20 Turkey Sandwich Ideas That Make the Most of Your Thanksgiving Leftovers
Roasting that whole bird was 100% worth it.
The hard part is over (read: cooking up an entire Thanksgiving dinner) — but now, you’re tasked with transforming those Thanksgiving leftovers into new, delicious meals the whole family will get excited for. Of course, you can bring out the waffle maker to turn leftover stuffing into life-changing stuffing waffles. Or, you can get ambitious and turn leftover turkey into enchiladas, pot pie, casseroles or soup. But sometimes, all you want to eat the day after Thanksgiving is a leftover turkey sandwich.
You really can’t go wrong with carving up the bird and serving it between two slices of bread (or baguette, ciabatta, pita, you name it). Who doesn’t love the classic turkey sandwich combo of leftover turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing? But, that can get old on day two or three. Enter, these creative twists on the cold turkey sandwich. Try a leftover shredded turkey sandwich with tangy-sweet BBQ sauce for a fun take on pulled pork, or a grilled turkey sandwich with plenty of cheese for maximum melt. Looking for a healthy turkey sandwich recipe instead? It doesn’t get better than a satisfying turkey and hummus on multigrain or a roast turkey sandwich loaded with veggies. With fun flavors and condiments like buffalo, homemade pesto and spicy hummus, these hoagies, wraps and paninis make for a great healthy lunch idea or cold-weather comfort food.
Turkey, Cranberry and Brie Wraps
Spread softened brie on a wrap, top with turkey, cranberry sauce and arugula, roll tightly, and dig in.
Get the recipe for Turkey, Cranberry, and Brie Wraps »
RELATED: 19 Cranberry Sauce Recipes That'll Convince You to Ditch the Can Opener
Leftover Turkey Sandwich
We'll let you in on a little secret: A drizzle of hot honey brings a slightly sweet-spicy element to sandwiches.
Chinese Turkey Salad Wraps
Who said turkey is bland?! With colorful coleslaw, sweet citrus segments and crunchy chow mein noodles, this is basically a party in your mouth.
Get the recipe for Chinese Turkey Salad Wraps »
RELATED: 20 Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes to Savor the Holiday's Best Flavors
Pesto Chicken Salad Croissants
Pesto loves turkey, too! And it's the holidays, so go ahead and treat yourself to a buttery, toasted croissant.
Coronation Chicken Salad Wraps
Another example of turkey filling in for chicken, this take on the classic British dish (golden raisins, and all!) is fit for a queen.
Spicy Bánh Mì Sandwiches
In lieu of the traditional pork or chicken, showcase some leftover turkey in this Vietnamese street food staple.
Turkey Sliders With Stuffing Biscuits
These beauts are made with ground turkey, but the stuffing "buns" are a great use of leftovers! If you'd like, swap out the patties for leftover turkey.
Get the recipe for Turkey Sliders with Stuffing Biscuits »
RELATED: 33 Easy Ground Turkey Recipes to Switch up Your Weeknight Dinner Routine
Buffalo Chicken Pull-Apart Bread
Okay, not a "sandwich" in the literal definition of the word. But, this is our favorite way to turn leftover chicken (or turkey!) into a flaky, pull-apart bread.
Pulled Cran-Turkey Sandwiches
Transform leftover cranberry sauce into a tangy-sweet BBQ sauce you can slather all over pulled turkey and serve for lunch or dinner.
Turkey and Spicy Hummus Club
Dial things up a few notches by stirring sriracha or chili sauce into hummus to make a deliciously spicy condiment.
Turkey and Cucumber Salad Wraps
Sweet cantaloupe, crunchy cucumber, and fresh cilantro give leftover turkey serious "spa day" vibes. Take a bite and embrace your inner chill.
Thai-Style Peanut Chicken Wraps
Swap chicken for leftover turkey breast and transform Thanksgiving dinner into this Thai-style delicacy, complete with an irresistible honey-ginger peanut sauce.
Thanksgiving Sandwich
It doesn't get more classic than this: The ultimate leftovers sandwich stacked high with turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy.
Turkey, Brie, Bacon and Cranberry Sandwich
Pro tip: Bacon makes everything better, especially sandwiches (see: BLT, Cobb, BEC and Grilled Cheese).
Chicken Salad Collard Wrap
Have leftover turkey pinch hit for chicken in your go-to chicken salad recipes. Exhibit A: This healthier gluten-free option, made with avocado, Greek yogurt and served in collard greens rather than lettuce.
Turkey-Cobb Sandwiches
All the turkey, stuffing, sides, and pies may have you feeling extra full today. Opt for a lighter lunch — like this healthy take on a Cobb sandwich, made with olive oil instead of mayo, plus half the bacon and blue cheese.
Chicken Salad Sandwich
Try turkey instead of chicken in this classic sandwich combo with apple, celery, and mayo — you won't regret it.
Turkey, Mozzarella and Kale Pesto Panini
Slather your sandwich with homemade or store-bought pesto, top it with sliced tomatoes and mozzarella, then make it nice and melty.
Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
At GH, we've always been obsessed with day-after turkey sammies. We recently revisited our archives to recreate a few of our favorite flavor combos.
1984s Curried Salad: curry powder + celery + mustard + golden raisins + cubed turkey
1979s Cali Club: sliced onions + avocado + hot sauce + sliced turkey
1998s Mango Melt: mango chutney + melted brie + shredded turkey
BBQ Turkey Melts
Get your leftover turkey tailgate-ready: Toss 2 cups shredded turkey with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce and 6 ounces cubed Velveeta; pile onto bottom halves of 4 split hero rolls. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Mix 1 cup shredded carrots with 2 green onions, sliced, and spoon onto turkey. Add roll tops. Makes 4 sandwiches.
Trish (she/her) is the deputy food editor at Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things food, from cooking trends and delicious recipes to top-tested kitchen products and grocery finds. She has more than a decade of experience writing about food for GH, Women’s Health, Prevention, Redbook, Woman’s Day, The Daily Meal and Food Network. When she’s not at the supermarket or trying out a new recipe, you can find her at the beach, in her backyard or on the couch — typically with a glass of wine in hand.
Samantha (she/her) is the Senior Editor at Delish, where she edits the most-talked-about food news and features on the internet. In her previous role as Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, she taste-tested hundreds of products and recipes (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
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