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You don't need to head to a deli for a restaurant-quality Thanksgiving sandwich! My Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich recipe is stuffed with all your favorite sides, juicy turkey, and crisp arugula. Best yet? It comes together in minutes and is perfect served hot or cold.
Jump to:
- How to Make a Leftover Thanksgiving Sandwich
- Thanksgiving Sandwich Ingredients Notes
- Why You'll Love My Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
- Tips for Making Thanksgiving Sandwiches using Leftovers
- Adding Toppings
- Make-Ahead Instructions
- FAQ
- What to Serve with Thanksgiving Sandwiches
- Leftover Turkey Sandwich
- Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich
- Reviews
How to Make a Leftover Thanksgiving Sandwich
1: Toast + Spread
Optionally, toast the bread. Then spread mayonnaise on both slices. If serving this sandwich warm, heat up all ingredients; if not, only heat up the gravy until runny.
2: Add Toppings
Top one piece of bread with thinly sliced turkey (or lots of small pieces), then a thin layer of mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pieces of stuffing, gravy, and finally fresh arugula.
3: Finish Assembling
Place the remaining piece of bread on top, and pierce with a skewer if desired.
4: Slice and Serve!
Slice the sandwich in half, serve, and enjoy! These sandwiches can be served warm or cold.
Thanksgiving Sandwich Ingredients Notes
- Sourdough Bread: I prefer to use sourdough, as each slice of bread is nice and sturdy, perfect for holding lots of ingredients. Most of the time, classic white bread slices are too soft!
- Mayonnaise: I like classic mayo with egg yolks! If you can find it, extra heavy mayonnaise is a treat; I buy it from delis.
- Turkey: I like using turkey breast for these sandwiches. Slice it thinly for the perfect texture. Alternatively, you can use lots of smaller pieces of turkey.
- Mashed Potatoes: You can't have turkey without mashed potatoes! They add great creamy flavor and help bind the sandwich together so it doesn't fall apart.
- Cranberry Sauce: Don't skip out on the cranberry sauce. The tart and sweet flavor will really shine in this rich sandwich.
- Stuffing: I know, it's bread on bread, but the flavor is truly impossible to beat. A bit of leftover stuffing goes a long way in adding herbal complexity to the sandwich.
- Turkey Gravy: A must-have! Turkey gravy ensures the turkey doesn't get dry and adds an unbeatable savory flavor. I find I need to heat up turkey gravy to add it to sandwiches, as it thickens too much cold.
- Fresh Arugula: I love arugula on my Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, but you can skip it or add spinach instead.
- Optional Toppings:
- Cheese, such as cheddar, swiss, or muenster
- Dijon mustard
- Bacon bits
- Sliced roasted brussels sprouts
Why You'll Love My Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
- Fast and Easy! Pile up leftovers on some bread (warmed only if you desire), and you're all done. It's a lunch in 5 minutes!
- Delicious Warm or Cold! Looking for a pack lunch? Make this sandwich and wrap it up for a cold lunch later! Want something toasty warm? Heat it up in a pan with some butter! It's delicious both ways!
- Great for Leftovers! No more eating the same Thanksgiving dinner leftovers every single day! This easy sandwich recipe remixes them into a new, delicious form.
Tips for Making Thanksgiving Sandwiches using Leftovers
- Make sure to use a nice sturdy bread! Classic white bread slices won't hold up to the moisture and can fall apart.
- If you want a toasted sandwich, fully assemble it aside from the arugula, then toast it in a skillet with butter. Add the arugula right before serving!
- You can also make this sandwich on a sub or hoagie roll for a deli-style Thanksgiving sub sandwich!
- Try to avoid drenching the sandwich in gravy, as it will turn the bread too soft. That said, if you prefer a sandwich you have to eat over the sink, there's nothing wrong with that!
Adding Toppings
Add as many toppings as you want! I've tried it with sliced roasted brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, and Thanksgiving Ham, and it's always turned out amazing. The fun part of sandwiches is customizing them to your tastes!
Make-Ahead Instructions
These sandwiches are perfect for make-ahead lunches! Fully assemble the sandwich, then wrap it in paper towels and place it in a plastic bag or airtight container in the fridge.
I recommend eating the sandwiches within 1-2 days to prevent the bread from getting too soggy.
FAQ
Spreading mayo on both slices of bread goes a long way in preventing the bread from getting soggy! It forms a nice protective layer that keeps the bread firm. You can create an even more protective layer by adding slices of cheese or lettuce first, then spreading mayo on top of that.
If you prefer, you can also use ciabatta rolls, sub sandwich rolls, or hoagies. Any fairly strong and sturdy bread will work out great, so pick out your favorite!
What to Serve with Thanksgiving Sandwiches
While Thanksgiving sandwiches are basically a complete meal on their own, you could always serve them with a favorite side dish for sandwiches, such as a light salad like burrata salad or gravy for dipping the sandwich in.
If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Leftover Turkey Sandwich
Thanksgiving is a time for wonderful things; family, friends, good food, and leftovers! In my experience, even after sending everyone home with as many leftovers as they can take, I still have plenty of containers in the fridge waiting to be eaten up.
I certainly don't mind. Coming up with ways to use leftovers is a specialty of mine, and I especially love to figure out new ways to serve Thanksgiving leftovers! From Thanksgiving leftovers pizza to casserole, quesadillas, turkey soups, sandwiches, and more, my family never has a reason to get tired of leftovers.
This Thanksgiving sandwich recipe has everything. Tender turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, flavorful stuffing, and a savory gravy, with tart cranberry sauce to balance it out and a sprinkling of bright, fresh arugula. It's simply irresistible!
The day I perfected this recipe for leftover turkey sandwiches, I had one for lunch and then another for dinner. Yes, it's that good!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 5 ounces turkey - sliced thin
- ½ cup mashed potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon cranberry sauce
- ½ cup stuffing
- 1 Tablespoon turkey gravy
- ½ cup fresh arugula
Instructions
- Toast the bread, if desired, then spread mayonnaise on both slices.2 slices sourdough bread,2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- Assemble the sandwich by first adding a layer of turkey, then the mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, and lastly arugula.5 ounces turkey,½ cup mashed potatoes,1 Tablespoon cranberry sauce,½ cup stuffing,1 Tablespoon turkey gravy,½ cup fresh arugula
- Place the top of the sandwich on and pierce with a toothpick if desired.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure to use a nice sturdy bread! Classic white bread slices won't hold up to the moisture and can fall apart.
- If you want a toasted sandwich, fully assemble it aside from the arugula, then toast it in a skillet with butter. Add the arugula right before serving!
- You can also make this sandwich on a sub or hoagie roll for a deli-style Thanksgiving sub sandwich!
- Try to avoid drenching the sandwich in gravy, as it will turn the bread too soft. That said, if you prefer a sandwich you have to eat over the sink, there's nothing wrong with that!
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