This grilled leftover turkey sandwich might just be my favorite way to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers. It piles all of the flavors of a traditional holiday feast between two slices of golden toasted bread with plenty of melted cheddar cheese holding it all together. Basically, everything there is to love about Thanksgiving dinner packed into one delicious sandwich.

Grilled leftover turkey sandwich filled with sliced turkey, stuffing, cranberry relish, and melted cheddar cheese on golden toasted bread.

The leftover turkey sandwich comes just once a year

I have very strong feelings about the yearly leftover Thanksgiving sandwich. It comes around just once a year, and it needs to live up to all the anticipation I feel waiting for its moment in the sun.

This grilled leftover turkey sandwich is one of my favorite versions of that much-anticipated tradition. And after just one bite, I’m betting it will become one of your favorites, too. You may even find yourself looking forward to making it year after year.

But if you can’t bear to wait an entire year to enjoy it again, here’s some good news. It’s just as delicious made with leftovers from a roasted chicken dinner. Give that a try to hold you over until Thanksgiving rolls around again!

If you’re looking for other delicious ways to use leftover Thanksgiving turkey, try using it in place of deli turkey in a triple decker turkey club or grilled turkey club sandwich. Or swap the chicken for turkey in a cheesy BBQ chicken sandwich.

Recipe ingredients

Bread: A good homemade bread makes this sandwich even better. Both my white sandwich bread from scratch and homemade shaggy dough bread have a lovely texture that turns golden and crisp when grilled while remaining soft on the inside.
Butter: Butter helps the bread develop a golden, crispy exterior and adds rich flavor as the sandwich grills. My from scratch farmhouse butter is a great choice for this sandwich.
Turkey: Slices of tender, juicy turkey provide the savory foundation for this sandwich. Leftovers from my roasted herb butter turkey breast are perfect for this recipe.
Stuffing: Leftover Thanksgiving stuffing adds a hearty, savory flavor and soft texture that contrasts with the crispy grilled bread. My traditional turkey dressing, made with bread, herbs, and aromatic vegetables, is one of my favorites.
Cranberry Relish: The bright, tart flavor of cranberry relish provides a delicious contrast to the rich turkey, stuffing, and melted cheese. I use my homemade cranberry orange relish for this sandwich, but small batch cranberry compote is a lovely alternative if you prefer a sweeter flavor.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make a grilled leftover turkey sandwich

Step 1: Gently warm the leftover turkey and stuffing in a 350°F (175°C) oven or in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low heat. Heat just until warmed through to keep the turkey from drying out.

Step 2: Spread butter evenly over one side of each slice of bread, making sure to cover the surface right to the edges. Place both slices butter-side down in a warm skillet over medium-low heat.

Step 3: Arrange a layer of cheddar cheese over each slice of bread. Allow the cheese to begin melting as the bread toasts underneath.

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Step 4: Arrange the warm turkey slices over the cheese on one slice of bread. Add the stuffing, followed by the cranberry relish, spreading the fillings evenly so every bite has a little of everything.

Step 5: Once the bread is golden brown and crisp on the bottom and the cheese has melted, carefully flip the cheese-only slice onto the filled slice, cheese-side down. Press lightly with a spatula to bring the layers together without squeezing out the filling.

Step 6: Transfer the sandwich to a cutting board and let it rest briefly before slicing. This gives the melted cheese a moment to settle and helps keep the generous filling in place when you cut into it.

Top tips

Control the heat: If the bread is browning before the cheese has fully melted, lower the heat and cover the skillet briefly. The trapped heat helps melt the cheese without overbrowning the bread.
Use a cast iron skillet: Cast iron retains heat exceptionally well, providing steady, even heat that helps develop a beautifully golden, crisp crust on the bread.
Use a serrated knife: A sharp bread knife cuts through the crisp crust without compressing the generous filling or pushing it out of the sandwich.
Break up large clumps of stuffing: Gently loosen the stuffing with a fork so it can be distributed evenly without creating bulky spots that make the sandwich difficult to eat.

Serve

This hearty grilled leftover turkey sandwich is practically a meal all on its own, but a few well-chosen sides make it even better. For something crisp and tangy to balance the rich filling, serve it with garlic dill pickles. A generous helping of old-fashioned creamy coleslaw adds a cool, crunchy contrast. A simple green salad with a tangy mustard dressing from scratch is another refreshing option, while homemade caramel applesauce adds a delicious touch of sweetness.

If you’re in the mood for a classic sandwich-and-fries combination, you can’t go wrong with from scratch french fries or potato wedges with garlic and asiago. A handful of crunchy potato chips is an easy alternative, and a warm bowl of turkey and wild rice soup makes a comforting accompaniment on a chilly fall day.

You can also add your favorite condiments right to the sandwich for an extra layer of flavor. A little homemade apple cider mustard adds a tangy bite, while mayonnaise made from scratch brings extra richness. For something with a little kick, try horseradish mayo spread, or add another layer of holiday flavor with sweet and spicy cranberry mustard.

Other recipes you’ll love

If you loved this from scratch sandwich recipe, give these other great sandwich recipes a try too!

Eggplant Sandwich
Hot Hamburger Sandwich
Classic Hot Roast Beef Sandwich with Homemade Gravy
Diner-Style Tuna Melt Sandwich
Crispy Buffalo Chicken Sliders (Bold & Spicy)
Loose Meat Sliders (Midwestern Style Ground Beef Sandwich)

Grilled Leftover Turkey Sandwich

This grilled leftover turkey sandwich combines roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry relish, and melted cheddar cheese on golden, buttery toasted bread. An easy, delicious way to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers.

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: serving

Author: Diane Gail

US Customary – Metric

Ingredients

Instructions

Heat the turkey and stuffing in a 350°F oven until warmed through. Alternatively, warm them in a lightly oiled skillet over medium-low heat.
Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place both slices, buttered side down, in a skillet over medium-low heat.
Divide the cheddar cheese evenly between the two slices of bread and allow it to melt as the bread toasts.
Layer the warm turkey, stuffing, and cranberry relish over the cheese on one slice of bread, leaving the other slice topped with cheese only.
When the bread is golden brown and crisp and the cheese has melted, carefully place the cheese-only slice over the fillings, cheese side down. Press gently with a spatula to hold the sandwich together.
Transfer the grilled leftover turkey sandwich to a cutting board. Let it rest briefly before slicing in half and serving warm.

Notes

Ingredient amounts are approximate and can be adjusted to suit your appetite and bread size.
A well-seasoned cast-iron skillet distributes heat evenly and helps develop a beautifully golden, crispy crust.
Keep the skillet over medium-low heat so the bread browns evenly without burning before the cheese melts.
Separate any large clumps of leftover stuffing before adding them to the sandwich so the filling is evenly distributed.
Use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut through the crispy bread without compressing the generous fillings.