Panera Bacon Avocado Melt
The new Panera Bacon Avocado Melt is my new favorite sandwich! Applewood-smoked bacon, fresh avocado, smoked gouda, everything bagel seasoning and chipotle aioli on our toasted Sourdough bread. This is a sandwich worthy of the name!
What You Will ❤️ About Panera Bacon Avocado Melt
- Bacon!!!! Okay – I might have put double the bacon that Panera uses! When you’re making at home – you might as well!
- Cool & Hot – That chipotle aioli has some kick to it – but it’s perfectly balanced when you add that cool avocado.
- Easy! I forget how easy it is to make a delicious toasted sandwich at home – using the broiler makes it happen quickly!
Ingredients in the Panera Bacon Avocado Melt
Panera is known for simple ingredients – and this sandwich along with their other new sourdough melts – the Southwest Chicken Melt – have just a handful of wholesome ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sourdough bread – I went for a rustic sourdough by La Brea
- Butter – just a touch of butter on the bread to soften it
- Bacon – I went for a nice thick smoked bacon – if I’m making it at home – it’s going to be MY way!
- Avocado – one whole avocado for two sandwiches – if yours aren’t ripe leave them out of the fridge overnight
- Smoked Gouda cheese – if you can’t find smoked, you can use regular sliced gouda
- Everything bagel seasoning – one of my favorites – it’s got garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion and salt! It’s strong but tasty!
- Chipotle aioli = chipotle in adobo + Duke’s mayonnaise – my tip is to buy a can of Chipotle in Adobo and then drop into spoonfuls on parchment paper and freeze. Then remove when frozen and place in a freezer bag. Then when you need one tablespoon – just grab it out of the freezer! One can goes a looooong way!
Recipe Variations
Panera is obviously known for their sandwiches – it’s a huge part of their You Pick Two menu. But you might have your own ideas – so feel free to tweak this sandwich – here are a few ideas:
- Chicken – you know chicken & bacon are never a bad combo – add some pulled chicken and maybe just 1 or 2 slices of bacon. You could add chopped cilantro as well.
- Buffalo – if chipotle isn’t your flavor – swap it out with Buffalo wing sauce
- Grilled Veggies – I love grilled onions and mushrooms and think they would be a great addition to this sandwich. Or if you like the crunch – add fresh red onion.
How to make Bacon Avocado Melt
I’ve gotten a real love of making sandwiches at home – it feels take out but they’re always so much better at home! More toppings and hot out of the oven. I’m using my broiler for this one – here’s how to make it:
- Cook bacon and drain of grease. Dice into 1” pieces8 slices bacon
- In a small bowl, mix together chipotle in adobo & mayonnaise and set aside.
- Preheat broiler on low
- Lightly butter one side of each slice of sourdough bread, place them side down on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper
- Spread 1 tbsp chipotle mayo on each slice of bread and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning
- Two of the slices will now be the base for your sandwich. Top each with 1/2 bacon and 2 slices of gouda to each of the slices of bread.
- Broil open faced sandwiches on low for 5 min until cheese is bubbly and melted
- Remove baking sheet from oven and turn broiler to HIGH
- Place avocado on top of cheese and add more chipotle aioli. Top with other slices of bread to make sandwich.
- Place closed sandwiches back in broiler on HIGH for 2 min until bread is golden brown.
- Remove baking sheet and cut sandwiches in half and serve with a bag of chips and apple slices
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Tips, Tricks & FAQs
Store leftovers in an airtight container (I like these glass ones) in the refrigerator or wrap in foil for up to a week. Here are my tips for reheating sandwiches in the air fryer.
The Southwest Chicken Melt is the other new one – but the Toasted Baguette sandwiches are also fairly new – they have a Black Forest Ham & Gouda Melt, Smoky Buffalo Chicken Melt, Pepperoni Mozzarella Melt and a Green Goddess Caprese Melt. I had the Caprese Melt last week and its yum!
Get Heather’s NEW cookbook – Air Fryer Cooking for One today!
More Panera Sandwich Recipes
Recipes with Bacon or Avocado
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Panera Bacon Avocado Melt
Ingredients
- 4 slices Sourdough bread
- 1 tbsp butter
- 8 slices bacon cooked, roughly chopped
- 4 Slices smoked gouda
- 2 tsp Everything Bagel seasoning
- 1 avocado sliced
Chipotle Aioli
- 1 tsp chipotle in adobo or 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper seasoning
- 4 tbsp dukes mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cook bacon and drain of grease. Dice into 1” pieces8 slices bacon
- In a small bowl, mix together chipotle in adobo & mayonnaise and set aside.1 tsp chipotle in adobo or 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper seasoning, 4 tbsp dukes mayonnaise
- Preheat broiler on low
- Lightly butter one side of each slice of sourdough bread, place them side down on rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper4 slices Sourdough bread, 1 tbsp butter
- Spread 1 tbsp chipotle mayo on each slice of bread and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning2 tsp Everything Bagel seasoning
- Two of the slices will now be the base for your sandwich. Top each with 1/2 bacon and 2 slices of gouda to each of the slices of bread.8 slices bacon, 4 Slices smoked gouda
- Broil open faced sandwiches on low for 5 min until cheese is bubbly and melted
- Remove baking sheet from oven and turn broiler to HIGH
- Place avocado on top of cheese and add more chipotle aioli. Top with other slices of bread to make sandwich.1 avocado
- Place closed sandwiches back in broiler on HIGH for 2 min until bread is golden brown.
- Remove baking sheet and cut sandwiches in half and serve with a bag of chips and apple slices
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