Giada De Laurentiis’ Grilled Veggie Paninis Are the Tastiest Meatless Entree for 4th of July

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We love a great summer barbecue, but sometimes we don’t know what to make that will satisfy everyone who’s invited over. For the meat eaters, it’s usually pretty simple to throw some burgers on the grill. But when it comes to vegetarian recipes for summer BBQs, it can be a bit trickier. Thankfully, Giada De Laurentiis‘ fresh, Italian-inspired recipes always offer up great summer cooking ideas, and her grilled vegetable pesto paninis are no exception. Not only are they loaded with seasonal summer produce, but unlike freezer burned veggie burgers, they’re a crowd-pleasing4th of July recipe you can feel good about serving to guests.

De Laurentiis, author of Giada’s Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita, has a way with summer veggies. In this recipe, she focuses on keeping the flavors fresh and simple. She seasons eggplant, zucchini, and onions with salt and pepper, then grills them (you can use a grill pan or a gas or charcoal grill) until tender and charred.

But there’s nothing worse than being a vegetarian at a barbecue and only getting offered a platter of grilled vegetables. So, De Laurentiis uses these seasonal veggies to create a fresh, satisfying panini. She layers the grilled vegetables on a baguette with fresh tomatoes, slices of fresh mozzarella, and some jarred roasted red peppers. We love keeping jarred roasted peppers on hand in the summer, because not only are they delicious in these sandwiches, but they’re also a flavorful addition to all sorts of pasta salads, charcuterie boards, burgers, and more.

The baguette gets a generous smear of homemade basil pesto before the filling ingredients are added, a fresher take on the mayo you might see on a lot of summer sandwiches. The homemade basil pesto is cheesy, herbaceous, garlicky, and the perfect bold accompaniment to the sweet, earthy flavors of the grilled vegetables and creamy fresh mozzarella. Craving a little spice? You could also spread some Calabrian chili paste on the sandwich, one of De Laurentiis’ go-to ingredients.

Whether you’re searching for a vegetarian 4th of July recipe, have been craving a summer sandwich, or want to add more seasonal produce to your diet, look no further than Giada De Laurentiis’ grilled vegetable pesto paninis.

In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty:

Watch: A 5-Ingredient Grilled Pizza That’s Easier Than Ordering Takeout