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This turkey cranberry panini with pesto is perfect for all your leftover Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry sauce. It’s delicious and ready in just 15 minutes. You’ll love this melty, flavor-packed panini!
I’m having trouble writing this post. I’m so emotionally invested in the election results that I can barely focus. Of course, if I were smart, I would have written this post days ago, but in classic Brandy form, I’m down to the wire.
But since I have no way of knowing how this election will pan out (well, as I type this, I’m betting we’ll know by the time it goes live), I must carry on. I know I’m being dramatic, but I can’t help it. Never in my life have I felt so emotionally invested in an election.
I’m also emotionally invested in delicious food, so at least I have this delightful sandwich to keep me company all night.
So obviously, the thing you should know about this sandwich is that it’s fantastic.
It’s packed full of leftover turkey (from my excellent adobo butter turkey), and then I throw on some pesto, cranberry sauce, and super duper sharp cheddar.
(Update: That election didn’t pan out the way I wanted, and in return, the following two elections have given me more stress imaginable. So, in the end, this post was just the start of my political anxiety.)
Ingredients needed
- Bread
- Butter
- Cranberry Sauce
- Pesto
- Turkey
- Sharp cheddar cheese
My Pro Tips
Turkey Cranberry Panini Recipe Tips
Use your favorite bread for this sandwich. I like thick, sliced, hearty whole grain bread, but it’s also great with sourdough, gluten-free, or sandwich bread.
I’m using a homemade cranberry sauce, but storebought works well too. A whole berry cranberry sauce is better than a jellied for this sandwich.
When heating your panini, the best method is to warm the sandwich low and slow! This ensures the whole sandwich is warmed and the outside of the bread does not get too toasted. I like to use my griddler for paninis.
More turkey sandwich recipes
Turkey Cranberry Pesto Panini
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 slices whole grain bread
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
- 2 teaspoons pesto sauce
- 2 (1/4 inch) slices leftover turkey
- 1 slice sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Lay out bread and spread 1 tablespoon butter on 1 side of each slice of bread, flip over.
- Spread cranberry sauce on one slice and pesto sauce on the other slice of bread.
- Put the turkey and cheese over the cranberry sauce and place the other slice of bread, pesto side down, over top of the cheese.
- Heat a griddle panini maker to medium heat and add the sandwich.
- Close the panini maker and cook slowly on medium heat for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the inside of the sandwich is hot. The outside of the bread should be golden and toasted.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the PERFECT sandwich for post turkey day!!! I’m loving that pesto!
Oh heck yes, this will be making an appearance at my house the day after Thanksgiving! Love the flavors going on here, plus the fact that it’s GF!
I could use one of these awesome sammies to help settle my nerves (aka, comfort food to me). They look incredible!
I’m already thinking of leftovers from T-Day. going to try this for sure
I love leftovers more than the actual dinner, so this is perfect for me!
Girl, you are the queen of sandwiches!! This looks amazing!
What a great use of leftovers! And I wish I’d had one of these sandwiches with me last night. I needed some comforting food when all was said and done.
I love making post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches! I’ll have to give this one a try!
I could go for one of these right now!
This looks like the perfect sandwich for me.