These baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches are the perfect use for your leftover Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce. What’s not to love about delicious potato rolls topped with Thanksgiving leftovers?
Looking for a fun and delicious way to use up all that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving?
Made with adorable and delicious mini potato rolls, these baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches are the perfect tiny turkey sandwich!
The combination of the savory herbed mayonnaise, sweet and tangy cranberry sauce, on top of the juicy turkey, with gooey sharp cheddar cheese is so delicious, that you won’t be able to eat just one!
And they come together so fast in one pan, that it’s easy to feed a hungry crowd.
Trust me, you’ll love these little tasty baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches
For herbed mayonnaise:
- Mayonnaise – Feel free to use homemade or your favorite store-bought variety.
- Chives – Chives have a delicate onion flavor.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is earthy and robust in flavor.
For sandwiches:
- Mini potato buns – Potato buns are slightly sweet, fluffy, and dense.
- Leftover turkey – White or dark meat, use your favorite here.
- Cranberry sauce – This will give us a subtle sweetness and tart flavor, along with added moisture to our sandwiches.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Sharp cheddar has a great strong flavor and melts beautifully.
For topping:
- Unsalted butter – The unsalted butter is here to help crisp the tops of the buns and to help the garlic powder stick!
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder will add an earthiness to the tops of the buns.
Different cheeses
I’ve used sharp cheddar in these baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches, because the sharp, pungent flavor of the cheddar doesn’t get lost in all of the other ingredients, and cheddar melts wonderfully.
But if you’re not a fan of cheddar, no worries!
You could easily substitute the cheddar with a Monterey jack, provolone, or even mozzarella.
Make ahead
I like to keep herbed mayonnaise or some kind of garlic aioli on hand at all times.
The flavors of the herbed mayonnaise can elevate any sandwich, and it lasts up to a week in your fridge.
So feel free to make the herbed mayo ahead of time, and keep it stored in your fridge, in a jar with a fitted lid, that way it’s ready for you to use right away!
Add a little spice
Don’t worry spice lovers, I haven’t forgotten about you.
Want to add a little kick to these baked cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches? Easy!
Switch out the sharp cheddar for a pepper jack cheese, (or even a habanero cheddar if you can find it).
It’ll still be gooey and melty, but will give your taste buds a kick!
Storage and leftovers of cranberry cheddar turkey sandwiches
Any leftover sandwiches can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, place on a microwave-safe dish covered loosely with a damp paper towel and heat for 2-3 minutes or until heated thoroughly.
But honestly, they’re just as tasty eaten cold, straight from the fridge.
More Thanksgiving leftover recipes
- Looking for something sweet and savory? Try my Turkey Monte Cristo.
- Want to feed a crowd? Try my Puff Pastry Turkey Pot Pie.
- Love paninis? Try my Turkey Cranberry Pesto Panini.
- Craving something cozy and comforting? Try my Turkey Wild Rice Chili.
Baked Cranberry Cheddar Turkey Sandwiches
Ingredients
For herbed mayonnaise:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
- 2 teaspoons minced rosemary
For sandwiches:
- 12 mini potato buns
- 1/2 pound sliced or chunked leftover turkey
- 12 tablespoons cranberry sauce
- 12 small slices sharp cheddar cheese
For topping:
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Minced chives for topping
Instructions
For mayo:
- In a small bowl mix together mayo and set aside.
For sandwiches:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread the herbed mayonnaise mixture onto the bottom half of the buns. Set the bottoms into your 9×13 pan or baking dish.
- Top the buns with turkey and then 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce per bun.
- Lay on the cheese and top with the top of the buns.
- Brush the top of the buns with the topping mixture.
- Add sandwiches to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sandwiches are warmed.
- If desired, sprinkle the top with chopped chives.
For topping:
- Stir together melted butter and garlic powder.