Thanksgiving Sandwich Turkey Melts

You’ll melt for this Thanksgiving sandwich recipe.

Thanksgiving dinner is great. The leftovers? Maybe even better. This Thanksgiving sandwich combines leftover turkey, a little cranberry sauce, and brie into a sophisticated and satisfying turkey melt. 

How to make a good leftover Thanksgiving sandwich

We all know and love the traditional Thanksgiving sandwich, that glorious mountain of post-Thanksgiving goodness. The traditional Thanksgiving sandwich is a pile of leftovers — mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce — layered between slices of plain bread. But this leftover turkey sandwich uses cranberry and brie to takes things in a better, more simplified direction.

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Leftover Turkey Brie Sandwich Melt

Two Thanksgiving leftovers in one new dish! This leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich is so simple, it barely needs a recipe. Here’s what you do to make this turkey, cranberry, and brie melt.

1. Take a thin slice of bread (day-old is fine) and toast it.
2. Layer the toast with cranberry sauce, leftover carved turkey, and brie.
3. Bake for a few minutes until warm and melty, top with some fresh black pepper, and enjoy.

Thanksgiving Sandwich Recipe Notes: Substitutions and More

• Substitutions. Though this tartine was conceived as as simple Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich, it can be eaten year ’round. Substitute roast chicken or sliced deli carved turkey for leftover Thanksgiving turkey, and raspberry jam makes the best alternative to cranberry sauce. If you do not have brie, a sharp would also be very good.
• Cook this in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes. This lets the whole sandwich warm through, and the cheese melt. However, if you do not mind cold turkey, you can speed things up by putting the sandwich under the broiler. The turkey will not have time to warm through, but the cheese will melt in under a minute or two. Watch carefully to make sure it does not burn.
• Toast the bread first. If you pile everything on soft bread, it will stay soft. I like to toast the bread on my melts first so it can be held by hand and will not be soggy.

Did you make this open-faced Thanksgiving sandwich recipe? How was it?

Print Recipe

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich Melts

A warm, melty, sweet-savory sandwich with cranberry and brie for those Thanksgiving leftovers.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Course: dinner, lunch, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keywords:: brie, cranberry, easy, melt, sandwich, tartine, thanksgiving, thanksgiving leftovers, turkey

Servings: 1 sandwich melt

Ingredients

• a few slices of carved turkey breast
• 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce or tart jam, or to taste
• 2 slices good bread, toasted
• 2 or 3 ounces brie, sliced
• 2 teaspoon mayonnaise, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Toast the bread. Layer mayo (if using), the cranberry sauce, and a generous amount of roast turkey slices on top of the toast slices. If you have a little gravy, you can add a spoonful or two. Top with brie.

  TIP: The turkey is best if not refrigerator cold. I microwave mine for about 30 seconds first.
• Bake on a sheet pan for 7 to 10 minutes, until warmed through and the cheese has melted.
• Top with fresh-cracked pepper, and serve warm, perhaps with some leftover salad, green beans, or other side.