Not sure what to do with your holiday roast beef leftovers? Try layering thinly sliced roast beef, tangy horseradish mayo, sharp cheddar, and crisp apple slices between sourdough for a panini that’s hearty enough for dinner. It’s a delicious way to revive leftover meat.
Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Mustard Panini
I love turning holiday and Sunday-dinner leftovers into warm, satisfying paninis. There’s something about crisping the bread and melting the cheese that transforms a simple sandwich into a full meal.
Last year I made a turkey, brie, and cranberry mustard panini after Thanksgiving and it was such a hit we wanted another round this year. This season I decided to give leftover roast beef the same delicious treatment.
Roast beef and horseradish are a classic pairing, so horseradish mayo was the obvious choice for a sauce. For melty richness I chose a good sharp cheddar, and to add bright, crisp contrast I included thin apple slices. Sourdough provides a tangy base that holds up well to grilling, though multigrain would work nicely too.
Tip: Add the horseradish sauce after grilling so it stays cool and contrasts with the hot panini.
I recently cooked a variety of dishes for a small holiday gathering and ended up with leftover fillets that begged to be repurposed. With the memory of the turkey panini fresh in my mind, I assembled these roast beef paninis during recipe testing and we were thrilled with the result.
The combination of tender roast beef, sharp cheese, crisp apple, and cool horseradish mayo creates a balanced bite: savory and rich with a touch of freshness. If you don’t have leftover roast beef, deli roast beef is a perfectly good substitute.
– Happy Eating, Annemarie
Print Recipe
Cheddar, Apple, and Roast Beef Panini
Ingredients
Horseradish Sauce
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp horseradish
- 2 med green onions minced
Roast Beef Panini
- 8 slices sourdough bread or multigrain
- 12 oz leftover roast beef thinly sliced
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese sliced
- 1 med apple thinly sliced
- olive oil for the pan and brushing the bread
Instructions
Horseradish Sauce
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, horseradish, and minced green onions. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
Roast Beef Panini
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Heat a grill pan or panini press. Arrange four slices of bread and brush one side of each slice with olive oil; place them oiled side down. On each slice, layer the roast beef, apple slices, and cheddar, dividing the ingredients evenly. Top with the remaining bread slices and brush the tops with a little oil.
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When the pan is hot, add a small amount of oil and place the sandwiches in the pan. Press with a panini press or a heavy, flat weight. Grill until golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 2–3 minutes per side on a grill pan with a weight, or as directed by your press.
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Transfer the paninis to a cutting board, gently lift the top slice of bread, and spread the horseradish sauce inside. Slice in half and serve immediately.
Notes
