You just came across the best leftover turkey sandwiches you will ever get—tender brioche buns filled with leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, Swiss cheese, and more. Eat your leftovers in a whole new, satisfying way!
This simple turkey sandwich is easy to prepare but BIG on flavor in each bite. You will devour it down to the last crumbs. Toss it in your air fryer for a hot sandwich that oozes perfection.
The show Friends inspired this recipe during its Thanksgiving episode. Monica made a Thanksgiving sandwich, which is a must! The only difference is that we didn’t add as much gravy as she did.
Reasons You Will Enjoy This Leftover Turkey Sandwich Recipe
- It’s a great way to devour your leftovers in a new and creative way.
- Festive flavors in each bite that bring you all your favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas flavors.
- Easy and quick to make, you can customize it with all the toppings you want.
- Great for lunch, dinner, or heck, even a brunch option.
Do you need a good turkey recipe for your holiday feast? If so, I have one and some ham recipes to consider. Try my cola ham or this pineapple ham. Both are so good and great for the holidays.
Ingredients Needed For Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
Turkey: Reach for your leftover holiday turkey; deli turkey works well if you don’t have any.
Brioche Buns: I love Brioche because it is soft, moist, sweet, and buttery—any bread or roll works.
Condiments: I spread mayonnaise and Dijon mustard on the bread. You can adjust it to your liking.
Cranberry sauce: I love using cranberry sauce to add a bit of tart and sweetness to the sandwiches.
Swiss Cheese will add a fun, tangy twist to the dessert. Once the sandwich is warmed up, it will be full of cheesy goodness.
Stuffing: If you have leftover stuffing, grab some of it and pile it on the bun!
Lettuce: For a nice crisp crunch, the lettuce works excellently as the perfect topper for the sandwich.
Variations to Recipe
- You can use any type of bread you like, from thick potato bread to Texas Toast or French bread.
- Swap the cheese with Brie, cheddar, or even a provolone would be delicious.
- You could swap the lettuce for spinach or arugula for a peppery flavor or even kale for a nice crunch.
- You could thinly slice apples or pears to add sweetness and tartness to the sandwiches.
- If you do ham and turkey, you could get double the meat. You could also cook some salty bacon to add another protein layer to the sandwiches.
- Add a splash of hot sauce, sliced jalapenos, or other spices to add a kick of heat.
- Sliced avocado would add a nice creaminess to the sandwiches.
Tips For Success
Reach for room-temperature cranberry, so it is easier to spread over the sandwich and will not make the other ingredients cold.
If you want more crunch, you can toast the bread in advance, ensuring that the inside of the bun has an excellent crunch factor.
Do not overfill the sandwich, as it can cause it to overflow and fall apart.
Layer evenly so that you get a bit of each ingredient with each bite. This creates a more uniform flavor when you bite into it.
Storing Leftovers
I recommend storing all your ingredients in separate containers in the fridge until you are ready to assemble your sandwiches. Otherwise, the sandwiches will break down and become very soggy over time as they sit in the fridge.
What To Serve With
Soup: You could pair these sandwiches with a hearty soup! A potato soup, broccoli cheese soup, or even tomato soup would be fantastic.
Salad: I love salad and sandwich types of meals. You can grab any of your favorite salads to go along with this. I think a kale salad would be delicious.
Chips: You can also go simple and serve something like kettle chips or even French fries next to your sandwiches.
FAQs
What can I use instead of cranberry sauce?
If you do not like cranberry sauce, you can leave it out or replace it with pepper jelly, sweet chutney, fig jam, etc.
How can I make this sandwich gluten-free?
To make this a gluten-free sandwich, ensure all the ingredients you use are certified gluten-free, such as the bread and stuffing.
Can I use fresh turkey instead of leftovers?
Yes, if you have fresh turkey on hand, go right ahead and carve it and then make a sandwich with it.
More Holiday Recipes
Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 4 brioche buns
- ¼ cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup cranberry sauce room temperature
- 1 cup leftover stuffing warmed
- 4 slices Swiss cheese
- 1 lb thinly sliced deli turkey or leftover turkey
- Lettuce
Instructions
- Spread mayo on one side of each bun and Dijon mustard on the other.
- Place a slice of cheese onto each bun.
- Divide turkey between each bun.
- Add your sandwiches open faced to the air fryer basket. You may need to work in batches depending on your air fryer size.
- Cook the sandwiches on the air fry setting at 320F for 3-5 minutes, until warmed through and buns are slightly toasted.
- Divide the cranberry sauce and stuffing between each sandwich and top with lettuce.
- Serve immediately, enjoy!
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