The Thanksgiving leftover sandwich you’ve been dreaming about all month: it’s the ultimate day-after turkey sandwich with all the fixings.
The classic Thanksgiving leftover sandwich looms large in our collective imaginations. I’m pretty sure you were thinking about it while you were carving the turkey. You might have given the evil eye to anyone who dared take second helpings of stuffing, and you probably made a clandestine batch of cranberry sauce…just in case. For serious Thanksgiving junkies the day after sandwich is king. Nothing else comes close.
let’s dig in
what you’ll need for the perfect Thanksgiving leftover sandwich
Of course pick and choose the leftovers you love…
- leftover turkey
- white or dark meat, in this sandwich you can use both.
- gravy
- stuffing
- orange veggie side dish of your choice
- butternut squash casserole, mashed sweet potatoes, etc. If your sweet potatoes come with marshmallows on top, I’d ditch them. But you be you!
- green veggie side dish of your choice
- roasted Brussels sprouts, green bean casserole, etc.
- cranberry sauce + mayo or, if you’re bold, Creamy Cranberry Relish (with Horseradish and Sour Cream)
- sandwich bread
- make sure it’s a sturdy loaf, this sandwich is hefty!
related: Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole (freezable!)
how to build a Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich
- Warm up your leftovers in a moderate oven.
- Toast your bread, if you like. Don’t if you don’t.
- Make cranberry mayo ~ (don’t knock it til you’ve tried it!) and thickly slather on both pieces of bread.
- Lay down a layer of sliced turkey.
- Moisten the turkey layer with gravy (you can also dip the turkey straight in the gravy.)
- Add stuffing in an even layer.
- Top with your orange veg, in my case sweet potato mash.
- Optional second layer of turkey (good time for the dark meat.)
- Then your green veg, roasted Brussels sprouts for me.
- Finish with cranberry sauce.
- Top with your cranberry mayo slathered top slice of bread.
- Step back and admire your creation ~ the ultimate Thanksgiving leftover sandwich 🙂
do’s and don’ts for the best Thanksgiving leftover sandwich
The third piece of bread? Some seem to think the day after sammie should be a club. Wrong. That’s carb overload. The famous moist maker sandwich from Friends calls for soaking that third slice of bread in gravy. Still wrong.
To toast or not to toast: I vote for toasting, it helps prevent a soggy bottom in your epic turkey sandwich.
You’ve gotta have mayo, so why not make the most of it? Mix leftover cranberry sauce with an equal amount of mayo for an extra pop of flavor and color in your sandwich.
Gravy adds that Thanksgiving flavor to your sandwich, but be sure to add it in the middle so your bread doesn’t sog out.
Definitely warm your leftovers before assembling your sandwich, it makes all the difference. I’ll lay them out on a baking sheet in a 350F oven to get them up to temp. The microwave works, too. Some like to fry the stuffing to crisp it up.
Something other than turkey? Sure, ham or roast beef makes an equally delicious day-after sandwich.
Make a Thanksgiving leftover sandwich for a crowd: layer everything up on a baguette that has been cut in half the long way. Then slice to serve.
Do not try to save or freeze your Thanksgiving leftover sandwich. What are you crazy? Eat it asap.
Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, but there’s a lot to be said for the days following. For those who do the cooking (and cleaning!) especially, the days after can bring much needed R&R, and leftovers! Something magical happens in that Tupperware overnight in the fridge. The turkey gets moister, the stuffing more succulent ~ even the cranberry sauce takes on an extra zing! All good reasons why the Thanksgiving leftover sandwich is so beloved.
Thanksgiving Leftover Sandwich
Ingredients
cranberry mayo
- 2-3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2-3 Tbsp cranberry sauce
sandwich
- 2 slices hearty sandwich bread, toasted
- 2 slices turkey breast
- 2 Tbsp leftover turkey gravy
- 1/4 cup leftover stuffing
- 1/4 cup leftover orange veggie
- shredded dark meat turkey, optional
- 1/4 cup green veggie
- 2 Tbsp cranberry sauce
Instructions
- Blend the mayo and cranberry sauce together to make a vibrant cranberry mayo. It's so good you might want to make extra, just use equal parts cranberry sauce to mayo. Chill.
- Warm your turkey, stuffing, gravy, and veggie leftovers either in a moderate 350F oven, or in the microwave.
- Slather both pieces of toasted bread with a layer of cranberry mayo.
- Lay sliced turkey on the bottom piece of bread. Moisten the top of the turkey with a bit of gravy.
- Add a layer of stuffing over the turkey.
- Add a layer of your orange side dish on top of the stuffing.
- Now add an additional (optional) layer of turkey + gravy ~ dark meat lovers this is your moment.
- Top that with your green veg, mine is Brussels sprouts.
- Finally a dollop of cranberry sauce.
- Add your top slice of bread and press this monster down slightly before digging in.
Notes
Nutrition
more epic sandwich recipes to try
Just like I make my leftover turkey sandwich! Everyone always leaves out the sweet potatoes.