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I love recipes that combine sweet and savory flavors, so this panini caught my eye the moment I spotted it in the WeightWatchers Year-Round Fresh Cookbook. Better yet, I happened to have every ingredient in the refrigerator, which made lunch an easy decision.
Thinly sliced apples, smoked turkey, fresh spinach, sharp cheddar, and a little spicy chipotle mayonnaise may sound like an unusual combination, but they work beautifully together. The crisp apple adds sweetness, the cheddar becomes perfectly melty, and the smoky turkey ties everything together.
I don’t own a panini press (affiliate link), so I simply cooked these between two heavy cast-iron skillets. They turned out wonderfully crisp on the outside with warm, gooey cheese inside. Even Rod—who admitted the flavor combination sounded a little different at first—ended up giving them a thumbs-up. I wasn’t surprised. I’ve always loved the combination of apples and cheddar.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Sweet, savory, and just a little spicy
- Ready in about 15 minutes
- Great for lunch or a light dinner
- No panini press (affiliate link) required
- Easy to customize with your favorite bread or cheese
Ingredients & Notes
- Multigrain bread – Use hearty slices that will hold up to grilling.
- Reduced-fat chipotle mayonnaise – I usually stir a little chipotle Tabasco into light mayonnaise to make my own.
- Apple – Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Fuji all work well.
- Smoked turkey breast – Thinly sliced deli turkey keeps things easy.
- Baby spinach – I often use a mixture of spinach and arugula because that’s what I usually have on hand.
- Reduced-fat cheddar cheese – Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor.
How to Make this Turkey Apple Panini
- Spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice. Top 2 of the bread slices evenly with apple slices, turkey, spinach and cheddar. Top with remaining 2 bread slices mayonnaise side down.
- Lightly spray sandwiches with olive oil non-stick spray.
- Spray a large ridged grill pan (affiliate link) with olive oil non-stick spray and set over medium-high heat.
- Place the sandwiches in the pan and top with another heave skillet to weigh them down.
- Cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden and crispy, 2-3 minutes on each side. Or grill each sandwich in a panini press (affiliate link).
- Cut each sandwich in half before serving.
Recipe Tips
- No panini press? A heavy skillet placed on top of the sandwiches works beautifully.
- Spray the outside of the bread lightly with cooking spray to help it brown evenly.
- Slice the apples thinly so they soften slightly while the sandwich grills.
Variations
- Use regular or light whole wheat bread if you prefer. Two slices of light bread work well if you’d rather enjoy a whole sandwich instead of half of one.
- Try Swiss, provolone, or pepper Jack instead of cheddar.
- Add a handful of arugula for an extra peppery bite.
- Substitute sliced chicken breast or ham for the turkey.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Turkey Apple Panini?
According to my calculations, each serving (1/2 sandwich) has 248 calories and 4 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
6 PointsPlus (Old plan)
If you’ve made this Turkey Panini with Cheddar, Apple and Spinach, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Spicy Turkey, Apple and Spinach Panini Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons reduced-fat chipotle mayonnaise
- 4 slices (1-1/2 ounces each) multigrain bread
- 16 very thick apple slices
- 6 ounces thinly sliced smoked deli turkey breast
- 1 cup loosely packed baby spinach
- 2 slices (1 ounce each) reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise on one side of each bread slice. Top 2 of the bread slices evenly with apple slices, turkey, spinach and cheddar. Top with remaining 2 bread slices mayonnaise side down.
- Lightly spray sandwiches with olive oil non-stick spray.
- Spray a large ridged grill pan (affiliate link) with olive oil non-stick spray and set over medium-high heat.
- Place the sandwiches in the pan and top with another heave skillet to weigh them down.
- Cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden and crispy, 2-3 minutes on each side. Or grill each sandwich in a panini press.
- Cut each sandwich in half before serving.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 6 PointsPlus (Old plan) To add more spicy flavor to the sandwiches, use peppery arugula instead of spinach. I made my own chipotle mayonnaise by stirring a little chipotle tabasco sauce into reduced fat mayo. And used a combination of baby spinach and arugula instead of only spinach because it’s what was in the fridge. Since 1/2 sandwich is considered a serving, these panini are meant to be made with larger, 1-1/2 ounce slices of bread. You could substitute 2 slices of light bread and eat an entire sandwich for the same Points, if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: Weight Watchers Year-Round Fresh (affiliate link) Cookbook
Love the homemade panini grill! I have pans that will work! (the sandwich looks really good too. lol)
Thanks, Ree! Glad you have pans that will work 🙂