Grilled Mediterranean Black Olive Hummus Panini Sandwiches

Whole grain bread is stuffed with veggies, creamy black olive hummus, and grilled up to crispy perfection in these vegan hummus panini sandwiches.

California Ripe Black Olives are a bit of a fixture in my diet. When I was a little kid, I was notorious for polishing off all of black olives at family picnics. Like, big time. I had to be kept away from the black olive tray, as I was inclined to help myself to an entire plate of those juicy little suckers.

If only I'd had this sandwich to satiate my appetite back then. It's like a sandwich and a plate full of black olives, all rolled into one.

At least I can be thankful for the fact that even as a thefting little tot, I had an appetite for good stuff. You know? I totally could've been sneaking into the cookie jar like most kids my age, but leave it to me to pick something healthy. I shouldn't be surprised. Black olives are delicious.

As it turns out, black totally work as part of the Mediterranean diet, which is actually an eating plan I can stand behind, and one which jives with a vegan lifestyle. Fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes are all vegan and all Mediterranean diet friendly. Black olives work here because great source of monounsaturated fat (the good fat!), while completely void of cholesterol and saturated fat (the bad stuff). You can check all this out in the nutrition label I've included at the bottom of this post. You're also getting vitamin E, vitamin A, iron and fiber when you eat black olives. Learn a bit more about California Ripe Black Olives and how they fit into the Mediterranean diet here.

This sandwich is loaded with black olives, and fits right in with the Mediterranean diet. (Side note: this sandwich is also loaded with Mediterranean flavors, which isn't totally necessary under the Mediterranean diet. Mediterranean diet Mexican food, Chinese food and veggie burgers are all totally doable.) It's also a delicious gooey, goodness filled and grilled panini that's totally vegan. Hummus is my secret ingredient, because when you stick in between some bread and heat it up, hummus gets warm and spoogey, just like cheese would in a non-vegan panini. This hummus is extra awesome, because it's loaded with flavors that you'd normally find in a black olive tapenade. I threw in some red pepper slices and spinach, for extra veggie healthiness, but also because they're delicious and work beautifully with the tapenade-hummus flavors. This sandwich feels really decadent, but it's secretly healthy. In other words, it's the best kind of sandwich.

Check out some more delicious ideas for incorporating California Ripe Black Olives into your everyday cooking here. You can also enter the California Ripe Olives Midsummer Mediterranean Giveaway, for a chance to win a prize package and enjoy a midsummer Mediterranean feast at home. Check that out here.

4.5 from 2 votes

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Grilled Mediterranean Black Olive Hummus Panini Sandwiches

Whole grain bread is stuffed with veggies, creamy black olive hummus, and grilled up to crispy perfection in these vegan hummus panini sandwiches.

Course Sandwich

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Author Alissa

Ingredients

For the Black Olive Hummus

• 1 ¾ cups cooked or 1-14 oz. can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. tahini
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup large California Black Ripe Olives
• 1 tbsp. capers
• black pepper to taste

For the Mediterranean Black Olive Hummus Panini Sandwiches

• 8 slices whole grain sandwich bread
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• ½ cup roasted red pepper slices
• 12 to 16 large California Ripe Black Olives sliced
• olive oil

Instructions

Make the Black Olive Hummus

1. Place chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, tahini and vinegar into food processor and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
2. Add parsley, California Black Ripe Olives, capers and black pepper to food processor bowl. Pulse just until finely chopped and incorporated into hummus. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

Make the Mediterranean Black Olive Hummus Panini Sandwiches

1. Slather each bread slices with a thin layer of black olive hummus. Pair up slices and stuff each pair with a few baby spinach leaves, red pepper slices and California Ripe Black Olive slices.
2. Lightly oil a large flat bottom skillet and place over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, place sandwiches in skillet and grill until browned on bottoms, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and grill until browned on opposites sides, about 3-4 minutes more.

Some nutrition facts on California Ripe Black Olives, for those interested:

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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