Today’s recipe is inspired by the same cafe as this turkey havarti panini. They had an avocado goat cheese sandwich on the menu that also become a part of my regular order. My girls loved it too. And it is so simple to make at home! Sliced white or multigrain bread (I recommend sourdough) is spread with creamy goat cheese, ripe avocado (don’t skip seasoning it with some sea salt and pepper flakes), topped with roasted red pepper and arugula, and grilled until melty and crisp. You can add sliced turkey or bacon. Or replace the roasted red pepper with sliced tomato or sun-dried tomato. All would be delicious!

Avocado Goat Cheese Panini

INGREDIENTS

crusty white or multigrain bread, sliced (I use sourdough)
avocado, sliced
goat cheese (I love the creamy goat cheese spread from Trader Joes)
baby arugula
roasted red pepper, sliced (I have also used spicy Mama Lil’s peppers, or use sliced tomato or sun-dried tomatoes)
salt and freshly ground black pepper/crushed red pepper flakes
olive oil, for grilling

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat a pan on the stove or panini press to medium heat. Coat with some olive oil or nonstick cooking spray.
2. Spread avocado on a slice of bread. (I like to mash it a bit with a fork so it doesn’t slide around.) Season with salt and pepper and/or crushed red pepper flakes. Top with roasted red pepper and arugula.
3. Spread goat cheese on a second slide of bread and place on top of the sandwich.
4. Grill on the preheated pan or panini press, flipping halfway through if necessary, until the bread is crisp and golden brown and the goat cheese has melted. (If you’re using a regular pan you can use a lid or second pan to press the sandwich down while grilling and achieve the panini effect.) Slice and serve.