I’m a huge fan of turkey sandwiches. I like them with lots of mayo, good bread and a cheese with lots of flavor.
The day after Thanksgiving I’m the first one making a big sandwich with the leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. That’s really the perfect way to use Thanksgiving leftovers.
But here at Mortadella Head I try to come up with ways to turn American favorites into Italian recipes.
Recently I took a simple turkey sandwich and turned it into something awesome!
Why shouldn’t turkey and cheese sandwiches be awesome…right?
It’s made with a really nice deli style turkey. The same kind you usually get on a turkey sub.
There are so many different kinds of cheese to choose from when you make a delicious turkey sandwich.
I tried a few different types of cheese and I think I came up with the perfect sandwich.
The guy who maintains our deli slicer told me it was the best turkey sandwich he’s ever had. And he’s been in a lot of delis over the years.
Here’s a great turkey sandwich recipe you need to try!
It’s simple enough to make for an easy lunch, but it’s also good enough to serve to a crowd of friends and family.
What You Need to Make A Great Turkey and Cheese Sandwich
All of the ingredients you need for this delicious sandwich are going to be simple. You should be able to find them all in your local grocery store.
Turkey
This turkey sandwich recipe is going to be easy. I basically took the classic turkey sandwich and elevated it with a few simple touches.
Some people might even call it a gourmet sandwich.
It’s also going to be a cold sandwich.
When I made this sandwich I used a really basic deli turkey. Nothing fancy. I swear.
The most important thing is that you have the guy behind the deli counter slice the turkey breast as thin as possible.
Don’t be shy. Ask to inspect a piece of turkey after he slices it.
Cheese
I see a turkey sandwich as being a blank canvas when it comes to cheese.
For this sandwich, I used provolone cheese. It’s one of the best cheeses for Italian style sandwiches.
I made sure to slice it fresh and slice it thin. That’s the only way to do it in my opinion.
But if you don’t love provolone, you don’t have to use it. There are so many different cheeses to choose from.
You could use American cheese, mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese.
Like I said before, whatever you use, make sure that your slices of cheese are thin.
Pick your favorite cheese and go with it.
Bread
The bread is a really important part of any sandwich. If you use bad bread, you’re starting off on the wrong foot.
For my turkey and cheese sandwich I decided to use one of the sub rolls we serve at Mortadella Head. It’s crusty on the outside and soft on the inside.
If you don’t have a sub roll, you could use a baguette, a ciabatta roll or sourdough bread.
Any type of Italian bread that is soft on the inside and crusty on the outside will be great.
The Spread
I made a really quick basil pesto aioli for this sandwich. I took mayonnaise and basil pesto and put it in a bowl.
Then I mixed it all together. It adds a lot of flavor to the sandwich.
Who doesn’t love a good turkey pesto sandwich?
Feel free to use store bought pesto for this recipe.
I strongly recommend that you always spread your mayo on both sides of the roll for even distribution of flavors.
If you’re using sliced sandwich bread, apply it to both slices of bread.
When you spread your mayo on the top slice of bread and the bottom slice, you’ll be able to tell the difference.
The Veggies
I made my sandwich with mixed greens and tomatoes.
I made sure the greens were nice and fresh. I dressed them in our homemade red wine vinaigrette.
I sliced my tomatoes nice and thin.
Seasoning
Always season the veggies on your sandwich. A liberal amount of salt and pepper makes every sandwich better.
Add a nice drizzle of olive oil and you’re golden!
How to Make the Best Turkey and Cheese Sandwich
I started off by making my pesto mayo. I simply mixed together mayonnaise basil pesto.
Then I stirred it up with a spoon until it was well mixed.
Then I cut my sub roll into 2 pieces. The top and the bottom.
I smeared the mayo on both halves of the sub roll. I made sure each piece of bread had plenty of mayo.
I like the side of each slice of bread to be coated with the mayo.
My next step was to slice the cheese. I have a slicer in the Mortadella Head kitchen so I like slicing it fresh.
I covered the bottom roll with lots of cheese.
The next thing I did was slice the turkey.
I sliced it really thin because that’s the best way to do it. I loaded piles of turkey onto the bread.
The thin slices of turkey will be nice and fluffy if done right.
I took the mixed greens and spread them evenly over the turkey. I drizzled on some of the red wine vinaigrette.
I sliced the tomato and laid the slices over the greens. I made sure the tomato slices were evenly distributed.
Finally I seasoned it all with a good amount of salt, black pepper and olive oil.
And that’s it!
The Best Cheese for A Turkey Sandwich FAQs
What other types of turkey can be used for this sandwich?
This sandwich can be made with just about any deli turkey. You can use smoked turkey, black pepper turkey or herbed turkey breast.
Can this turkey and cheese sandwich be served hot?
Yes. When I made it, I ate it at room temperature. If you like hot turkey and cheese, here are a couple ways to do it.
It’s a great way to improve on a traditional grilled cheese and turkey sandwich.
Make a turkey melt in a large skillet or frying pan. Add some real butter to the pan and put it on medium heat. Put the sandwich in the pan for a couple minutes on each side.
You’ll know it’s done when the cheese melts and the bread is a nice golden brown.
You can also put the sandwich in the oven and make a melty cheese and turkey sandwich.
If you have a panini press you can use it to make a hot turkey sandwich. Put it in the press until you can see the melted cheese oozing out the side of the bread.
What are the best cheeses for grilled cheese and turkey sandwiches?
Like I said before I like provolone, American and cheddar cheese for room temperature sandwiches. These cheeses also melt really nice.
If you want to try some other cheeses try Swiss cheese, Colby Jack or Monterey Jack. They are really good for melting.
What are some good side dishes for this turkey and cheese sandwich?
I like a creamy coleslaw, potato salad or pasta salad with a great turkey sandwich. How about a nice bowl of tomato soup?
The Best Turkey and Cheese Sandwich: Caprese Turkey!
Ingredients
1 good sub roll
1 pint of mayo
3 tablespoons of pesto mayo
8 ounces of deli turkey sliced very thin
2 ounces of provolone cheese sliced thin
1 cup mixed greens
3 slices of tomato
1 tablespoon of red wine vinaigrette
Salt, pepper and olive oil
Instructions
- Split sub roll into 2 halves
- Mix mayo and basil pesto to make pesto mayo
- Spread pesto mayo on both sides of sub roll
- Add cheese to bottom half of roll
- Place turkey on top of cheese
- Now place greens on top of turkey. Drizzle on the vinaigrette.
- Add sliced tomatoes
- Season with salt and pepper
- Drizzle with olive oil
- Enjoy!
