges and beautiful browning.

Can I make a panini without a panini press?

Yes! You just need a skillet and a heavy bottom pot. Place your sandwich in the skillet and place the heavy bottom pot on top of it, gently pressing down on it as it cooks for 1-2 minutes or until crispy. Then with a spatula, flip the sandwich over and repeat the process with the heavy bottom pot to crisp up the other side.

More Vegan Sandwich and Wrap Recipes to Try

Close up of the filling of a vegan panini sandwich held in my hands.
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Panini sandwich stacked on a white plate.

Vegan Panini with Marinated Tofu and Avocado

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews
  • Author: Catherine Perez
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 3 sandwiches 1x
  • Category: Lunch
  • Method: Stove Top
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A flavorful vegan panini sandwich layered with marinated tofu, avocado, and sautéed vegetables. All grilled between hearty crisp whole grain bread.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 block (450g) extra firm tofu, pressed and drained
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp cornstarch or nutritional yeast

Sandwich Assembly

  • 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small onion, cut into slices
  • 1 medium avocado, mashed, or sub vegan cheese
  • 68 slices of Sprouted Soft Wheat Bread
  • 2 handfuls of baby spinach, optional
  • 2 tbsp vegan butter
  • 1 tsp miso paste

Instructions

  1. Marinade the tofu. Cut your tofu into thin slabs. In a large airtight container, mix together all the remaining marinade ingredients. Place tofu in the marinade, seal the container and give a gentle shake to make sure the tofu is coated. Allow to sit for a few minutes while you heat your panini grill and prepare your other ingredients. Place the tofu onto the heated gridle and cook the tofu for 2-3 minutes then flip to cook on the other side.

  2. Prepare the vegetables. Add your mushrooms and onions to a heated non-stick skillet to cook down with a pinch of salt and pepper until most of the moisture from the mushrooms has cooked off and the onions have softened.

  3. Prepare the sandwich. To a slice of bread, mash on a thin layer of avocado along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Top the avocado with the spinach, then the tofu slices, followed by the mushrooms and onions. Mix together some vegan butter and miso to spread on the other piece of toast.

  4. Cook the sandwich. Place the toast with the butter mixture facing the outside of the sandwich, then place the sandwich butter side down on the griddle. Spread some of the butter mixture on the top slice of the bread facing you and then close the griddle down between your sandwich. Gently press down to help seal the sandwich and allow to cook for about 2 minutes or until you get some nice grill marks. Then, serve your sandwich immediately.


Notes

Spread a little butter on the outside of your bread before placing on the panini press. The butter will help crisp up the edges. You can also use a little olive oil brushed on the bread to crisp it as well.

Make sure you don’t use too many wet ingredients. I like to cook my mushrooms and onions down to remove a good amount of liquid so they aren’t soggy before adding them to the sandwich.

Heat up your pan first to make sure it is hot before placing your sandwich on the plate. This will make sure it sears well and gets nice and crispy.

If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, then let me know what you thought in the comments below! And if you loved it, don’t forget to rate it too. Feel free to follow on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok for the latest nutrition tips and recipe videos.

 Catherine

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star